High Impact, Interdisciplinary Science in NIDDK Research Areas (RC2 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) invites applications for its High Impact, Interdisciplinary Science grants program under the RC2 activity code, intended to accelerate scientific progress through groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research. This program supports innovative and high-impact ideas that may establish new fields of investigation within the NIDDK mission. Proposals should focus on addressing knowledge gaps, utilizing novel technologies, generating data resources, or advancing research methods that will have a transformative impact on understanding, treating, and preventing diseases within the NIDDK’s scope. The program promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple research laboratories to develop large-scale resources or transformative technologies and encourages discovery-based, hypothesis-generating science. Applications should propose projects with significant potential for advancing biomedical research and improving the understanding of diseases such as diabetes, digestive disorders, liver diseases, metabolic and nutritional disorders, kidney and urologic diseases, and obesity. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with NIDDK program staff at least three to six months before submission to ensure alignment with the program's goals and priorities. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, state and local governments, and federally recognized Native American tribes. Non-domestic entities are not eligible, though foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed. Applicant organizations must maintain active registrations in SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. Applications may include multiple Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PI) but must clearly justify interdisciplinary collaboration and integration of diverse expertise. Applications are due annually with two submission cycles per year. The first cycle has a submission deadline of June 3, 2025, with reviews in November 2025 and funding beginning as early as April 2026. The second cycle deadline is October 15, 2025, with reviews in March 2026 and funding beginning by July 2026. Similar cycles continue through 2027. Letters of intent are requested four weeks prior to the application due date. Budgets are not limited but must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The maximum project period is five years, with a cumulative total of ten years for renewed projects. Applications must include a well-defined "Team Science Organization and Interactions" document to justify the collaborative and integrative aspects of the research team. Resource-sharing plans, data management and sharing plans, and strategies for sustaining generated resources beyond the funding period are also required. Applications will be reviewed based on three main factors: the importance of the research to advance NIDDK’s mission, the rigor and feasibility of the proposed approach, and the qualifications of the investigators and research environment. Additional considerations include human subjects protection, budget justification, and interdisciplinary team collaboration. Final funding decisions will consider scientific merit, alignment with program priorities, and available funding. For questions and consultations, applicants may contact NIDDK scientific, peer review, or financial representatives listed in the funding announcement. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and follow NIH application guidelines as outlined in the application guide and specific funding opportunity instructions.