Clinical Data Ecosystem for Genomics (CDEG)

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has announced its intention to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Clinical Data Ecosystem for Genomics (CDEG).” This is a forecasted funding opportunity with the goal of reducing barriers to the clinical integration and exchange of genomic data. The NHGRI leads national efforts in genomic research and aims to ensure the effective incorporation of genomic information into healthcare settings to improve patient outcomes. The CDEG initiative seeks to establish a network focused on the integration, sharing, and interpretation of genome sequencing data in a structured format. The initiative’s primary objectives include building a pilot ecosystem that demonstrates best practices for sharing genomic structured data (GSD) across diverse healthcare settings, including primary care. The effort will focus on the creation of standardized application programming interfaces (APIs), as well as the development of open-source clinical software applications and databases utilizing those APIs. The ultimate goal is to promote interoperability and seamless genomic data sharing among laboratories, healthcare providers, and patients. The scope of funding under this opportunity emphasizes collaborative and technical development. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the ability of the pilot ecosystem to overcome data silos and facilitate patient genomic data access across different healthcare systems. In addition, funded projects will help refine the practices into tools and resources that can be broadly shared and adopted across the clinical genomics community. The funding mechanism for this opportunity will be the U01 Cooperative Agreement, which supports discrete, specified, and circumscribed projects with substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as state and county governments, institutions of higher education (both public and private), public housing authorities, Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and other tribal organizations), nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, independent school districts, and for-profit organizations including small businesses. This broad eligibility ensures a diverse array of institutions can participate, promoting innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. As of now, applications are not being accepted; the opportunity remains in a forecasted status. The estimated post date is December 1, 2025, with an anticipated application due date of March 2, 2026. Awards are expected to be issued by October 30, 2026, which is also the expected start date for funded projects. While no additional deadlines, such as letters of intent or pre-application submissions, have been provided, the early forecast is intended to give applicants ample time to form consortia and prepare strong proposals. Given that this is a new NOFO, applicants with backgrounds in computational genomics, electronic health records, clinical implementation science, cloud and database development, and genomic data standards are especially encouraged to begin preparing. The grant does not have a cost-sharing or matching requirement, and the estimated total program funding, award ceiling, and floor amounts have not yet been disclosed. For more information, prospective applicants are encouraged to reach out to Jennifer Troyer at the NHGRI. She can be contacted via email at jennifer.troyer@nih.gov or by phone at 301-312-3276. These early details serve as a call for collaboration and planning, ahead of the formal release of the funding opportunity announcement.