Maternal Medications and Human Milk Research Center (M2HMRC)

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is forecasting a Notice of Funding Opportunity to establish a Maternal Medications and Human Milk Research Center. This center will operate within the Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics Hub, a broader initiative aimed at improving knowledge and practices around medication safety and efficacy for mothers and infants. The institute is authorized under the Public Health Service Act and related laws to issue this funding opportunity. The purpose of the Maternal Medications and Human Milk Research Center is to advance scientific understanding of how medications taken by mothers affect the composition of human milk and subsequent health outcomes for infants. Key objectives include identifying critical knowledge gaps in the use of medications during pregnancy and lactation, integrating real-world evidence with chemical and bioanalytical data, and developing innovative tools for safer and more effective medication use in maternal populations. Another priority is the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge to diverse audiences, ensuring that clinicians, policymakers, and families have access to clear, reliable information. This program will support a cooperative agreement that involves large-scale, multi-component research projects requiring substantial collaboration between the funded center and the NIH. The selected center will work closely with the MPRINT Hub’s Knowledge and Research Coordinating Center to strengthen translational, clinical, and data science research in this field. The effort is intended to fill a major public health need, given the limited current understanding of medication effects in lactating individuals and their children. Applicants eligible for this program include a wide range of organizations, such as state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and other designated organizations. Specific eligibility also extends to faith-based groups, regional organizations, and agencies of the federal government. This breadth of eligibility is intended to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and maximize the pool of qualified applicants. The forecast indicates that NIH anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement under this notice, with an estimated total program funding of $2,500,000. While award ceiling and floor amounts have not been specified, the program emphasizes significant research efforts that require extensive infrastructure and collaboration. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement associated with this opportunity, which lowers financial barriers for eligible applicants. The projected timeline includes a posting date of November 3, 2025, and an application due date of March 2, 2026. The anticipated award date is December 1, 2026, with funded projects expected to start on the same day. Applications are not currently being accepted, as this is a forecasted opportunity, but advance notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to plan collaborations and prepare competitive proposals. All applications will undergo NIH’s standard peer review process, evaluating scientific merit, relevance to program priorities, and the applicant’s capacity to conduct complex, collaborative research. For additional information, interested applicants may contact Dr. Zhaoxia Ren, the listed program officer at NICHD. She can be reached by phone at 240-463-5046 or by email at zren@mail.nih.gov. This notice emphasizes early engagement, encouraging applicants to use the forecast period to explore partnerships and begin shaping proposals that align with NIH’s research priorities in maternal and pediatric therapeutics.