The NIDDK Disorders of Gastrointestinal Interoception Consortium Clinical Centers (DGIC)

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is preparing to establish the Disorders of Gastrointestinal Interoception Consortium (DGIC). This initiative builds on the work of the NIDDK Gastroparesis Consortium (GpCRC), which developed an extensive registry and provided insight into the burden and mechanisms of gastroparesis. The new consortium will expand the focus to include adult and pediatric gastrointestinal conditions linked to impaired interoceptive processing, aiming to improve understanding and treatment strategies across a broader range of gastrointestinal disorders. The prior GpCRC made significant contributions by assembling the first U.S. registry of children and adolescents with gastroparesis and creating a large database housed in the NIDDK central repository. The work revealed that gastroparesis has a greater clinical impact than previously understood, with effects extending beyond delayed gastric emptying. However, underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, which limits progress toward effective interventions. Lessons learned from these studies provided a foundation for broadening the scope of investigation to gastrointestinal interoception more generally. Interoception refers to the body’s ability to sense, interpret, and coordinate signals from internal systems, including the gastrointestinal tract. Dysfunction in this process is thought to play a role in many functional gastrointestinal disorders characterized by overlapping symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and altered bowel habits. The DGIC will bring together clinical research centers and a Scientific Data Research Center (SDRC) to investigate the mechanisms that connect gastrointestinal function to symptoms, identify biomarkers to track disease and treatment response, and explore novel therapeutic targets. This work will require multidisciplinary approaches and advanced technologies to generate data that can support future clinical trials. The DGIC will likely include up to six Clinical Research Centers, each working collaboratively with the SDRC. The SDRC will play a central coordinating role, managing participant enrollment, biospecimen collection and processing, and data submission to central repositories. This structure is intended to ensure standardized methodologies and effective collaboration across research sites. Data generated by the consortium will be integrated with existing resources to maximize scientific and clinical value. Funding for this program will be provided through cooperative agreements, reflecting NIH’s intention to maintain a high level of scientific collaboration between awardees and the Institute. The estimated total program funding is $1,500,000, with one award expected. Award amounts are not currently defined by ceiling or floor. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, tribal organizations, local and state governments, small businesses, and other for-profit entities. Federal agencies, regional organizations, and foreign institutions are also listed as eligible. This broad eligibility scope reflects NIH’s interest in drawing on a wide pool of expertise. The anticipated timeline sets an estimated posting date of August 1, 2026, with applications due by November 1, 2026. Awards are expected to be made by July 1, 2027, with funded projects starting on that same date. At present, there is no indication of pre-application requirements such as letters of intent. Interested applicants are encouraged to prepare well in advance, given the complex and collaborative nature of this opportunity. For questions, applicants may contact Dr. Terez Shea-Donohue at 301-825-2314 or by email at terez.shea-donohue@nih.gov.