Ancillary Studies to the NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium (R01- Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 17 017

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 17 017

This funding opportunity, RFA-DK-17-017, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant announcement from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) that supports ancillary studies linked to the NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium (IBDGC). The IBDGC, working alongside the International IBD Genetics Consortium, has already mapped roughly 200 genetic susceptibility loci associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The renewed, core consortium effort is focused on moving beyond association signals to pin down the actual causal genes and causal variants within those loci, and then explaining how those genetic factors drive IBD biology and clinical disease. The problem this FOA is trying to solve is practical: even with renewed funding, the consortium cannot experimentally follow up every promising gene or pathway, nor can it cover all relevant tissues, cell types, physiologic systems, and IBD-related phenotypes. This announcement is essentially a mechanism to bring in outside investigators whose expertise can broaden the scientific reach of the consortium, so more genes and more biological domains can be tested in depth.

The projects sought under this FOA are meant to be true “ancillary” collaborations that add value to the IBDGC program rather than run in parallel or repeat what the consortium is already doing. Applications must propose studies that do not duplicate work that is ongoing or already completed by the IBDGC, which means prospective applicants would need to coordinate closely with the consortium to confirm novelty and fit. The intent is to expand both the number of IBD genes studied and the range of phenotypes and physiological domains examined. In practice, that could include mechanistic work that connects specific variants to gene regulation, cellular function, immune responses, epithelial barrier biology, microbiome interactions, or other pathways relevant to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, so long as the work complements the consortium’s existing portfolio and leverages the genetics discoveries already made.

The award mechanism is an R01 research project grant with “Clinical Trial Optional” language, meaning clinical trials are not required and may be proposed only if allowable and appropriate, but the FOA places a clear boundary on what it will consider responsive. Multi-site clinical trials are explicitly not responsive to this opportunity, so applicants should not propose large, multi-center interventional studies. The emphasis is on research that can be conducted as an ancillary collaboration to the IBDGC rather than a broad, networked clinical trial enterprise.

In terms of scope and administrative details, the opportunity falls under the NIH assistance listing (CFDA) number 93.847 and is categorized under food and nutrition/health research. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant, and the posted award ceiling is $200,000. The original closing date listed for applications was March 20, 2018, and the FOA was created on December 19, 2017. While the notice lists “ExpectedAwards” without a specified number in the excerpt provided, the overall structure suggests a targeted set of awards intended to fill scientific gaps and extend consortium-driven genetics findings into functional and mechanistic domains.

Eligibility is broad and includes many standard NIH-eligible organization types across government, higher education, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), U.S. territories or possessions, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities. This broad eligibility is consistent with the FOA’s goal of attracting specialized expertise wherever it exists, including internationally, as long as the proposed work is a strong scientific match and forms a meaningful collaboration with the IBDGC.

Overall, the opportunity is designed for investigators who can bring distinct, complementary capabilities to the IBDGC’s genetics-to-mechanism pipeline. Rather than funding another general IBD study, it prioritizes projects that directly build on established IBD susceptibility loci and help translate those loci into specific genes, variants, mechanisms, and phenotypic consequences, expanding what the consortium can cover with its own internal resources while avoiding duplication and steering away from multi-site clinical trial proposals.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ancillary Studies to the NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium (R01- Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-03-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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