Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 16 027
The Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP) Tissue Interrogation Sites (TIS) grant opportunity (RFA-DK-16-027) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to build and refine cutting-edge ways to study human kidney biopsy tissue. The overall goal is to generate highly detailed, technology-driven insights into what is happening inside the kidney during acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). By supporting specialized Tissue Interrogation Sites that can deeply analyze biopsy samples, the program aims to help create a comprehensive kidney tissue atlas, sort patients into more precise disease subgroups, and pinpoint the specific cell types, molecular pathways, and biological targets most likely to lead to new therapies.
A central feature of the opportunity is that Tissue Interrogation Sites are not meant to operate in isolation. Awardees are expected to work as part of a larger KPMP network that includes Recruitment Sites (which obtain biopsies from consented participants) and a Central Hub (which coordinates aspects of the project and helps integrate outputs). In practice, the TIS teams receive and evaluate kidney tissue from people with AKI or CKD, apply advanced analytic methods to characterize that tissue at multiple levels (structural, functional, and molecular), and contribute standardized, high-quality data back to the broader consortium. The emphasis is on producing interoperable, atlas-ready information that can be compared across samples, participants, and interrogation technologies, ultimately enabling a clearer understanding of kidney disease heterogeneity.
The FOA uses a two-phase UG3/UH3 structure. The UG3 phase is an exploratory, milestone-driven period intended to show that a proposed site can successfully interrogate existing kidney tissue samples as well as a limited number of newly collected biopsies. This stage functions as both a feasibility demonstration and a proving ground for performance, reproducibility, and the ability to generate useful data from real human kidney specimens. At the same time, UG3 is framed to encourage teams to push beyond established methods by improving or inventing next-generation tissue interrogation approaches that can better capture the kidney's complexity, including fine-scale cellular organization and molecular states that might be missed by more conventional assays.
Projects that meet predefined UG3 milestones may be administratively considered by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for transition to the UH3 phase. The UH3 phase is where the work scales up: it supports further validation of the technology, increased throughput and broader application to more biopsies, and continued development to make the approach more robust and informative for the goals of KPMP. Applicants are required to propose a plan covering both phases, with clear UG3 milestones that justify progression into UH3. Because this is a cooperative agreement, awardees should also expect substantial NIH involvement typical of consortium-style efforts, including coordination, shared standards, and collaborative planning across sites.
In terms of what applicants need to bring to the table, the FOA calls for teams with documented experience using a current state-of-the-art method that can either be directly applied to human kidney tissue or feasibly adapted for that purpose. The program is explicitly focused on analyzing human kidney tissue, and proposals that rely on animal studies or model systems are considered non-responsive. That requirement signals that the funded work must directly address real human disease biology in biopsy material rather than using animal proxies, organoids, or purely computational modeling as the primary experimental platform.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organizational types typically allowed under NIH funding, such as universities, nonprofits, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as tribal governments and tribal organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign organizations and regional organizations. The sponsoring agency is NIH, the activity is categorized under health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.847. The original closing date shown in the source information is December 6, 2016, and the opportunity is listed as discretionary funding.
Taken together, this opportunity is aimed at accelerating precision medicine in nephrology by funding high-performing, collaborative tissue analysis centers that can extract deep biological meaning from kidney biopsies. The expected outputs are not just individual datasets, but a coordinated and scalable framework for mapping kidney disease at cellular and molecular resolution, enabling better disease classification and, ultimately, more targeted and effective treatment strategies.Apply for RFA DK 16 027
- The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Kidney Precision Medicine Project Tissue Interrogation Sites (UG3/UH3)" 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 2016-08-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-12-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): KPMP Tissue Interrogation Sites (TIS) (RFA-DK-16-027)
What is the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP) Tissue Interrogation Sites (TIS) funding opportunity?
It is an NIH cooperative agreement funding opportunity (RFA-DK-16-027) that supports specialized Tissue Interrogation Sites (TIS) to build, refine, and apply advanced methods for studying human kidney biopsy tissue. The aim is to generate highly detailed insights into what is happening inside the kidney during acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
What is the main goal of funding Tissue Interrogation Sites?
The main goal is to enable deep, technology-driven analysis of human kidney biopsies so the program can help create a comprehensive kidney tissue atlas, classify patients into more precise disease subgroups, and identify relevant cell types, molecular pathways, and biological targets that may support new therapies.
What kinds of kidney conditions does this opportunity focus on?
The focus is on acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), using human kidney biopsy tissue from individuals with these conditions.
What is a Tissue Interrogation Site (TIS) expected to do?
A TIS is expected to receive and evaluate kidney tissue obtained from consented participants (via Recruitment Sites), apply advanced analytic methods to characterize the tissue at multiple levels (including structural, functional, and molecular), and contribute standardized, high-quality data back to the KPMP consortium to support atlas-ready, interoperable outputs.
Are Tissue Interrogation Sites supposed to work independently?
No. A central feature is that TIS awardees are expected to operate as part of a larger KPMP network. That network includes Recruitment Sites (which obtain biopsies) and a Central Hub (which coordinates aspects of the project and helps integrate outputs). The emphasis is on coordinated, comparable, and standardized work across the consortium.
What does “atlas-ready” or “interoperable” data mean in this opportunity?
Within the description provided, the emphasis is on producing standardized, high-quality outputs that can be compared across samples, participants, and interrogation technologies. The idea is to enable integrated analysis across the consortium and support building a comprehensive kidney tissue atlas.
What funding mechanism and project structure does this FOA use?
The FOA uses a two-phase UG3/UH3 structure. UG3 is an exploratory, milestone-driven phase focused on feasibility and performance. UH3 is a scale-up phase that supports broader application, increased throughput, and further validation and development of the interrogation approaches.
What is the purpose of the UG3 phase?
The UG3 phase is designed to demonstrate feasibility and performance. Teams are expected to show they can successfully interrogate existing kidney tissue samples and a limited number of newly collected biopsies, while demonstrating reproducibility and the ability to generate useful data from real human kidney specimens. UG3 is also positioned to encourage improvement or invention of next-generation approaches.
What is the purpose of the UH3 phase?
The UH3 phase is intended for scaling and expansion after successful UG3 performance. It supports further validation of the technology, increased throughput, application to more biopsies, and continued development to make the approach more robust and informative for KPMP goals.
How does a project move from UG3 to UH3?
Projects that meet predefined UG3 milestones may be administratively considered by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) for transition to the UH3 phase. Applicants are required to propose a plan covering both phases, including clear UG3 milestones that justify progression.
Who is the NIH institute involved with this opportunity?
The description indicates that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is the institute that may administratively consider transition from UG3 to UH3, and the sponsoring agency is NIH.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
It means awardees should expect substantial NIH involvement typical of consortium-style efforts. The description highlights coordination, shared standards, and collaborative planning across sites as part of the cooperative agreement model.
What kind of scientific methods or capabilities are applicants expected to have?
Applicants are expected to have documented experience using a current state-of-the-art method that can be directly applied to human kidney tissue or feasibly adapted for that purpose. The program emphasizes deep analysis of biopsy tissue at multiple levels (structural, functional, and molecular) and encourages next-generation improvements.
Does this opportunity allow animal models or other model systems as the main experimental platform?
No. The program is explicitly focused on analyzing human kidney tissue. Proposals that rely on animal studies or model systems are described as non-responsive. The funded work is expected to directly address real human disease biology in biopsy material.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes universities, nonprofits, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as tribal governments and tribal organizations. The FOA also highlights eligibility for various institution types and organizations, including U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign and regional organizations.
Are small businesses eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes small businesses.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations are listed as eligible, with the note that for-profit organizations other than small businesses are included among eligible applicants (and small businesses are also listed separately as eligible).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Tribal governments and tribal organizations are listed among eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA highlights additional eligible applicants including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and faith-based or community-based organizations.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility information provided includes foreign organizations and regional organizations.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.847.
What is the activity category and general topic area?
The sponsoring agency is NIH, the activity is categorized under health, and the opportunity is aimed at precision medicine in nephrology through advanced interrogation of human kidney biopsy tissue.
What is the listed closing date for the opportunity?
The original closing date shown in the provided information is December 6, 2016.
What type of funding is this opportunity described as?
It is listed as discretionary funding.
What are the expected outcomes or deliverables from funded TIS projects?
The expected outputs include standardized, high-quality, interoperable data suitable for building a kidney tissue atlas, enabling comparison across participants and technologies, supporting improved disease subgrouping, and helping identify cell types, molecular pathways, and biological targets that could inform therapy development.
How does this opportunity support precision medicine in kidney disease?
By funding collaborative tissue analysis centers that can extract high-resolution cellular and molecular information from human kidney biopsies, the program aims to better explain kidney disease heterogeneity, improve classification into more precise subgroups, and highlight targets most likely to lead to new therapies.
What role do Recruitment Sites and the Central Hub play relative to Tissue Interrogation Sites?
Recruitment Sites obtain biopsies from consented participants, while the Central Hub coordinates aspects of the project and helps integrate outputs. Tissue Interrogation Sites receive and analyze the tissue and contribute standardized results back to the consortium for integration and atlas development.
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