Collaborative Research Using Biosamples and/or Data from Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Studies (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DK 26 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 26 007

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering an R01 research grant opportunity titled "Collaborative Research Using Biosamples and/or Data from Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Studies (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under funding opportunity number RFA-DK-26-007 (CFDA 93.847). The program is aimed at supporting collaborative, team-based research that uses existing biosamples and/or datasets collected through type 1 diabetes (T1D) clinical trials and related clinical studies. Rather than funding new clinical trials, the intent is to help investigators leverage high-value resources that already exist to answer major unanswered questions about the causes of T1D (etiology) and the biological processes that drive disease development and progression (pathogenesis). The overarching goal is to improve understanding of disease mechanisms in ways that can ultimately inform better prevention strategies for type 1 diabetes.

A central feature of this NOFO is its focus on collaboration and on making strong scientific use of previously collected human samples and clinical data. Projects are expected to bring together investigative teams that can integrate different types of expertise, for example immunology, genetics, endocrinology, bioinformatics, epidemiology, systems biology, or biomarker science, to extract new insights from established clinical study collections. In practical terms, the NIH is looking for well-justified research questions that can be answered by analyzing existing trial/study data, performing new assays on stored biospecimens, combining datasets across studies where appropriate, or applying modern analytical methods to older collections to reveal new disease mechanisms. The studies supported by this funding should be clearly tied to understanding how T1D begins and develops, and how that knowledge could guide improved prevention.

This is an R01 mechanism, meaning applicants should propose a substantial, hypothesis-driven research plan with a clear rationale, rigorous methods, and a realistic path to meaningful results. The label "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" is important: applicants should not propose prospective interventional studies in which participants are assigned to an intervention. Instead, the work should be based on secondary analyses and/or laboratory and computational studies using existing human clinical study materials and information. In other words, the emphasis is on extracting additional value from completed or ongoing clinical studies by using their archived samples and curated datasets to ask new mechanistic questions.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. Nonprofits are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education), and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses may also apply. The NOFO also explicitly 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This broad eligibility is designed to encourage participation from diverse research communities and to strengthen collaborative networks capable of addressing complex mechanistic questions in T1D.

Key administrative details include the opportunity category listed as discretionary, with the funding instrument being a grant and the activity category identified under food and nutrition/health. The opportunity was created on January 15, 2025, and the original closing date is March 8, 2026. The public listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would typically look to the full NOFO and NIH institute guidance for any budget expectations, project period norms, and program priorities that may affect competitiveness.

Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as a push to accelerate discovery in type 1 diabetes by mining the rich clinical trial and clinical study resources that have already been built, using collaborative teams and modern analytical approaches to clarify disease mechanisms and generate insights that can translate into stronger prevention efforts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Research Using Biosamples and/or Data from Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Studies (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 2025-01-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-08. (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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