Limited Competition for the Continuation of the Urinary Stone Disease Research Network (USDRN) Clinical Centers (U01 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA DK 20 506

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 20 506

This funding opportunity, RFA-DK-20-506, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U01) issued by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to support a limited continuation of the Urinary Stone Disease Research Network (USDRN) Clinical Centers. It is labeled as a "limited competition" because it is intended specifically for current, existing USDRN Clinical Centers rather than opening the competition broadly to new sites. The overall intent is to ensure these established centers can finish ongoing network studies and complete the remaining clinical investigation work that the USDRN has already initiated.

The USDRN is described as actively conducting two major types of clinical research across multiple centers: a randomized clinical trial and an observational clinical study. The research agenda centers on urinary stone disease, with three major scientific and clinical objectives. First, the network aims to generate stronger evidence about whether increasing fluid intake and urine output can reduce urinary stone disease recurrence, and it emphasizes the use of innovative strategies to improve adherence to higher fluid intake goals. Second, it seeks to better understand ureteral stent-associated pain and urinary symptoms, with an explicit focus on learning how to mitigate those burdens for patients who require stents. Third, the network plans to collect clinical data and biological samples that can be used to support future studies, meaning the infrastructure and standardized collection efforts are positioned not only to answer the immediate study questions but also to create a resource for subsequent investigations.

Because the award mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, the project is structured to involve substantial NIH involvement compared to a typical research project grant. In practical terms, this generally means the NIH and awardees work closely on study conduct, coordination, and oversight, which fits a multi-center network model where consistency of protocols, data quality, recruitment practices, and biospecimen handling are important. The activity category is listed within health-related research (including food and nutrition and health), and the CFDA (assistance listing) number is 93.847, which aligns with NIDDK-supported kidney and urologic research areas.

Eligibility is restricted in several important ways. The main eligible applicants are the current USDRN Clinical Centers, reflecting the continuation and completion focus of the FOA. The notice also indicates that certain additional applicant types may be eligible (for example, eligible agencies of the federal government and U.S. territories or possessions), but it clearly excludes foreign participation at the applicant and component levels: non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply; non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible; and foreign components, as defined by NIH policy, are not allowed. This effectively keeps the work entirely within eligible U.S.-based organizational structures.

Key administrative details in the source information include an original application closing date of February 9, 2021, and an award ceiling listed at $400,000. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument type. The FOA was created on September 10, 2020. While the record shows an "ExpectedAwards" field without a specified number, the core message remains that the announcement is designed to maintain and complete the network's ongoing multi-center clinical trial and observational study work rather than to launch a new, open-ended program with many new awards.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition for the Continuation of the Urinary Stone Disease Research Network (USDRN) Clinical Centers (U01 Clinical Trial Required)" 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 2020-09-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-09. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for RFA DK 20 506

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