Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 13 027
Apply for RFA DK 13 027
- The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biomarkers for Diabetes Complications Non Invasive Measures in the Eye (DP3)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 6, 2013 and posted on Nov 6, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 7, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity RFA-DK-13-027, titled "Biomarkers for Diabetes Complications - Non Invasive Measures in the Eye (DP3)," was a discretionary grant program aimed at accelerating the development of biomarkers for complications of type 1 diabetes by using minimally invasive or non-invasive imaging and measurements taken from the eye. The central idea behind the announcement is that a major barrier to preventing or slowing diabetic complications is the lack of reliable early biomarkers and surrogate endpoints that can pick up subtle, preclinical damage to blood vessels and nerves and that can also show early responses when a patient receives an intervention. In other words, many complications are detected too late, and clinical trials and clinical care both need better early-warning signals and earlier readouts of whether a therapy is working.
This FOA specifically leverages the eye because it offers a rare practical advantage in human biology: small blood vessels and neural tissues can be visualized directly and repeatedly with tools that are already common in ophthalmic and vision research (and increasingly common in clinical settings). By treating the eye as an accessible "window" into vascular and neural health, the program encouraged projects that use ocular measurements not only to understand diabetic changes in the eye itself, but also to connect ocular findings to complications occurring elsewhere in the body. The announcement explicitly points to broader diabetes complication targets such as the kidney, brain, heart, and peripheral nerves, reflecting the concept that microvascular and neurodegenerative processes may share pathways across organs and that ocular markers might track systemic disease progression.
The funding mechanism was a grant, with an estimated total program funding level of $7.5 million and an award ceiling of $1,000,000 per award. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching. It was posted on November 6, 2013, with an original and current closing date of April 7, 2014, and it was archived on May 8, 2014. The activity category was listed under Food and Nutrition Health, and the CFDA listing was 93.847 (Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research), aligning it with the NIH institute mission areas focused on diabetes and its complications.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of domestic applicants such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, as well as independent school districts and certain special purpose government entities. The FOA also made clear that a wide range of other applicants could participate, including minority-serving institutions (for example HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities), faith-based and community-based organizations, and eligible federal agencies. Importantly, the opportunity allowed international participation: non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions were eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined under NIH policy) were permitted, signaling that the NIH was open to the best science regardless of geography as long as the application met NIH requirements.
From a research and impact standpoint, the FOA can be understood as trying to move the field toward earlier detection and faster evaluation of treatments for type 1 diabetes complications. By prioritizing biomarkers and surrogate endpoints tied to observable changes in ocular blood vessels and nerves, it aimed to support approaches that could be measured repeatedly over time, potentially enabling shorter and more informative studies, earlier clinical decision-making, and a clearer picture of how diabetic injury develops across multiple organs. The full announcement and details were hosted by NIH, with an additional information link provided in the source, and NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts were listed for access or linking problems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity RFA-DK-13-027?
RFA-DK-13-027 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Biomarkers for Diabetes Complications - Non Invasive Measures in the Eye (DP3)." It was a discretionary grant program focused on accelerating the development of biomarkers for complications of type 1 diabetes using minimally invasive or non-invasive imaging and measurements taken from the eye.
What was the main goal of this NIH program?
The program aimed to speed up development of early biomarkers and surrogate endpoints that can detect subtle, preclinical damage to blood vessels and nerves and show early responses to interventions. The underlying problem it sought to address is that many diabetic complications are detected too late, and both clinical trials and clinical care need earlier signals of damage and earlier readouts of whether a therapy is working.
Why did the FOA focus on the eye?
The FOA leveraged a practical advantage of the eye: small blood vessels and neural tissues can be visualized directly and repeatedly using tools that are already common in ophthalmic and vision research (and increasingly common in clinical settings). The eye was treated as an accessible "window" into vascular and neural health.
What kinds of measurements or approaches were encouraged?
Projects were encouraged to use minimally invasive or non-invasive ocular imaging and measurements to identify and advance biomarkers and surrogate endpoints related to diabetic complications, especially those reflecting vascular and neural injury that could be tracked over time.
Was this only about eye disease, or also about complications elsewhere in the body?
It was not limited to changes in the eye itself. The FOA encouraged connecting ocular findings to complications occurring elsewhere in the body, based on the idea that microvascular and neurodegenerative processes may share pathways across organs and that ocular markers might track systemic disease progression.
Which complication areas beyond the eye were explicitly highlighted?
The announcement explicitly pointed to broader diabetes complication targets including the kidney, brain, heart, and peripheral nerves.
What type of diabetes complications were emphasized?
The FOA emphasized complications of type 1 diabetes, with a focus on detecting subtle, early (preclinical) vascular and nerve damage and enabling earlier evaluation of intervention effects.
What was the funding mechanism and general program size?
The funding mechanism was a grant. The estimated total program funding level was $7.5 million.
What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $1,000,000 per award.
Did the opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
It was posted on November 6, 2013.
What were the application due date and status of the opportunity?
The original and current closing date was April 7, 2014. The opportunity was archived on May 8, 2014.
What NIH-related category and CFDA listing were associated with this FOA?
The activity category was listed under Food and Nutrition Health. The CFDA listing was 93.847 (Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research).
Who was eligible to apply (in general terms)?
Eligibility was broad and included many types of applicants, such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, independent school districts, and certain special purpose government entities.
Were minority-serving institutions explicitly included as eligible applicants?
Yes. The FOA indicated that minority-serving institutions could participate, including examples such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Could faith-based and community-based organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA stated that faith-based and community-based organizations could participate.
Could federal agencies apply?
Yes. The FOA noted that eligible federal agencies were among the entities that could participate.
Was international participation allowed?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions were eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined under NIH policy) were permitted.
What was the intended research impact of developing ocular biomarkers for diabetes complications?
The FOA sought to move the field toward earlier detection and faster evaluation of treatments for type 1 diabetes complications. By prioritizing biomarkers and surrogate endpoints linked to observable ocular changes in blood vessels and nerves, it aimed to support measures that could be repeated over time, potentially enabling shorter and more informative studies, earlier clinical decision-making, and improved understanding of how diabetic injury develops across multiple organs.
Where were the full announcement and supporting details hosted, and who was listed for technical issues?
The full announcement and details were hosted by NIH, with an additional information link provided in the source. NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts were listed for access or linking problems.
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