Developmental Centers for Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (P20) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Developmental Centers for Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (P20) funding opportunity?

It is a discretionary NIH grant program (RFA-DK-16-012) under HHS-NIH designed to strengthen and expand the research community focused on benign (non-cancer) urologic diseases. It supports the formation of interdisciplinary teams that work together on integrative, collaborative science that either creates innovative resources or launches new research projects addressing important questions in benign urology.

Which NIH area is connected to this program?

The program is positioned within the NIH Division of Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases (DKUH) and is described as part of a broader strategic effort to expand and enhance urology research nationally.

What does "benign urology" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this opportunity, "benign urology" refers to urologic diseases and conditions that are non-cancerous. The program emphasis is specifically on benign (non-cancer) urologic diseases rather than oncology-focused urology.

What is the main scientific emphasis of the P20 Developmental Center?

The emphasis is on integrative, collaborative science that requires cross-disciplinary approaches. The goal is to accelerate creative, interdisciplinary work and support teams whose complementary expertise makes it possible to pursue questions in benign urology that would be difficult to address within a single discipline.

How many research projects are expected in an application?

Each application centers on a single research Project. Applicants are not proposing a large collection of multiple independent projects. The structure is intended to help a team coalesce around one focused project where interdisciplinary collaboration is essential.

What kinds of expertise are expected on the interdisciplinary team?

Team members are expected to contribute distinct but synergistic skill sets. Examples of relevant expertise mentioned include clinical urology, nephrology, epidemiology, imaging, bioengineering, computational biology, biostatistics, microbiology, physiology, or other fields appropriate to the scientific problem being targeted.

What required components must be included in every Developmental Center besides the single Project?

Every Developmental Center must include two required components in addition to the single Project: (1) an Administrative Core and (2) an Educational Enrichment Program.

What is the purpose of the Administrative Core?

The Administrative Core provides the organizational backbone of the Center. It supports coordination of leadership, management, communication, oversight, and practical operations needed to keep an interdisciplinary effort cohesive and productive.

What is the purpose of the Educational Enrichment Program?

The Educational Enrichment Program is meant to build capacity and strengthen the pipeline of investigators in benign urology research. It typically includes structured activities that broaden skills, promote interdisciplinary thinking, and strengthen the research environment over time.

What types of activities can be included in the Educational Enrichment Program?

Examples listed include seminars, workshops, visiting speakers, mentoring, career development exposure, and other enrichment experiences that broaden skills and promote interdisciplinary thinking.

Is the program focused only on producing research results?

No. The structure (including the Administrative Core and Educational Enrichment Program) indicates NIH is investing not only in research outputs, but also in infrastructure and a training/enrichment environment that can sustain and grow a collaborative benign urology research community.

How does this P20 program connect to other NIH urology programs?

The FOA notes that the Developmental Centers will work in partnership with two related programs: the George M. OBrien Urology Cooperative Research Centers Program (U54) and the Multidisciplinary K12 Urologic Research (KURe) Career Development Program. This positioning suggests the P20 Centers are intended to complement established cooperative research centers (U54) and align with career development pathways (K12).

What is the intended "ecosystem" role of these P20 Centers?

Based on the FOA description, the P20 Centers are meant to help developing interdisciplinary teams connect with mature collaborative center infrastructure (U54) and investigator development efforts (K12), reinforcing a more connected national benign urology research ecosystem.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes organizations that can conduct or support research. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions where specified), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts). Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations, and public/Indian housing authorities are also eligible.

Are higher education institutions eligible?

Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. Both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are listed as eligible applicants, with a note about excluding higher education institutions where specified.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are listed as eligible applicants, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.

Are government entities eligible?

Yes. Several levels of government entities are listed as eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations are explicitly included as eligible applicants.

Are public housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public/Indian housing authorities are listed among the eligible applicants.

What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $200,000, indicating the program is aimed at developmental and capacity-building center activities rather than large multi-project center budgets.

How many awards are expected?

The provided information shows the FOA field "ExpectedAwards:" without a number, so the total number of expected awards is not specified in the provided data.

When was the funding opportunity created and posted?

The opportunity was created and posted on December 2, 2015.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was February 22, 2016.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The program is cataloged under CFDA number 93.847 (as listed in the provided information).

What funding activity area is this opportunity associated with?

It is categorized within health-related funding activity areas. The listing also notes food and nutrition, described as consistent with broader NIH cataloging practices.

What is the overall goal of the program for the research community?

The overall goal is to strengthen and expand the benign urology research community by enabling interdisciplinary teams to form, build shared infrastructure, and pursue integrative projects that either create innovative resources or launch new research aimed at significant benign urology questions.

Is this opportunity intended to support isolated work within one discipline?

No. The intent is to accelerate creative, integrative work rather than support isolated efforts within a single discipline. Applications are expected to demonstrate synergy among team members with complementary expertise.