High Impact, Interdisciplinary Science in NIDDK Research Areas (RC2) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the High Impact, Interdisciplinary Science in NIDDK Research Areas (RC2) opportunity?

It is a discretionary NIH grant funding opportunity (PAR-16-126) run under HHS/NIH that supports ambitious, high-impact research projects within the mission of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The program is designed to catalyze work that can open up new directions of investigation, rather than only incrementally advancing an existing line of research.

Which NIH institute is associated with this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is aligned with the mission of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

What does the program mean by "high impact" and "new directions"?

Based on the description provided, the program is looking for projects that could meaningfully shift or accelerate progress in an NIDDK-relevant area by filling major knowledge gaps, introducing new technologies or methods, or enabling new classes of investigation. The emphasis is on opening up new research directions, not just making incremental improvements to an established approach.

Is interdisciplinarity required, or just encouraged?

Interdisciplinary collaboration is a defining feature of this opportunity. Teams are expected to present a clear, integrated plan showing how investigators from different fields will work together and why the combined expertise is essential to solving the problem.

What counts as "interdisciplinary" for this FOA?

The opportunity emphasizes blending methods, concepts, and technologies across areas that do not typically interact. The expectation is that multiple disciplines are genuinely needed to tackle complex biomedical or public health challenges relevant to NIDDK, and that the project cannot be effectively completed within a single traditional discipline.

How should an application demonstrate that the collaboration is real and integrated?

The provided description indicates that applications should include a clear plan for how different investigators will work together, how the collaboration will be managed, and why the integrated expertise is essential to the proposed approach (not merely additive or parallel work).

What types of research does this program prioritize?

It prioritizes novelty and impact within NIDDK-relevant science, including projects that address clear knowledge gaps, capitalize on emerging scientific opportunities, or introduce new technologies, data generation strategies, or research methods that can move an area forward in a significant way.

Are discovery-based or hypothesis-generating projects allowed?

Yes. The opportunity signals strong interest in discovery-based or hypothesis-generating efforts. Projects do not need to be limited to testing a single narrow hypothesis if another design is better suited to producing foundational resources or revealing new biological insights that can seed future work.

Is the creation of a community research resource expected?

Yes. A key expectation is that the project will produce value beyond the immediate study by generating a community research resource for broader use.

What are examples of "community research resources" under this program?

The description lists examples such as high-quality datasets, novel tools, enabling technologies, or broadly useful research methods. The specific form can vary depending on the scientific goals.

Is there an expectation to share data and resources?

Yes. The program encourages applicants to build plans for sharing data and other resources so the broader research community can benefit and build on what is created.

What kinds of challenges is the program trying to address?

It targets complex biomedical or public health challenges that require multiple disciplines working together, with the expectation that results will accelerate progress in understanding, preventing, or treating diseases relevant to NIDDK.

What is the NIH activity code for this opportunity?

The activity code is RC2.

What is the CFDA number associated with this listing?

The listing includes CFDA number 93.847.

What funding activity categories is this opportunity associated with?

It is categorized under health-related funding activities, including food and nutrition and health (as described in the provided listing).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); state and local governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; for-profit organizations (including entities other than small businesses); small businesses; and other applicants as allowed by the FOA's additional eligibility language.

Are for-profit organizations and small businesses eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes for-profit organizations (including entities other than small businesses) and small businesses.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.

Are state and local governments eligible?

Yes. State and local governments are listed as eligible applicants.

Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status?

No. The eligibility list includes nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status.

When was this opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on March 9, 2016.

What is the application closing date shown in the provided information?

The application closing date listed in the source data is November 1, 2018.

Is the award ceiling provided in the listing?

No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided listing.

Is the expected number of awards provided?

No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing.

Where should applicants look for budget structure, project period expectations, or limits?

The provided description notes that, since the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the listing, applicants typically need to consult the full FOA text for budget structure, project period expectations, and any institute-specific limits or guidance.

What kinds of projects are considered the best fit for PAR-16-126?

The strongest-fit projects, as described, are bold ideas that genuinely benefit from multiple disciplines, are organized into a cohesive team science plan, and are likely to yield broadly useful outputs (such as shared datasets, tools, or methods). Projects should credibly aim to change the trajectory of an NIDDK-relevant research area by filling a major gap or enabling a new class of investigations, with a clear commitment to resource sharing.