Exploratory Centers for Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 20 033

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 20 033

The Exploratory Centers for Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (P20 Clinical Trial Optional), announced by the National Institutes of Health under NIDDK, is a discretionary grant opportunity designed to spark new, collaborative science in benign urology. The central idea is to create exploratory research centers that can pull together investigators from different disciplines to tackle important questions in benign genitourinary diseases and disorders. Rather than funding large, mature programs, this FOA emphasizes innovative, integrative work that may be high-risk but also potentially high-reward, with the expectation that these early, exploratory efforts can open up new directions for the field and position teams for larger-scale studies later.

A defining requirement of the program is true interdisciplinarity, not just in name but in the makeup of the research team. Each proposed center must include, within the main Research Project, two key types of expertise: first, researchers who are new to studying benign genitourinary diseases or disorders, and second, clinical urology expertise. The intent is to bring fresh perspectives into benign urology while keeping the work grounded in clinical reality and patient needs. Beyond those required components, applicants are encouraged to add whatever additional expertise is necessary to answer the scientific questions in a strong, integrative way, which could include fields such as epidemiology, bioengineering, imaging, data science, microbiology, pain research, behavioral science, or health services research, depending on the problem being addressed.

From a research design standpoint, the FOA explicitly welcomes studies that involve human subjects or human tissues, and it encourages small, innovative pilot and feasibility clinical studies. The phrase "clinical trial optional" signals that the mechanism can support projects that do or do not meet NIH definitions of a clinical trial, depending on what is appropriate for the exploratory goals. The emphasis is on thoughtful, well-justified early-stage clinical or translational work that can test new ideas, generate preliminary data, and establish proof of concept, rather than large confirmatory trials.

In addition to the scientific Research Project itself, every Exploratory Center application must include an Administrative Core that contains an Educational Enrichment Program. This requirement makes the P20 more than a single research project grant; it is meant to function as a hub that actively builds capacity. The Administrative Core is the organizing structure that supports coordination, governance, communication, and the practical operations of the center, while the Educational Enrichment Program is intended to strengthen and broaden the benign urology research community. In practice, this enrichment component often involves activities like seminars, visiting speaker series, workshops on methods or emerging topics, mentoring and networking opportunities, and structured ways to help new investigators and trainees enter or reorient toward benign urology research.

The FOA also situates the P20 centers within a larger NIDDK strategy to expand and enhance benign urology research and to grow the pipeline of urologic investigators. Specifically, the Exploratory Centers Program is expected to work in partnership with other established NIDDK-supported efforts, including the George M. O'Brien Urology Cooperative Research Centers Program (U54) and the Multidisciplinary K12 Urologic Research Career Development Programs (KURe and UroEpi). The practical implication is that applicants should think about how their center will connect with, complement, or leverage these existing programs, whether through shared scientific themes, training activities, collaborative opportunities, or pathways that help investigators move from exploratory work into more sustained career development and cooperative research networks.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also highlights interest in applications from a wide range of institution types and community-linked organizations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is limited in a typical NIH way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant can include specific foreign collaborations or activities when they are well-justified and compliant with NIH policy.

Key administrative details from the posted record include the funding opportunity title and number (RFA-DK-20-033), the funding instrument type (grant), the general activity category (health-related), and the CFDA number 93.847. The opportunity listing shows an original closing date of March 18, 2021, and a creation date of November 16, 2020. The award ceiling and expected awards fields are not specified in the provided source text, so applicants would typically rely on the full FOA document and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, project period, and any caps or expectations tied to the P20 mechanism.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a center-building grant for benign urology that prioritizes new interdisciplinary collaborations, early exploratory research projects (including human-focused and small pilot clinical work), and structured educational and administrative infrastructure. The end goal is to broaden the community doing benign urology research, bring in investigators who have not traditionally worked in the space, and build teams capable of producing compelling preliminary findings that can grow into larger NIH-funded programs.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Centers for Interdisciplinary Research in Benign Urology (P20 Clinical Trial Optional)" 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 2020-11-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-18. (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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