Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 20 006
The Kidney Technology Development Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DK-20-006, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) training and education grant from the Department of Health and Human Services focused on building structured, hands-on research education experiences in kidney technology development. The program is designed for institutions that can create immersive, team-based training environments where students learn how to move kidney-related technologies from early concepts toward real-world clinical impact. A central theme is practical technology development rather than traditional hypothesis-driven biomedical research alone, with an emphasis on producing tangible design or engineering outcomes through collaborative capstone-style projects.
A strong application under this opportunity would propose a program that brings together multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams, typically spanning engineering, technical fields, and clinical perspectives, to work on innovative or potentially ground-breaking kidney technology solutions. The FOA signals that successful programs should not stop at basic research exposure; they should also teach key translational skills such as entrepreneurship, product development strategy, and how to navigate regulatory pathways that affect medical devices or related technologies. Clinical immersion is another core expectation, meaning participants should have structured opportunities to understand real clinical workflows, unmet needs in kidney care, and the constraints that influence adoption and usability in healthcare settings.
Participant recruitment is aimed primarily at undergraduate students, particularly those in engineering and other technical disciplines who can contribute to design, prototyping, and development work. At the same time, the FOA allows institutions to include additional trainee groups if they strengthen the program, such as medical students, graduate students, and dual-degree students (for example, MD/PhD or PharmD/PhD). For graduate or dual-degree students, the FOA specifies inclusion prior to qualifying exams and before selection of a PhD mentor, reinforcing that this mechanism is intended as an early, structured research education experience rather than a later-stage dissertation training grant.
On eligibility, the program is broadly open to many organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government entities, as well as eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations. This wide eligibility reflects the expectation that meaningful kidney technology development often benefits from partnerships across academia, healthcare, and industry-oriented settings, especially when the training includes entrepreneurship and product development components.
In terms of funding and scale, the listed award ceiling is $130,000, with an expected two awards. The opportunity was created March 11, 2020, with an original closing date of July 22, 2020. The associated CFDA number is 93.847, and the activity is categorized under health (and listed under food and nutrition, health in the provided activity category field), aligning it with NIH kidney and related health priorities.
Finally, the mechanism explicitly states "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which generally means the proposed research education program should not be built around participants leading independent clinical trials. Instead, the emphasis is on education and mentored, structured experiences in kidney technology development, including design projects and translational training elements that prepare participants to contribute to future innovation in kidney care without making an independent clinical trial the centerpiece of the award.Apply for RFA DK 20 006
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Kidney Technology Development Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 Mar 11, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2020. (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 $130,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Kidney Technology Development Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
This opportunity is an NIH research education and training grant focused on creating structured, hands-on experiences in kidney technology development. The goal is to help institutions build immersive programs where participants learn how to move kidney-related technologies from early ideas toward real-world clinical impact, with a strong emphasis on practical design and engineering outcomes.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DK-20-006.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
The program is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the Department of Health and Human Services.
What is the main focus of the training program described in this FOA?
The central theme is kidney technology development in a practical, translational sense. Rather than focusing only on traditional hypothesis-driven biomedical research, the program is expected to produce tangible design or engineering outcomes, often through collaborative, capstone-style projects.
What kinds of educational experiences are expected in a strong application?
A strong application would propose an immersive, team-based environment where participants work in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary groups. The experience should be structured and hands-on, and should help trainees learn how to translate kidney technology concepts into solutions that could plausibly have clinical impact.
Are multidisciplinary teams expected or optional?
The FOA signals that multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams are a core expectation. Programs are typically expected to span engineering and technical fields alongside clinical perspectives to ensure the training reflects real-world kidney care needs and constraints.
What does the FOA say about clinical immersion?
Clinical immersion is described as a core expectation. Participants should have structured opportunities to understand clinical workflows, unmet needs in kidney care, and practical constraints that affect adoption and usability in healthcare settings.
Does the FOA emphasize outcomes like prototypes or designs?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes producing tangible design or engineering outcomes through practical, collaborative projects, consistent with a capstone-style approach to technology development.
Does the program include training beyond technical research skills?
Yes. The FOA highlights translational skills such as entrepreneurship, product development strategy, and navigating regulatory pathways relevant to medical devices or related technologies.
Who are the primary intended participants?
Participant recruitment is aimed primarily at undergraduate students, particularly those in engineering and other technical disciplines who can contribute to design, prototyping, and development work.
Can institutions include trainees other than undergraduates?
Yes. The FOA allows inclusion of additional groups if they strengthen the program, including medical students, graduate students, and dual-degree students (such as MD/PhD or PharmD/PhD).
Are there timing restrictions for including graduate or dual-degree students?
Yes. For graduate or dual-degree students, the FOA specifies inclusion prior to qualifying exams and before selection of a PhD mentor, reinforcing that this mechanism is meant to be an early, structured research education experience rather than later-stage dissertation training.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); multiple levels of government entities; and eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Why is eligibility so broad for this FOA?
The FOA reflects the idea that meaningful kidney technology development often benefits from partnerships across academia, healthcare, and industry-oriented settings, especially when training includes entrepreneurship and product development components.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $130,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of two awards.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on March 11, 2020, and the original closing date was July 22, 2020.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The associated CFDA number is 93.847.
How is this opportunity categorized by activity area?
The activity is categorized under health (and listed under food and nutrition, health in the provided activity category field), aligning it with NIH kidney and related health priorities.
What does "R25" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the information provided, R25 refers to a research education and training mechanism intended to support structured educational experiences. In this FOA, it is oriented around mentored, hands-on kidney technology development rather than independent clinical trial leadership.
What does "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean for applicants?
It means the proposed research education program should not be built around participants leading independent clinical trials. The emphasis is on education and mentored, structured experiences such as design projects, clinical immersion, and translational training elements, without making an independent clinical trial the centerpiece of the award.
Can clinical settings still be part of the program if independent clinical trials are not allowed?
Yes. The FOA explicitly expects clinical immersion so participants can learn clinical workflows and unmet needs. The restriction is about participants leading independent clinical trials, not about learning within clinical environments.
What kind of research is this program trying to encourage?
The FOA encourages technology development work aimed at kidney-related solutions that can move from early concepts toward real-world clinical impact, emphasizing practical development, team collaboration, and translational readiness.
Is the program intended to replace dissertation-stage PhD research training?
No. The FOA’s guidance that graduate and dual-degree students should be included prior to qualifying exams and before selecting a PhD mentor indicates it is intended as an early, structured research education experience rather than a dissertation-stage training grant.
What is the expected style of participant projects?
The FOA points toward collaborative, capstone-style projects where teams work toward tangible design or engineering outputs and learn the steps involved in translation toward clinical use.
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