High-Resolution Exploration of the Human Islet Tissue Environment [HIRN Human Pancreas Analysis Consortium (HPAC)] (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DK 21 017

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 21 017

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced this funding opportunity, RFA-DK-21-017, to support projects that can map and explain the human pancreatic islet tissue environment at much higher resolution than has typically been possible. It uses the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which means awardees are expected to work closely with NIH program staff and coordinate actively with the larger consortium rather than operating as fully independent, stand-alone projects. The opportunity is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so the supported work must be basic, translational, and/or human tissue focused without proposing an interventional clinical trial.

At its core, the FOA is looking for research that clarifies how human pancreatic tissue is organized and how that organization affects islet function and dysfunction. Applicants are expected to generate detailed descriptions of the cellular composition and functional roles of key components within the pancreatic islet and the surrounding peri-islet architecture. A major emphasis is on understanding cell-to-cell relationships and communication: which cell types and subtypes are present, how they interact physically and chemically, what signaling pathways or communication modes are used, and how these interactions shape normal physiology or contribute to disease processes. The announcement also highlights the importance of adjacent tissues, meaning investigators should consider how nearby non-islet pancreatic compartments or neighboring tissue contexts influence islet cell behavior, including pathways that may drive stress, failure, or degeneration of insulin-producing beta cells.

This initiative is designed to integrate awardees into the Human Pancreas Analysis Consortium (HPAC), which sits within the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN). HIRN is a collaborative translational research effort centered on understanding how functional human beta cell mass is lost in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and on identifying strategies to protect, restore, or replace beta cells. In practical terms, the FOA is not simply funding isolated experiments; it is funding contributions to a shared, networked scientific program where studies should align with HPAC goals, complement other consortium efforts, and add to a broader, interoperable body of knowledge about the human pancreas and islet ecosystem.

A key boundary in the solicitation is the focus on human biology rather than animal model biology. The FOA states that supported studies must primarily increase understanding of human tissue structure and function and human disease biology, as opposed to exploring mechanisms that are specific to animal models. This does not necessarily mean all work must be performed only in humans in every sense, but it does mean the central questions, data generation, and conclusions should be directly anchored in human pancreatic tissue and human-relevant disease context. The overall scientific direction is toward fine-grained characterization of the human islet microenvironment and the peri-islet landscape, including how diverse cell populations, structural features, and tissue neighborhoods relate to beta cell function and vulnerability in disease.

The opportunity falls under the NIH assistance listing (CFDA) number 93.847 and is categorized in the broad area of health. The award ceiling listed is $600,000, and the original closing date shown in the source information is 2022-03-03, with a creation date of 2021-08-12. The notice indicates "ExpectedAwards:" but does not provide a number in the supplied text, so the anticipated count of awards is not specified in the excerpt.

Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organization types: state, county, and city or township 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where applicable); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are important restrictions related to foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or activities if they meet NIH definitions and requirements for a foreign component, even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

In summary, this FOA is essentially a consortium-building, human-tissue-centered research funding call aimed at producing a much sharper picture of the human islet and peri-islet environment. It prioritizes mapping cellular and structural organization, decoding intercellular communication networks, and understanding how neighboring tissues shape islet health or failure, all in service of HIRN's broader mission to address beta cell loss and dysfunction in type 1 diabetes through human-relevant translational science.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "High-Resolution Exploration of the Human Islet Tissue Environment [HIRN Human Pancreas Analysis Consortium (HPAC)] (U01 - 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 2021-08-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-03-03. (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 $600,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

Apply for RFA DK 21 017

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: