This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites new applications to participate in the Gut-Brain Communication in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Consortium (GBPDC). The GBPDC will consist of up to six Gastroenterology Neurology Research Centers (GNRC) and one Coordinating and Data Management Center (CDMC). The CDMC is fully described in the companion NOFO, RFA-DK-23-001. The GNRC will serve as sites for enrollment of PD patients with and without GI symptoms as well as those with identifiable risk factors for PD, and healthy age-matched controls. Biological samples obtained from these participants will be used for laboratory-based studies. The overall objectives of this consortium are 1) to accelerate research on the role of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and changes in gut-brain communication in the initiation and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease; and 2) to facilitate development and validation of innovative early-phase gut-brain based diagnostic tools and biomarkers for PD. The activities of the GBPDC will include, but are not limited to,:1) harmonize participant recruitment and use of standardized protocols to collect data and biospecimens relevant to both neurology and gastroenterology research; 2) share data, biosamples, models, reagents, resources, and methods among projects in the GBPDC; and 3) make these publicly available through the CDMC. NIDDK encourages applications from institutions that foster a diverse research environment, (f or more information, see, e.g., NOT-OD-20-031) , and encourage Research on Sex/Gender Differences, Sexual and Gender Minority-Related Research and Race/Ethnic Diversity (see NOT-DK-22-003).
Deadlines:
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Letter of Intent Due Date(s): October 16, 2023
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Application Due Date: November 15, 2023
RFA-DK-22-036 Expiration Date November 16, 2023
Application budgets are limited to $300,000 in direct costs in FY 2024, and to $450,000 in direct costs per year in FYs 2025-2029. Budgets need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.