Kidney Technology Development Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DK 25 009

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 25 009

The Kidney Technology Development Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), opportunity number RFA-DK-25-009, is an NIH discretionary grant designed to help institutions build structured research education experiences focused specifically on kidney technology development. The core idea is to create hands-on, team-based programs where trainees learn how to move kidney-related technologies from concept to prototype and toward real-world use. The program emphasizes practical, applied training rather than independent clinical trials, and it is geared toward developing a pipeline of talent that can work at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and translational product development in nephrology.

A competitive application is expected to offer a cohesive training experience that includes several key elements. Programs should incorporate a collaborative capstone research or design project (or multiple projects) where participants work together to solve a real kidney health or kidney care technology problem. NIH signals strong interest in innovative or potentially ground-breaking technology development, meaning projects should go beyond routine lab exposure and instead immerse students in design, iteration, and problem-solving that resembles how technology is developed in practice. The NOFO also expects multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teamwork, so programs should intentionally bring together participants and mentors from different fields such as engineering, computer science, materials science, clinical nephrology, and related areas.

Beyond the technical work, the announcement highlights training in entrepreneurship and product development, including instruction on how to navigate regulatory pathways. In other words, participants should not only learn how to build or test a device, diagnostic, software tool, or other technology, but also how products reach patients and clinics, what kinds of evidence and documentation are needed, and what commercialization considerations matter. Another required ingredient is clinical immersion, which typically means structured exposure to real clinical settings or clinical workflows so participants understand end-user needs, constraints, and patient-care realities. Taken together, NIH is looking for programs that teach students to think like technology developers who understand clinical problems, user needs, and the practical steps required to translate an idea into an implementable solution.

The primary target participants are undergraduates, and the NOFO explicitly encourages recruiting students from engineering and other technical domains. At the same time, programs may also include medical students, graduate students, and dual-degree students (for example, MD/PhD or PharmD/PhD) as long as those trainees are still early in training, specifically prior to their qualifying exams and before selection of a PhD mentor. This suggests NIH wants the program to function as an early, formative experience that shapes career direction and builds foundational translational skills, rather than serving as support for later-stage dissertation research.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types such as state, county, and local governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and certain other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, 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 other than federally recognized, and US territories or possessions. However, non-domestic (non-US) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of US organizations are also not eligible. Foreign components are allowed if they meet the NIH definition in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a US applicant may include certain foreign elements in the project under NIH rules even though a foreign organization cannot be the applicant.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2025-06-15, a listed award ceiling of $130,000, and the agency listed as the National Institutes of Health. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.847, and the activity is categorized under food and nutrition/health. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at building organized, high-impact kidney technology training programs that blend research, design, clinical exposure, and commercialization/regulatory education to prepare early-stage trainees for translational work in kidney health.

• The 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 2024-04-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-15. (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.
• 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 25 009

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