Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Clinical and Data Coordinating Center

The Undiagnosed Diseases Network Clinical and Data Coordinating Center opportunity, identified as PAR-27-135, is a forecasted federal cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health. The assistance listing is 93.853, Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke intends to support a new phase of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network to advance diagnosis for individuals with previously undiagnosed diseases and to advance undiagnosed diseases research. The planned phase emphasizes participant and family engagement, provider engagement, use of NIH and non-NIH resources, education, community engagement, research innovation and discovery, and broader implementation of advanced diagnostic approaches. The planned Undiagnosed Diseases Network is expected to include a Clinical and Data Coordinating Center, clinical Networks of Diagnostic Excellence, the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program, a Diagnostic Research Innovation Center, individuals with lived experience, patient advocacy organizations, NIH, and other stakeholders. NINDS anticipates supporting the Clinical and Data Coordinating Center to provide operational oversight and coordination for network activities. Responsibilities are expected to include recruitment, participant support such as patient navigation services and referral of diagnosed participants to potential therapeutic options, protocol and regulatory management, data sharing, innovation in analytics, and support for systematic re-evaluation of unsolved UDN cases. Additional anticipated Clinical and Data Coordinating Center responsibilities include collaboration, training, implementation science research to facilitate the transfer of successful UDN diagnostic approaches into mainstream medical care, and quality oversight and performance monitoring of the network. Applicants are expected to demonstrate the infrastructure, staffing, governance, regulatory capacity, informatics systems, operational readiness, and stakeholder partnerships necessary to assume Clinical and Data Coordinating Center responsibilities with minimal start-up time following an award. The forecast does not provide an award ceiling, award floor, estimated total program funding, expected number of awards, detailed allowable spending rules, indirect cost limitations, or other quantified funding restrictions. Cost sharing or matching is explicitly not required. Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, city or township governments, county governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, small businesses, and other for-profit organizations. Additional eligible applicants include Indian or Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized governments, eligible agencies of the federal government, U.S. territories or possessions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and regional organizations. No individual state or sub-state geographic restriction is identified in the forecast. Applications are not being solicited at this time. The forecast is being published to give potential applicants time to plan, develop meaningful collaborations, and develop responsive projects. Because this is a forecast rather than an active solicitation, the source does not yet provide application forms, required narratives, required uploads, submission questions, evaluation criteria, or detailed submission mechanics. Potential applicants should therefore use the forecast period to develop collaborations and prepare the infrastructure, staffing, governance, regulatory capabilities, informatics systems, operational readiness, and stakeholder relationships emphasized by NINDS rather than treating the current forecast as an open application package. The opportunity was forecast on September 10, 2026 and was last updated on September 10, 2026. The estimated posting date is March 25, 2027, which is treated as the anticipated application opening date for planning purposes, and the estimated application due date is May 25, 2027. The source also lists an estimated award date of May 25, 2027 and an estimated project start date of April 25, 2028, with fiscal year 2028 identified. No pre-application letter of intent, concept paper, notice of intent, or other gating deadline is stated. No recurring or annual application schedule is identified. Questions about the forecast may be directed to UDN Program Staff at UDNProgramStaff@ninds.nih.gov. No telephone number is provided.

Develop meaningful collaborations and a responsive project before the solicitation opens. Demonstrate infrastructure, staffing, governance, regulatory capacity, informatics systems, operational readiness, and stakeholder partnerships sufficient to assume Clinical and Data Coordinating Center responsibilities with minimal start-up time. Align planning with participant and family engagement, provider engagement, data sharing, analytics innovation, training, implementation science, and broader implementation of advanced diagnostic approaches.