The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), plans to issue a sole-source funding opportunity for a Coordinating Center to support the continued outcomes analysis of the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Genomic Risk Assessment and Management Network. This program focuses on long-term follow-up for participants in the Genomic Risk Assessment (GIRA) initiative and aims to deepen understanding of genomically informed health interventions.
The forthcoming Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), RFA-HG-25-013, will fund a cooperative agreement under the U01 activity code and is forecasted for release in September 2025, with applications due in November 2025. The Coordinating Center will serve as the hub for longitudinal data collection, integration, and outcome evaluation for 25,000 participants previously enrolled in the eMERGE program. The main objective is to expand the monitoring window from a minimum of one year to at least four years, assessing clinical and participant adherence to genomic-based preventive health recommendations.
The grant is limited to a single, pre-identified recipient: the Principal Investigators associated with the previous award under RFA-HG-19-015 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. This exclusive eligibility ensures continuity and integrity of the longitudinal data, as well as leveraging the existing infrastructure and partnerships established in the original eMERGE initiative.
Key evaluation metrics will include adherence rates to GIRA recommendations, stratified by clinical condition, participant demographics, and social determinants of health. The Coordinating Center will also be responsible for standardizing data collection methodologies across participating sites, managing centralized data, and facilitating collaborative analyses. These efforts aim to inform future best practices in the application of genomics to routine clinical care.
The total estimated funding for the project is $1.2 million, with award and project start dates both set for July 1, 2026. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for applicants. As a cooperative agreement, the NIH will have substantial programmatic involvement to ensure strategic alignment with national genomic research priorities.
The grant contact for this opportunity is Robb Rowley, reachable at Robb.Rowley@nih.gov or by phone at 301-827-9126. This forecasted opportunity provides early visibility into funding intentions, allowing the eligible applicant to begin developing a robust project plan in anticipation of the NOFO’s formal release.
