GREGoRi Technology Integration Center (U01, Clinical Trials Optional)

The GREGoRi Technology Integration Center funding opportunity is issued by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), a component of the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NHGRI has a long-standing mission to advance genomic science and translate discoveries into improved human health outcomes. This funding opportunity is part of the GREGoRi initiative, which aims to transform the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases by advancing innovative molecular technologies and analytical methods. Building on prior efforts such as the GREGoR Consortium, this program focuses on addressing persistent diagnostic gaps where current genomic tools, including whole exome sequencing, fail to identify causal variants. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to establish a Technology Integration Center that will accelerate the adoption of emerging genomic and molecular methods in rare disease diagnosis. The Center will play a central role in generating a comprehensive multi-omic dataset derived from individuals with rare diseases and appropriate controls. This dataset is expected to support the development, evaluation, and benchmarking of new diagnostic tools and analytical approaches. In addition, the Center will develop standards, best practices, and recommendations for integrating diverse molecular data types into clinical genetics workflows. Funding supports a wide range of activities including data generation across multiple molecular domains such as whole genome sequencing, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. The program emphasizes systematic data generation rather than case-by-case analysis and requires applicants to design scalable and standardized approaches. Funds may be used for personnel, data production, consortium participation, and data sharing infrastructure, but may not be used for whole exome sequencing. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The project period may extend up to five years, and applicants must propose budgets that reflect the full scope of the work, with a cap on direct costs per year. Eligibility is broad and includes higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and government bodies at various levels, provided they are based in the United States. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply directly, although limited international collaboration without subawards is permitted. Applicants must meet federal registration requirements, including SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons registration, and ensure that principal investigators are properly credentialed and affiliated. Applications must be submitted electronically through approved NIH systems such as Grants.gov or ASSIST. Applicants are required to follow detailed instructions in the NIH Application Guide and include comprehensive research plans, data management and sharing plans, and documentation of compliance with ethical and regulatory standards. The evaluation process is based on scientific merit, innovation, feasibility, and the qualifications of the research team. Peer review is followed by advisory council review before final funding decisions are made. Key dates for this opportunity include an opening date of September 30, 2026, and a submission deadline of October 30, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The review process is expected to occur in March 2027, with advisory council review in May 2027 and the earliest project start date in July 2027. This is a one-time funding opportunity with no explicit indication of recurring cycles. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact NHGRI program staff for guidance and to attend informational webinars offered prior to submission.

Emphasize innovation in molecular diagnostics; demonstrate feasibility of multi-omic dataset; align closely with GREGoRi consortium goals; ensure strong data sharing and standardization plans