RFA-HD-26-009
Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Knowledge and Research Coordination Center
Summary
NICHD Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Knowledge and Research Coordination Center
Research Focus
NICHD is establishing a Knowledge and Research Coordination Center (KRCC) to accelerate safe and effective drug development in maternal and pediatric populations. The center will integrate pharmacology knowledge, real-world clinical data, and clinical trial expertise to address critical gaps in maternal therapeutics, pediatric drug development, and lactation science. The MPRINT KRCC will develop a curated, queryable pharmacology knowledgebase; leverage mother-baby linkages and real-world clinical data to inform regulatory science; support innovative clinical trials in obstetrics, pediatrics, and lactation; and build a multidisciplinary workforce spanning translational research, data science, and clinical medicine. This cooperative agreement targets large-scale, complex research infrastructure that bridges basic pharmacology, clinical evidence generation, and regulatory pathways.
At a Glance
- Who can apply: Institutions with capacity for large-scale cooperative research; applications not yet solicited—this is advance notice for collaboration planning.
- Funding & project length: Not stated.
- Award mechanism: Cooperative agreement (U54) supporting complex, multi-component research activities.
- Key dates: NOFO publication date not stated; advance notice issued to allow collaboration development.
- Best fit for: Maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric pharmacology, translational research, and regulatory science teams with access to clinical data systems and trial infrastructure.
Insights (6)
Mandatory partnership with M2HMRC creates structural dependency and coordination complexity
The KRCC must collaborate with MPRINT's Maternal Medication and Human Milk Research Center (M2HMRC) as a core operational requirement. This is not optional co-funding but a built-in consortium structure, meaning applicants must establish governance, data-sharing, and workflow agreements with a parallel center before award, adding significant pre-award negotiation burden and ongoing coordination overhead.
Pharmacology knowledgebase development requires informatics and data curation expertise
The primary deliverable—an 'easily queryable curated and interoperable pharmacology knowledgebase'—demands strong bioinformatics, database architecture, and data governance capabilities. Applicants with existing maternal/pediatric drug datasets, ontology experience, or informatics infrastructure will be substantially more competitive than those planning to build these capabilities de novo.
Real-world clinical data and mother-baby linkages are core competitive advantage
The emphasis on 'real-world clinical data and insights, particularly through mother-baby linkages' signals that applicants with access to longitudinal maternal-infant cohorts, electronic health record networks, or established clinical registries will have a significant edge. This is not a theoretical research center but one grounded in actionable clinical evidence.
U54 cooperative mechanism favors established, well-resourced research institutions
U54 awards support large-scale, complex research activities requiring institutional infrastructure, multi-disciplinary teams, and sustained management capacity. Early-stage investigators or smaller institutions without prior experience managing cooperative agreements and multi-site networks will face steep competition; this is a mechanism for mature research programs.
Narrow scope and single-hub model suggest limited number of awards
The NOFO describes establishing 'a' Knowledge and Research Coordination Center (singular) as part of an existing MPRINT Hub structure, not a distributed network. This language implies one or very few awards, making this exceptionally competitive despite the cooperative mechanism's typical larger budgets.
Cooperative agreement structure requires institutional commitment and governance capacity
Cooperative agreements involve substantial NIH program involvement and oversight, not just funding. Applicants must demonstrate institutional willingness and ability to engage in active partnership with NICHD program staff, participate in Hub-wide coordination meetings, and align with MPRINT's strategic priorities—a governance burden distinct from traditional grants.
Key Facts
Deadline
—
Posted
Mon, September 15, 2025
Expected Awards
1
Keywords
Research Areas