Physiological and Structural Systems (PSS): Symbiosis, Infection and Immunity (SII)

Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research is sponsored by Department of Health And Human Services. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) mission is to support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. The Extramural Program promotes and supports basic, translational, and clinical studies of Systemic Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, Skin Biology and Diseases, Bone Biology and Diseases, Muscle Biology and Diseases, and Joint Biology and Diseases and Orthopaedics. NIAMS Systemic Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases programs address basic, translational, and clinical research, including clinical trials and observational and mechanistic studies, focused on immune-mediated arthritis and autoimmune-related acute and chronic disorders in adults and children. NIAMS Skin Biology and Diseases programs support basic, translational, and clinical research in skin, including both common and rare skin diseases. These programs include investigations of the basic molecular, cellular, and developmental biology of skin, as well as studies of skin as an immune, sensory, endocrine, and metabolic organ. NIAMS Bone Biology and Diseases programs support research on the control of bone formation, resorption, and mineralization as well as the effects of signaling molecules on bone cells. They support clinical studies of interventions to prevent fractures associated with osteoporosis and research into less common bone diseases. NIAMS Muscle Biology and Diseases programs encourage research on muscle developmental biology, growth, maintenance, and hypertrophy; physiology of contraction; structural biology of the contractile apparatus; disease mechanisms; biomarkers and outcome measures; and development and clinical testing of therapies for conditions including the muscular dystrophies. NIAMS Joint Biology, Diseases, and Orthopaedics programs support a broad spectrum of research centered on the interplay among the body’s muscles, bones, and connective tissues. They encourage tissue engineering and regenerative medicine research, molecular biology, imaging, and clinical research, and the treatment and prevention of orthopaedic conditions. NIAMS participates in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The SBIR program is intended to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; to increase small business participation in Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation. The STTR program is intended to stimulate and foster scientific and technological innovation through cooperative research and development carried out between small business concerns and research institutions; to foster technology transfer between small business concerns and research institutions; to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation. This listing is currently active. Program number: 93.846. Last updated on 2025-03-05.

Diabetes, Digestive, Kidney Extramural Research - Research Centers is sponsored by Department of Health And Human Services. To promote extramural basic and clinical biomedical research that improves the understanding of the mechanisms underlying disease and leads to improved preventions, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes, digestive, and kidney diseases. Programmatic areas within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases include diabetes, digestive, endocrine, hematologic, liver, metabolic, nephrologic, nutrition, obesity, and urologic diseases. Specific programs areas of interest include the following: (a) For diabetes, endocrine, and metabolic diseases areas: Fundamental and clinical studies including the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of diabetes mellitus and its complications; Normal and abnormal function of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and other hormone secreting glands; Hormonal regulation of bone, adipose tissue, and liver; on fundamental aspects of signal transduction, including the action of hormones, coregulators, and chromatin remodeling proteins; Hormone biosynthesis, secretion, metabolism, and binding; and on hormonal regulation of gene expression and the role(s) of selective receptor modulators as partial agonists or antagonists of hormone action; and Fundamental studies relevant to metabolic disorders including membrane structure, function, and transport phenomena and enzyme biosynthesis; and basic and clinical studies on the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of inherited metabolic disorders (such as cystic fibrosis). (b) For digestive disease and nutrition areas: Genetics and genomics of the GI tract and its diseases; Genetics and genomics of liver/pancreas and diseases; Genetics and genomics of nutrition; genetics and genomics of obesity; Bariatric surgery; Clinical nutrition research; Clinical obesity research; Complications of chronic liver disease; Fatty liver disease; Genetic liver disease; HIV and liver; Cell injury, repair, fibrosis and inflammation in the liver; Liver cancer; Liver transplantation; Pediatric liver disease; Viral hepatitis and infectious diseases; Gastrointestinal and nutrition effects of AIDS; Gastrointestinal mucosal and immunology; Gastrointestinal motility; Basic neurogastroenterology; Gastrointestinal development; Gastrointestinal epithelial biology; Gastrointestinal inflammation; Digestive diseases epidemiology and data systems; Nutritional epidemiology and data systems; Autoimmune liver disease; Bile, Bilirubin and cholestasis; Bioengineering and biotechnology related to digestive diseases, liver, nutrition and obesity; Cell and molecular biology of the liver; Developmental biology and regeneration; Drug-induced liver disease; Gallbladder disease and biliary diseases; Exocrine pancreas biology and diseases; Gastrointestinal neuroendocrinology; Gastrointestinal transport and absorption; Nutrient metabolism; Pediatric clinical obesity; Clinical trials in digestive diseases; Liver clinical trials; Obesity prevention and treatment; and Obesity and eating disorders. (c) For kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases areas: Studies of the development, physiology, and cell biology of the kidney; Pathophysiology of the kidney; Genetics of kidney disorders; Immune mechanisms of kidney disease; Kidney disease as a complication of diabetes; Effects of drugs, nephrotoxins and environmental toxins on the kidney; Mechanisms of kidney injury repair; Improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease; Improved approaches to maintenance dialysis therapies; Basic studies of lower urinary tract cell biology, development, physiology, and pathophysiology; Clinical studies of bladder dysfunction, incontinence, pyelonephritis, interstitial cystitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urolithiasis, and vesicoureteral reflux; Development of novel diagnostic tools and improved therapies, including tissue engineering strategies, for urologic disorders; Research on hematopoietic cell differentiation; metabolism of iron overload and deficiency; Structure, biosynthesis and genetic regulation of hemoglobin; as well as Research on the etiology, pathogenesis, and therapeutic modalities for the anemia of inflammation and chronic diseases. This listing is currently active. Program number: 93.KRC. Last updated on 2026-01-30.

Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research is sponsored by Department of Health And Human Services. (1) To promote extramural basic and clinical biomedical research that improves the understanding of the mechanisms underlying disease and leads to improved preventions, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes, digestive, and kidney diseases. Programmatic areas within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases include diabetes, digestive, endocrine, hematologic, liver, metabolic, nephrologic, nutrition, obesity, and urologic diseases. Specific programs areas of interest include the following: (a) For diabetes, endocrine, and metabolic diseases areas: Fundamental and clinical studies including the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of diabetes mellitus and its complications; Normal and abnormal function of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and other hormone secreting glands; Hormonal regulation of bone, adipose tissue, and liver; on fundamental aspects of signal transduction, including the action of hormones, coregulators, and chromatin remodeling proteins; Hormone biosynthesis, secretion, metabolism, and binding; and on hormonal regulation of gene expression and the role(s) of selective receptor modulators as partial agonists or antagonists of hormone action; and Fundamental studies relevant to metabolic disorders including membrane structure, function, and transport phenomena and enzyme biosynthesis; and basic and clinical studies on the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of inherited metabolic disorders (such as cystic fibrosis). (b) For digestive disease and nutrition areas: Genetics and genomics of the GI tract and its diseases; Genetics and genomics of liver/pancreas and diseases; Genetics and genomics of nutrition; genetics and genomics of obesity; Bariatric surgery; Clinical nutrition research; Clinical obesity research; Complications of chronic liver disease; Fatty liver disease; Genetic liver disease; HIV and liver; Cell injury, repair, fibrosis and inflammation in the liver; Liver cancer; Liver transplantation; Pediatric liver disease; Viral hepatitis and infectious diseases; Gastrointestinal and nutrition effects of AIDS; Gastrointestinal mucosal and immunology; Gastrointestinal motility; Basic neurogastroenterology; Gastrointestinal development; Gastrointestinal epithelial biology; Gastrointestinal inflammation; Digestive diseases epidemiology and data systems; Nutritional epidemiology and data systems; Autoimmune liver disease; Bile, Bilirubin and cholestasis; Bioengineering and biotechnology related to digestive diseases, liver, nutrition and obesity; Cell and molecular biology of the liver; Developmental biology and regeneration; Drug-induced liver disease; Gallbladder disease and biliary diseases; Exocrine pancreas biology and diseases; Gastrointestinal neuroendocrinology; Gastrointestinal transport and absorption; Nutrient metabolism; Pediatric clinical obesity; Clinical trials in digestive diseases; Liver clinical trials; Obesity prevention and treatment; and Obesity and eating disorders. (c) For kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases areas: Studies of the development, physiology, and cell biology of the kidney; Pathophysiology of the kidney; Genetics of kidney disorders; Immune mechanisms of kidney disease; Kidney disease as a complication of diabetes; Effects of drugs, nephrotoxins and environmental toxins on the kidney; Mechanisms of kidney injury repair; Improved diagnosis, prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease; Improved approaches to maintenance dialysis therapies; Basic studies of lower urinary tract cell biology, development, physiology, and pathophysiology; Clinical studies of bladder dysfunction, incontinence, pyelonephritis, interstitial cystitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urolithiasis, and vesicoureteral reflux; Development of novel diagnostic tools and improved therapies, including tissue engineering strategies, for urologic disorders;Research on hematopoietic cell differentiation; metabolism of iron overload and deficiency; Structure, biosynthesis and genetic regulation of hemoglobin; as well as Research on the etiology, pathogenesis, and therapeutic modalities for the anemia of inflammation and chronic diseases. (2) To encourage basic and clinical research training and career development of scientists during the early stages of their careers. The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) funds basic and clinical research training, support for career development, and the transition from postdoctoral biomedical research training to independent research related to diabetes, digestive, endocrine, hematologic, liver, metabolic, nephrologic, nutrition, obesity, and urologic diseases. (3) To expand and improve the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The SBIR Program aims to increase and facilitate private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; to enhance small business participation in Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation. (4) To utilize the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. The STTR Program intends to stimulate and foster scientific and technological innovation through cooperative research and development carried out between small business concerns and research institutions; to foster technology transfer between small business concerns and research institutions; to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation. This listing is currently active. Program number: 93.847. Last updated on 2026-01-28.