Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) Diagnostic Research Innovation Center

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is forecasting a future Cooperative Agreement to fund a Diagnostic Research Innovation Center (DRIC) that will serve the next phase of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN). The DRIC will partner with clinical Nodes, the UDN Data Coordinating Center, and other stakeholders to develop and test cutting‑edge genomic and non‑genomic diagnostic tools, conduct functional studies in model systems, and discover novel disease‑causing genes and mechanisms. This forecast is intended to give researchers time to build collaborations and prepare proposals; no solicitation is open yet. • Funding instrument: Cooperative Agreement (CA) under CFDA 93.853 (Neurosciences & Neurological Disorders). • Target applicants: wide range of public, private, nonprofit, tribal, and other eligible entities (including universities, small businesses, NGOs). • Scope of work: advanced sequencing, multi‑omics, functional genomics, in‑vitro modeling, non‑genetic diagnostics, data integration, and hypothesis testing for undiagnosed rare diseases. • Expected outcomes: increased diagnostic yield for UDN participants, new disease gene discoveries, and development of novel diagnostic platforms. • Timeline (forecast): posting 9/10/2026 → estimated application response 5/25/2027 → award 4/25/2028 → project start 4/25/2028.