Programs and Activities Highlights
- Post-Award Procedures and Technical Design Requirements for NIH C06 Projects
ORIP conducted an informational webinar on September 30, 2026, for recipients of fiscal year 2026 (FY26) C06 awards. The webinar provided timely guidance on post-award procedures and technical design requirements, included a live demonstration of the Extramural Construction Award Management and Early Risk Alert (eCAMERA) System, and gave participants an opportunity to ask questions. More than 70 attendees representing all 10 FY26 C06 awards participated.
- National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE)
The 10th biennial NISBRE—a premier event showcasing the scientific and training achievements of the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program—was held June 14–17, 2026. ORIP’s Division of Construction and Instruments staff presented on the office’s programs and engaged in outreach with prospective applicants from IDeA states.
- Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) announces the restructured SIG program, which consolidates three existing shared-use instrumentation programs. The NOFO invites applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase or upgrade a single state-of-the-art, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system. The instruments purchased through the SIG program are required to be optimally shared among the users to ensure efficient and cost-effective research operations, enable rigorous and reproducible measurements, and encourage collaborative research to benefit broad research communities.
- Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This notice of funding opportunity aims to build new research capacity and develop a sustainable research program by supporting the purchase of a commercially available biomedical research instrument currently unavailable at the applicant institution. Instruments funded through this program must be shared among the users to create new research opportunities, enable reproducible data generation, encourage collaborative research and training, and strengthen long-term research capabilities. The minimum award is $50,000, and although there is no limit on the total cost of the instrument, the maximum award is $400,000.
- C06 Construction Program Update
An ORIP staff member presented an update on ORIP’s C06 construction program at the NIH Council of Councils meeting on May 14–15, 2026. The discussion featured an overview of the program’s history and a summary of the review and funding processes. The presentation also highlighted examples of representative facilities supported by C06 funds.
Read more in the archive.
ORIP-Supported Research Highlights
- Targeted Near-Infrared Photoacoustic Probes for Dual-Channel Cartilage and Bone Imaging
The ability to image cartilage and bone at the same time remains an unmet need for musculoskeletal research and image-guided surgery. In this study, researchers developed near-infrared (NIR) tissue-targeting photoacoustic probes—Cart‑670 and Osteo-750—that allow simultaneous molecular imaging of cartilage and bone with photoacoustic imaging that uses light and ultrasound to detect sound waves and form images during a single imaging session. To create these probes, the researchers screened NIR-absorbing, non-fluorescent dyes, and they identified QSY21 as the ideal dye. QSY21 was bound to a cartilage-targeting molecule to create the Cart-670 probe. The Osteo‑750 probe was made by combining a fluorophore with a molecule that targets bone. In an ex vivo (outside the whole organism) chicken model, results showed that these probes had low detection limits and were highly selective to the tissues of interest. These findings support the use of these probes to image cartilage–bone junctures.
- Development of a Spatially Defined 3D In Vitro Coculture Construct Modeling Pancreatic Cancer–Associated Cachexia
Up to 85% of pancreatic cancer patients experience cachexia, a debilitating metabolic wasting syndrome with extreme loss of muscle mass and body weight. Researchers developed a 3D organoid platform that mimics in vivo interfaces, allowing them to better understand the interactions between cancer cells and adipocytes (fat cells). The system precisely compartmentalizes adipocytes and cancer cells within a hydrogel while reproducing key processes seen in the body, including fat breakdown, changes in fat cells that increase energy use, and the spread of pancreatic cancer cells into surrounding fatty tissue. The model provides a controlled, physiologically relevant environment for understanding the mechanisms of cancer-associated cachexia and for testing potential treatments.
- Association of MRI-Visible Perivascular Spaces with Longitudinal Cognitive Decline over a Decade
Small vessel disease (SVD) in the brain is a common contributor to cognitive decline and dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for noninvasive tracking of SVD markers in people. Perivascular spaces (PVS) are fluid-filled gaps around vessels that help clear waste from the brain. Researchers followed 750 dementia-free 50- to 92-year-old male and female patients for 11 years to determine whether MRI-visible PVS predicts cognitive decline. Using MRI, machine-learning tools, and cognitive tests, results showed that higher baseline levels of PVS in the basal ganglia (a group of nerve cells located deep within the brain) were significantly correlated with worse cognitive outcomes. MRI scans showed impaired drainage and a buildup of cell waste in the brain. Basal ganglia PVS also predicted worse executive function (processes that control other bodily functions) and visuospatial skills (viewing and understanding the surrounding environment). These findings highlight basal ganglia PVS as a key contributor and possible biomarker for cognitive decline.
- Glucuronidation Metabolomic Fingerprinting to Map Host–Microbe Metabolism
Glucuronidation is a crucial detoxification pathway for many substances—including hormones, dietary chemicals, medications, and carcinogens—that occurs in the liver, intestines, and kidneys. Glucuronidation operates in balance with a gut microbial enzyme known as β‑glucuronidase (GUS). Overactive GUS is connected to such diseases as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. In this study, researchers established a measurable, scalable framework for mapping host–microbe interactions that influence the glucuronidome—the collection of metabolites created from glucuronidation. Using public datasets, 4- to 13-week-old male mice, and longitudinal samples from 1- to 12-month-old human infants (sex not stated), results showed that microbial colonization and GUS activity hinder the glucuronidome in the colon but expand urinary glucuronidome variety. These findings warrant further studies that may help advance drug metabolism, diet–microbe interactions, and biomarker discovery research.
- Development of a Spatially Defined 3D In Vitro Coculture Construct Modeling Pancreatic Cancer–Associated Cachexia
Up to 85% of pancreatic cancer patients experience cachexia, a debilitating metabolic wasting syndrome. Researchers developed a 3D organoid platform that mimics in vivo interfaces, allowing them to better understand the interactions between cancer cells and adipocytes (fat cells). The system precisely compartmentalizes adipocytes and cancer cells within a hydrogel while reproducing key processes seen in the body, including fat breakdown, changes in fat cells that increase energy use, and the spread of pancreatic cancer cells into surrounding fatty tissue. The model provides a controlled, physiologically relevant environment for understanding the mechanisms of cancer-associated cachexia and for testing potential treatments.
Read more in the archive.
