NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) (U24, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is a collaborative framework through which 14 NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices jointly support neuroscience-related research, with the aim of accelerating discoveries and reducing the burden of nervous system disorders (for further information, see http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/.) The purpose of this NOFO is to establish the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) to promote multidisciplinary interoception research and bridge the gap between brain and body studies through a U24 cooperative agreement funding mechanism. Interoception, for the purpose of this NOFO, encompasses the processes by which an organism senses, interprets, integrates, and regulates internal bodily signals. Interoception research is critical for health promotion, offering insights into stress regulation, hunger, and emotional well-being —factors essential for preventing chronic diseases and mental health disorders. Impaired interoception is linked to conditions like obesity, diabetes, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, which significantly impact the nation's healthcare burden. Advancing interoception research may also lead to innovative strategies for disease prevention and treatment of complex diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, autism, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, and cardiovascular diseases.

Aligned with the NIH Director's priorities, this NOFO focuses on improving population health through innovative research and collaboration by breaking traditional biomedical research boundaries that typically focus on one organ system at a time. The key objectives are to:

1. Establish and maintain a multidisciplinary team of interoception researchers to guide BPCCIR activities, ensuring academic freedom and fostering innovative approaches.
2. Develop digital communication platforms to facilitate networking, collaborations, and information dissemination, promoting research safety and transparency.
3. Plan, organize, and host at least one scientific meeting per year, involving NIH-funded interoception researchers, trainees, and other stakeholders to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing.
4. Identify challenges and future opportunities in interoception research, develop common terminology, data standards, and common data elements to ensure reproducibility and rigor.
5. Generate metrics of success and plans to ensure the sustainability of the interoception research community, focusing on long-term improvements in population health.