Objectives
The NIH is seeking cooperative agreement applications to support multi-site clinical trials evaluating anti-obesity medication (AOM) treatment strategies for youth with obesity. Proposed clinical trials should include intervention strategies that support the promotion of healthy growth and development; adequate nutritional status/intake, healthy eating and physical activity behaviors; mental health and well-being (e.g., body image, self-esteem, mood, etc.), and quality of life and be feasible to implement in clinical care settings.
Priority areas include testing strategies to determine optimal developmental stage for AOM initiation, rate and amount of weight loss, AOM class, dose, frequency, and duration, and content and intensity of adjunct lifestyle therapies that may be imperative to ensure normal psychological and physical development and to potentially avoid lifelong dependence on AOMs. The clinical centers may conduct independent or multicenter trials but will collaborate on the development of protocols, use of common measures and data elements, use of a central laboratory and standardized procedures to collect data and biospecimens, and data analyses and manuscripts.
Funding Information
$1 million per year in direct costs for up to 5 years. Cost sharing is not required.
Eligibility
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support.
Internal Selection Process
The internal selection process depends on whether your grants are managed by BU or Boston Medical Center (BMC). Use the steps below to determine this information:
- Step 1: Open the BUMC Home Institution Finder
- Step 2: Log in to search the database – search using your last name
- Step 3: Follow one process:
- If you see BU or BU-CAMED, follow BU Process below
- If you see BMC, follow the BMC Process below
BU Process
BU (CRC and CAMED) may submit up to 2 applications total.
Interested applicants should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by: 7/22/2026
- Proposal Abstract (300 words max) describing the project’s rough aims, experience conducting clinical trials with children and teens with obesity, and what expertise you would bring together as a team. References are not needed but can be provided
- Confirmation that you meet the NIH definition of a Clinical Trial
- Use the NIH Decision Tool and provide a 1-sentence justification
As necessary, a faculty review committee will review internal applications and select the institutional applicants.
BMC Process
BMC may submit one application.
If you are a BUMC faculty member who works in BMC space or you are a fellow whose faculty advisor is a BMC investigator, please contact the Program Manager of Strategic Research Growth, Carolina Giudice (carolina.giudice@bmc.org) by Monday, July 20 to express interest in this opportunity.
Deadlines
BMC Deadline to Express Interest: Monday, July 20, 2026
BU Internal Materials Due: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 by 11:59 pm ET
Anticipated Notification Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
External Materials Due: Friday, October 9, 2026