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# FDA Awards 6 Research Grants on Natural History Studies
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-awards-6-research-grants-on-natural-history-studies/
- Published: 2017-10-09T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:54:56.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5139814

FDA has awarded six new research grants ($6.3 million) for natural history studies in rare diseases that are intended to evaluate how they progress over time. “One potential application of these studies is the opportunity to eventually use natural history models to augment the need for placebo arms in studies of drugs that target very rare disease, where trial recruitment can be challenging,” the [agency says](https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm579375.htm?ref=fdaweb.com).  

FDA received more than 80 grant applications that were reviewed and evaluated for scientific and technical merit by more than 60 rare disease and natural history experts. Grants awarded include:

- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, **David Lynch**, Prospective study in Friedreich's ataxia — about $2 million over five years
- Columbia University Medical Center, **Adi Cohen**, Prospective study in pregnancy and lactation-associated osteoporosis — about $2 million over five years
- University of Iowa, **Alicia Gerke**, Retrospective study in sarcoidosis — about $300,000 over two years
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, **Kenneth Ataga**, Prospective study in sickle cell anemia to determine biomarkers of endothelial function changes in chronic kidney disease — about $2 million over five years