CENTERS OF RESEARCH TRANSLATION: RFA-AR-05-005
Purpose: The purpose of this request for applications (RFA) is to invite and support Centers of Research Translation (CORT) to foster research that is translational in nature, directed at elucidating the relevance of basic research to human disease in an area within the mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Two major features of the CORT program include the overarching aim of disease-specific research translation and the inclusion of resources and an administrative structure to facilitate research translation.
Translational research is defined as applied and clinical scientific research that is directed toward testing the validity and limits of applicability of knowledge derived from basic science and engineering to the understanding of human diseases and health. It could be research involving living human subjects (ie, clinical), but it might also be nonclinical, involving the study of human genes, tissues, specimens, or cells. Thus, although it is directed toward generation of knowledge about humans, it could be nonclinical or clinical research. It could be knowledge useful to persons (individuals, families, populations) affected by or at risk of specific diseases.
Overall, the CORT should encompass a multidisciplinary approach to a disease-targeted theme. Individual projects must relate to the overall theme. For the purposes of the projects within a CORT, translation is not to be interpreted as requiring one project to depend on another. Rather, the outcomes of each project should inform the others. That is, the outcomes of a clinical research project would not be dependent on the outcome of a basic research project.
A CORT must be focused on one of the diseases in the NIAMS mission. The focus cannot be generic, for example, autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, or skin diseases. The diseases within the NIAMS mission may be found at http://www.niams.nih.gov/rtac/funding/faq.htm.
CORT principal investigators must be drawn from different research disciplines and may be based in different departments, divisions, and/or institutions. There must be an existing research base supporting the projects.
There must be a minimum of three highly meritorious projects with at least one basic and one clinical project. Overall, the CORT concept is dual, embracing both the translation of new scientific information to clinical application and the application of clinical findings to new research.
The National Institutes of Health defines human clinical research as follows: (1) patient-oriented research: research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin, such as tissues, specimens, and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects; excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that use human tissues that cannot be linked to a living individual; patient-oriented research includes (a) mechanisms of human disease, (b) therapeutic interventions, (c) clinical trials, or (d) development of new technologies; (2) epidemiologic and behavioral studies; or (3) outcomes research and health services research. Studies falling under Exemption 4 for human subjects research are not considered clinical research by this definition.
Each CORT will have an advisory group that includes scientific members who can facilitate the translational process and lay members who can bring the patient perspective about the disease to the group and guide the translational direction. The advisory group will have a dual role. One role will be to provide scientific and lay oversight of the ongoing progress of the CORT projects. A second role will be to review and recommend pilot and feasibility project applications for submission to NIAMS.
The minimal structure for a CORT will be at least three highly meritorious translational research projects with at least one basic and one clinical project and an administrative core with an advisory group that includes scientific and lay members. The CORT director should also be the principal investigator of one of the research projects.
One or more research cores may also be proposed if they are critical to at least two of the projects and will enhance and facilitate the research.
Pilot and feasibility projects to develop new directions in the translational theme may be submitted to NIAMS as administrative supplements. Up to three pilot and feasibility projects may be submitted once per year during the second and third years of CORT funding. The scientific review of these individual pilot and feasibility project applications will be directed by the CORT advisory group. NIAMS will make the final decision on acceptance of these projects based on programmatic priorities and funds available. Projects approved by NIAMS are eligible to receive up to $50,000 per year in direct costs. Pilot and feasibility projects are optional.
Term/Amount: This funding opportunity will use the P50 award mechanism(s). As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
The NIAMS expects to award up to $6 million dollars in total costs in FY 2006 through this announcement. Up to 4 awards are anticipated. Direct costs of up to $1,000,000 per year may be requested; July 1, 2006, is the earliest possible award date. The project period will be up to 5 years.
The NIAMS intends to commit up to $6 million dollars in FY 2006 to fund up to four new grants in response to this RFA. An applicant may request a project period of up to 5 years and a budget for direct costs up to $1,000,000 dollars per year.
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the Institutes and Centers provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent on the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Deadlines: Letters of intent receipt date: September 26, 2005; application receipt date: October 25, 2005; peer review date: January-February 2006; council review date: May 2006; earliest anticipated start date: July 1, 2006.
Complete details are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AR-05-005.html.
CANCELLATION: PLANNING GRANTS FOR REGIONAL TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH CENTERS
On May 2, 2005, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is canceling RFA-RM-05-008, “Regional Translational Research Center (RTRC) Planning Grants,” which was released in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on October 1, 2004. Through discussions with deans of academic health centers and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the NIH recognizes that a broader reengineering effort that incorporates and builds on the strengths of the RTRC concept would create greater opportunity to catalyze the development of a new discipline of clinical and translational sciences. As a result, RTRC planning grant applications will not be reviewed. Additional inquiries can be directed to the director, Division for Clinical Research Resources.
STEM CELLS AND CANCER: PA-05-086
Purpose: This funding opportunity is intended to promote research on all aspects of tumor stem cell biology and on the genes and proteins responsible for the tumor stem cell phenotype. Research studies on the characterization of tumor stem cells from the broad spectrum of solid and liquid tumors not already examined, on markers potentially shared by tumor stem cells and normal stem cells, and on the biochemical and molecular regulation of normal and tumor stem cell function are encouraged. Such research can and should include research on in vivo assays for the functional identification of such cells. Studies of the genes regulating self-renewal and studies of the regulation of stem cell division by the stem cell niche and/or microenvironment are also encouraged. Investigators working on the cell and molecular biology of embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and tumor stem cells are encouraged to apply for support under this funding opportunity. The following questions illustrate areas of high interest, but other relevant innovative projects are also encouraged:
What governs the proliferation rate of normal and tumor stem cells?
Can oncogenes and their associated mutations affect asymmetric versus symmetric divisions in stem cells?
Stem cell quiescence versus growth must ultimately be understood in terms of progression through the cell cycle. Which stem cell-specific genes alter the cell cycle pathway proteins?
Do tumor stromal cells constitute a unique tumor stem cell niche? Does the tumor stromal niche act as a constituent of a feedback mechanism with tumor stem cells to control their growth?
Are the phenotypes of invasion and metastasis uniquely connected to the tumor stem cell phenotype?
Are normal resident adult tissue stem cells a special target for carcinogenic insults?
Can new and/or better markers and assays for the isolation and enrichment of tumor stem cells be developed?
Can new and/or better in vivo functional assays to identify tumor-initiating cells (eg, engraftment of leukemic stem cells into immunodeficient NOD/ SCID mice) be developed?
How do changes to stem cells or their environment owing to aging affect the formation of tumor stem cells or alter their properties?
Term/Amount: This funding opportunity will use the R01 and R21 award mechanisms. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
No set-aside funds are available for this funding opportunity. Applicants may request up to 5 years of support for R01 awards, with costs appropriately tailored to the proposed work. An R21 applicant may request a project period of up to 2 years with a combined budget for direct costs of up to $275,000 for the 2-year period. For example, the applicant may request $100,000 in the first year and $175,000 in the second year. The request should be tailored to the needs of the project. Normally, no more than $200,000 may be requested in any single year. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the Institutes and Centers provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent on the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Deadlines: Receipt, review, and award cycles follow the regular National Institutes of Health schedule available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm.
Complete details are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-086.html>.
ALA INVESTIGATOR AND TRAINING AWARDS
Purpose: The American Lung Association's (ALA) National Research Program fosters basic, clinical, and behavioral research designed to find cures and to prevent and relieve the suffering associated with lung disease. The ALA is offering a portfolio of awards and grants:
Independent Investigator Awards provide $40,000 per year for 1 or 2 years: biomedical research grants for investigators researching the mechanisms of lung disease and general lung biology, clinical patient care research grants for investigators working on traditional clinical studies examining methods of improving patient care and treatment for lung diseases, and social-behavioral research grants for investigators working on epidemiologic and behavioral studies examining the risk factors affecting lung health. This grant includes studies concerning the ethical, legal, and economic aspects of health services and policies.
Career Investigator Awards provide $60,000 per year for up to 3 years to support the career development of established independent investigators who show great promise for a national leadership role in investigative work related to lung disease. This includes studies on lung biology, traditional clinical studies related to patient care, and behavioral and psychosocial matters relevant to lung disease.
Training Awards: Lung Health Dissertation Grants provide $21,000 per year for up to 3 years for predoctoral support of students with an academic career focus and/or nurses pursuing a doctoral degree. Research areas of particular interest to the ALA are psychosocial, behavioral, health services, health policy, epidemiologic, biostatistical, and educational matters related to lung disease. Senior Research Training Fellowships provide $32,500 per year for 1 or 2 years for MDs or PhDs entering the fourth or fifth year of their research fellowship seeking further academic training as scientific investigators. Research areas of particular interest to the ALA are adult pulmonary medicine, pediatric pulmonary medicine, and lung biology.
Alliance Award Program: The ALA research program provides opportunities to focus on targeted lung disease/health issues and work with like-minded medical societies in the funding of high-level lung disease research. Major donor sponsors and partners of the ALA support these special research initiatives. The postdoctoral awards are available in several categories and areas of emphasis: the Dalsemer Research Grant provides $40,000 per year for 1 or 2 years for research focused on interstitial lung disease; the ALA/LAM Research Grant provides $40,000 per year for 1 or 2 years for research focused on the abnormal proliferation of smooth muscle that occurs in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM); the ALA/LAM Foundation Career Investigator Award provides $50,000 per year for up to 3 years for research focused on LAM; the ALA/Alpha 1 Foundation Research Grant provides $40,000 per year for 1 or 2 years for basic science and clinical research studies on alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; the ALA/LUNGevity Foundation Research Grant provides $40,000 per year for 1 or 2 years for research focused on improving medical treatment and finding a cure for lung cancer; the ALA/Diane Emdin Sachs Lung Cancer Award provides $75,000 per year for 1 or 2 years for research focused on advancing our understanding of small cell lung cancer treatment.
Deadlines: The application deadline for these awards and grants is September 1, 2005.
Complete details can be found at www.lungusa.org.
ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION PHYSICIAN FACULTY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Purpose: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has called for applications for its Physician Faculty Scholars Program to help outstanding junior faculty in medical schools develop their careers in academic medicine.
Under the program, talented junior faculty, nominated by their medical schools and selected by the program, will receive support to enhance their skills and productivity through institutional and national mentoring, specific research experience, and protected time in which to acquire it. Preference will be given to applicants interested in the fields of health policy research, epidemiology, health services research, and community-based research. The program will enable these committed physicians to engage in research that will help change health policy and health care.
RWJF will make grants to sponsoring institutions to help cover the scholars' salary and research costs. Each sponsoring institution must agree to protect each scholar's time from clinical and teaching responsibilities so that at least 50% of their total professional effort can be devoted to the scholarly activities outlined in their proposals. Each institution must have identified at lease one mentor who is prepared to advise the scholar regarding his or her research project, guide the scholar in career development issues, and attend the annual national meeting with the scholar.
Additionally, scholars will have a unique opportunity to interact with the medical leaders who serve on the program's National Advisory Committee (NAC). The program will assign each scholar to a NAC mentor, who will discuss project management and career development issues with them in person at the program's annual meeting and throughout the year as required. NAC mentors may also offer other assistance, such as reviewing and critiquing manuscripts and grant proposals and writing letters of recommendation.
All scholars are expected to attend each annual meeting, at which they will present their ongoing research and take part in discussions of a broad array of issues relevant to the program's focus. They must also attend one additional scientific meeting each year.
Each candidate must be a physician (MD or DO) who is a US citizen or permanent resident; be a junior faculty member in any discipline in a regular line position that could lead to tenure; be committed to a career in academic medicine; provide evidence of research skills; have had at least two papers published in peer-reviewed journals at the time of the application deadline; demonstrate excellence as a teacher; and be active in patient care at least one half-day per week.
Term/Amount: Up to 15 3-year awards of up to $300,000.
Deadline: The application deadline is August 1, 2005.
Complete details are available at www.rwjf.org/cfp/physicianfacultyscholars.