Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!uunet!bionet!nihcu.bitnet!CZJ From: CZJ@nihcu.bitnet Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8812101434.AA02554@net.bio.net> Date: 10 Dec 88 14:13:52 GMT Sender: daemon@NET.BIO.NET Lines: 450 Attached is the Table of Contents and Items of Interest from the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts for 11/25/88. I would call special attention to the item from NLM. Jim Cassatt ------------------------------------------------------------------- Vol. 17, No. 39, November 25, 1988 DATED ANNOUNCEMENTS (RFPs AND RFAS) NIH SMALL INSTRUMENTS GRANTS PROGRAM .....(84/137)................ 1 National Institutes of Health Index: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH TOXICOLOGY OF LHRH ANTAGONIST (RFP) ......(140/174)............... 1 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Index: CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT TOXICOLOGY OF TWO STEROIDAL ESTERS (RFP) .....(177/211)........... 2 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Index: CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AIDS VACCINE EVALUATION UNITS (RFP) ..........(214/256)........... 2 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Index: ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES PROSTHETIC SENSORY TRANSDUCERS (RFP) .........(259/293)........... 3 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Index: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE THE ROLE OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS IN THE INITIATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CHRONIC INTERSTJITIAL CYSTITIS OF THE URINARY BLADDER (RFA) ........................(296/442)........... 3 National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Index: DIABETES, DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES ONGOING PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS GERIATRIC RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTERS (P30) ....(445/530)....... 5 National Institute on Aging (1284/1729) Index: AGING MOLECULAR BIOLOGY DATA; REPRESENTATIONAL ANALYSIS BY COMPUTER (RFA) ..........................(533/576, 1732/1953)..... 6 National Library of Medicine Index: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE GERIATRIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING (GRIT) AWARD (T32) ..... 7 National Institute on Aging (582/784) Index: AGING GERIATRIC ACADEMIC PROGRAM (GAP) AWARD (K12) ....(787/973)........ 9 National Institute of Aging Index: AGING HIV-RELATED ILLNESSES: TOPICS FOR HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH .....12 National Center for Health Services Research (976/1274) Index: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH DATED ANNOUNCEMENTS (RFPs AND RFAs) NIH SMALL INSTRUMENTS GRANTS PROGRAM P.T. 34; K.W. 0735000 National Institutes of Health Application Receipt Date: February 13, 1989 BACKGROUND In its appropriation for the NIH for Fiscal Year 1987, the Congress included a total of $16 million to be spent by the respective Bureaus/Institutes/Divisions (BIDs) for the funding of grants to purchase small instruments costing between $5,000 and $60,000. This action was in response to several recent studies of the problem of obsolete biomedical research instrumentation, indicating that the state of biomedical research instrumentation had seriously eroded over the last ten years and that this situation is retarding the progress of biomedical research. The most significant need identified in these studies is for the relatively low-cost pieces of equipment in the price range of approximately $5,000 to $60,000. Approximately $16 million will be available again for small instrumentation grants this year. ELIGIBILITY AND TERMS OF AWARD Each institution that received support under the Biomedical Research Support Grant (BRSG) Program in Fiscal Year 1988 and currently has active NIH research grants is eligible to apply. Only one application may be submitted from each eligible institution or organizational component. Each institution may establish its own procedures for identifying equipment requests to be included. The small instrumentation award will be restricted to the purchase of equipment costing between $5,000 and $60,000. Awards will be made on or before September 30, 1989. The amount of the award will be based upon a percentage of the institution's Biomedical Research Support Grant award for Fiscal Year 1988 or $5,000, whichever is greater. Specific funding decisions will depend on available BID appropriations as well as the appropriateness of the request. Institutions will be notified of the maximum amount for which they may apply. METHOD OF APPLYING Letters of instruction to eligible institutions will be mailed on or about November 28, 1988. Completed applications must be received by February 13, 1989. Investigators interested in participating in their institution's application must contact the institution's Biomedical Research Support Grant Program Director. Institutional officials who expect to be involved in preparing an application are requested to review the letter of instructions prior to contacting NIH. AIDS VACCINE EVALUATION UNITS RFP AVAILABLE: RFP-NIH-NIAID-AIDSP-90-01 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715008, 0740075 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases The AIDS Program, NIAID, NIH, has a requirement to establish AIDS vaccine evaluation units to evaluate candidate AIDS vaccines. This NIAID-sponsored project will take approximately three (3) years to complete. A cost reimbursement contract is anticipated. It is anticipated that ten (10) awards will be made. This is an announcement for an anticipated Request for Proposal (RFP). RFP-NIH-NIAID-AIDSP-90-01 shall be issued on or about December 19, 1988, with a closing date tentatively set for April 3, 1989. Vol. 17, No. 39, November 25, 1988 - Page 2 Requests for the RFP shall be directed in writing to: Lawrence M. Butler Contract Management Branch 5333 Westbard Avenue Westwood Building, Room 707 National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases National Institute of Health Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-0192 To receive a copy of the RFP, please supply this office with two (2) self-addressed labels. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which will be considered. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. RFA AVAILABLE: 89-LM-01 P.T. 34; K.W. 1002008, 0755018, 1004008, 0755045, 0790010, 1215018, 1004000 National Library of Medicine Application Receipt Date: February 10, 1989 The National Library of Medicine invites the submission of Research grant applications from investigators who are interested in the computer and information science aspects of molecular biology data management and analysis. The objective is to promote high quality research that has value for furthering our understanding of structure/function relationships in nucleic acids, proteins, and other biologically important molecules, in order to diagnose, and treat human disorders. Research topics include data-base design and query methods, algorithms to improve efficiency of information retrieval, expert systems, mathematical techniques and computer hardware design for pattern recognition and algorithms for predicting structure and/or function based on primary sequences. In Fiscal Year 1989 up to one million dollars will be allocated to the research initiatives described in this RFA. Vol. 17, No. 39, November 25, 1988 - Page 6 INQUIRIES Potential applicants are strongly advised to contact NLM staff before submitting applications for support. Applications should be submitted on the new Form PHS 398 (rev. 9/86). For more information, applicants may contact: Dr. Roger W. Dahlen Chief, Biomedical Information Support Branch Extramural Programs National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Building 38A, Room 5S-522 Bethesda, Maryland 20894 Telephone: (301) 496-4221 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; DATA REPRESENTATION/ANALYSIS BY COMPUTER RFA AVAILABLE: 89-LM-01 P.T. 34; K.W. 1002008, 0755018, 1004008, 0755045, 0790010, 1215018, 1004000 National Library of Medicine Application Receipt Date: February 10, 1989 The National Library of Medicine invites grant applications from investigators who are interested in the computer and information science aspects of molecular biology data management and analysis. The objective is to promote high quality research that has value for furthering our understanding of structure/function relationships in nucleic acids, proteins, and other biologically important molecules, in order to diagnose, and treat human disorders. This NLM Request for Applications supplements the relevant, ongoing program interests of other NIH components as indicated by similar Announcements. However, special NLM funds will be available in FY 1989 to support competitive research programs that further the stated goals. Potential applicants are strongly advised to contact NLM staff before submitting applications for support. BACKGROUND The appearance of new experimental methods in the past several years has greatly increased the rate at which data are accumulating about the molecular control of life processes. Restriction enzymes, synthetic molecular probes, efficient microchemical methods for DNA and protein sequence determination, and recombinant DNA technology have developed to the point that it is now feasible to consider large-scale projects, such as the systematic analysis of entire eukaryote genomes. Because of their size and complexity, the data that are generated by such undertakings must be analyzed and compared using computerized techniques for storage, searching, and analysis. The computer databases that hold this information, currently numbered in millions of nucleotide base pairs and thousands of amino acids, are expected to grow by three orders of magnitude to encompass sequences totaling billions of nucleotides. Current methods for structuring, searching, and analyzing such databases need to be enhanced correspondingly. RESEARCH GOALS Research projects which foster the development of new computer-based analysis methods for the interpretation of molecular biological data are invited. Such research will require a diversity of approaches and make use of data from a number of model systems. The research topics of interest described below are intended to illustrate the range of work in computer and information science, as applied to biology, that will be needed to advance our research capabilities in the area of genomic analysis and macromolecular structure and function. o Database design, incorporating data representations that are optimal for search, analysis, transmission, and storage of macromolecular data. o Methods and algorithms for improving the efficiency of information retrieval through operations that are computationally intensive (e.g., cannot be performed in linear time). o Software algorithms and other database query methods capable of translating natural language questions into appropriate retrievals from multiple related factual databases. o Software to support data management and analysis of genetic linkage mapping, physical mapping, and DNA sequences. o Expert system techniques for automatic generation of annotation information concerning sequence data, creation of linkages among related databases via explicit pointers or common vocabulary. o Algorithms capable of predicting structure and/or function based on primary sequences of nucleotides and amino acids. o Methods for ordering DNA fragments in the genome, particularly the development of supporting mathematical techniques and computer software. o Methods of applying advanced hardware design (e.g. parallel and multiprocessing architectures) to problems of pattern recognition and sequence comparisons. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Support for this program will be through research project grants (R01). Policies that govern research grant programs of the National Institutes of Health apply to this program. Since it is anticipated that potential applicants may wish to enlarge on currently available databases, consortium arrangements are also possible. In addition, collaborative projects between persons with engineering, analytical, and information science skills and molecular biologists are encouraged. The total amount available for support of grants under this RFA is contingent upon the appropriation of funds for this purpose. The number of awards will be determined by the merit of the proposals and by their relevance to the program goals, as well as by the availability of funds. In Fiscal Year 1989 up to one million dollars will be allocated to the research initiatives described in this RFA. This amount may be increased if a large number of highly meritorious applications are received and if funds are available. APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCEDURES Prior to initial scientific merit review, a triage mechanism may be employed to screen out applications that are clearly noncompetitive for award. Nonresponsive applications would be returned to the applicant. Applications will be evaluated initially by an NLM peer review committee for scientific and technical merit. A second review will be conducted by the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine. Review criteria include the following: o Overall scientific merit of the research; o Potential value of the research for furthering the understanding and utilization of genomic and other macromolecular information; o Feasibility of the research and adequacy of the experimental design; o Training, experience, research competence, and dedication of the investigator(s); o Adequacy of available facilities; and o Appropriateness of the requested budget for the work proposed. METHOD OF APPLYING Applications should be submitted on the new Form PHS 398 (rev. 9/86). The RFA label, available in the revised application kit, MUST be affixed to the bottom of the face page. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time. Application kits are available at most institutional business or grants offices and from: Office of Grants Inquiries Division of Research Grants Westwood Building, Room 449 National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Applications will be accepted in accordance with the following schedule: TIMETABLE Receipt Date: February 10, 1989 IRG Review: April 1989 Board Review: June 1-2, 1989 Earliest Funding Date: August 1, 1989 It is essential that applicants type "Molecular Biology; Data Representation/Analysis by Computer" and the RFA Number 89-LM-01 on line 2 on the face page of the application form. The original and four copies of the application should be submitted to the following office: Grant Application Receipt Office Division of Research Grants Westwood Building, Room 240 National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD 20892** To expedite the review process, submit two copies of your application directly to: Biomedical Information Support Branch Extramural Programs National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Building 38A, Room 5S-522 Bethesda, MD 20894 Funding decisions will be based on recommendations of the initial review group and the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine regarding scientific merit and program relevance and on the availability of funds. It is strongly recommended, but not required, that potential applicants contact NLM staff to discuss research objectives. Each prospective applicant is strongly advised to submit, by January 6, 1989, a letter of intent which includes a descriptive title of the proposed research and names of key members of the project. This letter is requested to provide NLM staff with an indication of the number and scope of applications to be reviewed. It does not commit the prospective applicant to submit an application nor is it a requirement for submission of an application. For more information, applicants may contact: Dr. Roger W. Dahlen Chief, Biomedical Information Support Branch Extramural Programs National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Building 38A, Room 5S-522 Bethesda, MD 20894 Telephone: (301) 496-4221