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The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) invite applications to support collaborations between investigators who focus their research efforts on type 1 diabetes or its complications and researchers from other research areas with expertise relevant to type 1 diabetes research. The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to attract new research talent to type 1 diabetes research, strengthen the ongoing efforts of type 1 diabetes researchers by providing access to specialized expertise or technologies relevant to their research, and facilitate the formation of interdisciplinary research partnerships to investigate significant biological and medical problems associated with type 1 diabetes. Applications should propose collaborative research partnerships between independent principal investigators, at least one currently pursuing research relevant to type 1 diabetes and one (or more) with expertise relevant to some aspect of type 1 diabetes that is not currently being applied by the investigator to research on this disease. This RFA encourages type 1 diabetes researchers to act as "talent scouts" by identifying and recruiting leading scientists with relevant scientific expertise to the field of type 1 diabetes research. A similar RFA (DK-02-023) was issued in 2002. We anticipate that a future solicitation will provide an opportunity for expanded support for successful collaborations funded through the current RFA.

Over the past nine years the NSF, the NIH, and other federal agencies, have supported the development of network-based virtual laboratories, following the recommendations of the 1993 National Research Council (NRC) report National Collaboratories: Applying Information Technology for Scientific Research. As described in the NRC report, collaboratories are expected to improve the speed and output of scientific research through Internet access to instruments, data, and colleagues independent of time and place. Many of the early collaboratory projects focused on remote control of distant equipment with less emphasis on data. Changes since 1993 in both the character of biomedical and chemical research, and in underlying computer and network technologies suggest a re-examination of the collaboratory concept with increased attention to data flow from acquisition to deposition in a data repository, data reuse after deposition, and integration of data across various repositories and databases. The purpose of this program announcement (PA) is to invite proposals to develop tools and techniques to harness the unprecedented volume of data generated by collaborations among researchers. Proposals dealing with data from either research laboratories or from the clinical laboratories are welcome. Using these new tools and techniques, it is expected that two or more laboratories will be able to productively collaborate in ways that are not currently possible.

This is a program announcement (PA) with set-aside funds. The PA is designed to stimulate and support research on sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) and Parkinson's related neurological conditions (PRNC). Support will be for research on PD and PRNC patients as well as patients in appropriate comparison groups and/or healthy control subjects. Responsive applications could deal with the following areas: natural history of symptoms studies, mechanistic studies of the sleep disturbances in PD and PRNC, associated sleep disorders such as Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and studies of the sleep- related effects of pharmacotherapies for PD and PRNC. The timing and scope of this PA are predicated on recent research and clinical findings indicating promising new directions for the diagnosis and care of patients with PD and PRNC.

The Office of Research Integrity (ORI, DHHS), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, NIH), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR, NIH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, NIH), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, DHHS) invite applications to support research on research integrity. The purpose of the proposed grant program is to foster empirical research on societal, organizational, group, and individual factors that affect, both positively and negatively, integrity in research. Proposals must have clear relevance to biomedical, behavioral and health services research. Applicants are strongly encouraged to take into consideration problems or issues that are relevant to the missions of DHHS, NIH, or specific NIH institutes and programs. For the purposes of this RFA, "research" is interpreted broadly to include societal, organizational, group, and individual aspects of the enterprise. "Integrity" is understood as "the use of honest and verifiable methods in proposing, performing, and evaluating research in reporting research results with particular attention to adherence to rules, regulations, guidelines, and commonly accepted professional codes or norms."

The purpose of this initiative is to provide short-term interim support for institutional activities that will strengthen oversight of human subjects research at institutions that receive significant NIH support for clinical research. While there is considerable flexibility in the types of activities that could be supported under this program, it is important that these enhance the protection of research subjects by means that will be sustained by the institution after the award period ends. This is a limited solicitation made available to the grantees funded under the first RFA (OD-02-003) as a recompetition for an additional, final, one-year award. HOWEVER, FOR THIS SOLICITATION, THE NIH REQUIRES APPLICANTS TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS CONDUCTING HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH AND ARE NOT CURRENTLY FUNDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM, TO SHARE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES, BEST PRACTICES, ETC. While all NIH components supporting clinical research are providing support for this program, it will be administered by the National Center for Research Resources.

This Program Announcement (PA) is intended to promote productive re-entry of NIH-trained foreign investigators from low-income countries into their home countries as part of a broader program to enhance the scientific research infrastructure in developing countries, to stimulate research on a wide variety of high priority health-related issues in these countries, and to advance NIH efforts to address health issues of global import. The specific goal of this initiative is to provide funding opportunities for the increasing pool of foreign biomedical and behavioral scientists, clinical investigators, nurses, and other health professionals with state-of-the-art knowledge of research methods to advance critical issues in global health upon their return to their home countries. After their term of research training, developing country participants supported by this PA are expected to continue independent and productive scientific careers, including expert training and consultation and/or research of biomedical issues within their home institutions.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) invites applications for research programs designed to advance our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms and epidemiology of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). A major goal of this initiative is to facilitate the development of novel collaborative research programs among physiologists, neuroscientists, behavioral neuroscientists, imaging specialists and clinicians in order to develop integrative research programs to accelerate progress in CRPS/RSD research. This PA is intended to encourage cross-disciplinary research focused on a mechanism-based diagnostic classification of CRPS/RSD, which might lead to mechanism-based therapeutic strategy for this chronic condition.

Participating Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invite applications for innovative research in biomedical computational science and technology to promote the progress of biomedical research. There exists an expanding need to speed the progress of biomedical research through the power of computing to manage and analyze data and to model biological processes. The NIH is interested in promoting research and developments in biomedical computational science and technology that will support rapid progress in areas of scientific opportunity in biomedical research. As defined here biomedical computing or biomedical information science and technology includes, database design, graphical interfaces, querying approaches, data retrieval, data visualization and manipulation, data integration through the development of integrated analytical tools, and tools for electronic collaboration, as well as computational research including the development of structural, functional, integrative, and analytical models and simulations. This PA will utilize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanisms, but will be run in parallel with a program announcement of identical scientific scope (PAR-03-106) that will utilize the traditional research project grant (R01) or the phased innovation award (R21/R33).

This PA is a reissue of RFA MH-02-003. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) request research grant applications for the development of novel radioligands for positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in human brain, and that incorporate pilot or clinical feasibility evaluation in pre-clinical studies, model development, or clinical studies. This initiative is intended to facilitate the development of: 1) PET and SPECT probes for molecular targets (e.g., receptors, intracellular messengers, disease-related proteins) that are of broad interest to the neuroscience research community, and 2) new technologies for radiotracer development. The primary motivation for this initiative is the lack of versatile agonist and antagonist PET and SPECT radiotracers for molecular targets that are implicated in brain disorders. The use of radiotracers for imaging molecular events in preclinical and clinical studies is essential for understanding the circuitry that underlies normal brain function and the pathophysiology of brain disorders. It is the intent of this initiative to foster the development of NIH partnerships with scientists from pharmaceutical industry and academic nuclear medicine research centers to develop ligands for PET and SPECT brain imaging with the goal of making new radioligands accessible to the research community as essential research tools for central nervous system (CNS) imaging, and as potential biological markers and surrogate endpoints for translational and clinical research, drug discovery and development, and clinical trials. This solicitation will utilize the Phased Innovation Award Mechanism that is intended to encourage the development and application of technology in neurobiological research. Specific features of this mechanism include: o Single submission and evaluation of both the R21 and R33 phases as one application. An R33 application alone may be submitted. o Expedited transition from the feasibility phase (R21) to the development phase (R33) based on successful completion of negotiated quantitative Milestones. o Flexible staging of feasibility (R21) and development (R33) phases. o Applications from industry or industry partnerships with other groups are encouraged. o Review of submissions by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) and expedited NIH programmatic review for transition from the R21 to the R33 phase. Small businesses are encouraged to respond to the parallel PA, PA-02-028, Development of PET and SPECT Ligands for Brain Imaging (SBIR Award) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-028.html. Its objectives are identical; however, it will use the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanisms. The same expedited review and transition from Phase I to Phase II funding are expected to apply, as will the same cost and time limitations as this PA for Phased Innovation Awards.

This announcement redefines the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21) mechanism, and extends its use as an investigator-initiated mechanism to the Institutes and Centers (ICs) listed above. The R21 is intended to encourage exploratory and developmental research projects by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of these projects. The characteristics, requirements, preparation, and review criteria for the R21 application are described. Investigators wishing to apply for an R21 grant should be aware that not all ICs accept investigator-initiated R21 applications. Investigators are strongly encouraged to consult the R21 website at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r21.htm to identify participating ICs and relevant programmatic areas. Consultation with NIH staff listed on the website is also encouraged. ICs that do not accept investigator-initiated R21 applications may also solicit R21 applications to meet specific program needs. Information related to the use of R21 awards by ICs that do not participate in this program is also listed on the R21 website. Additional information about special initiatives can be found in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html#search, on IC websites, and through consultation with NIH staff. All investigator- initiated exploratory/developmental grant applications described in this announcement will be assigned to ICs according to standard PHS referral guidelines and specific program interests.