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HIV-1 infection of central nervous system (CNS) tissues results in neurological and neuropsychiatric abnormalities in a significant number of patients. HIV-1 localization in CNS parenchyma and CSF has been well documented. Advances in highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) have resulted in significant reductions in viral load in peripheral as well as CNS tissues in many patients. However, the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) precludes efficient drug penetration into the CNS compartment and thus current therapies may not eradicate latent viral reservoirs in the brain. Therefore, the CNS may serve as an important viral reservoir for re-infection of peripheral tissues subsequent to viral clearing in response to effective treatment. The BBB serves as a critical gatekeeper for regulating HIV-1 transit into and out of the CNS. It is therefore imperative to understand the mechanisms of viral passage through the blood-brain barrier in order to develop strategies for blocking early infection of this compartment as well as subsequent reinfection of peripheral tissues.

The NIH Office of Research on Women"s Health (ORWH) invites applications for the Transitional Career Development Award in Women"s Health Research. This award is designed to support career development experiences leading to independence for clinical investigators interested in patient-oriented or population-based research related to women"s health. The career development program will provide an opportunity for investigators to develop solid clinical research skills during two years of study and research within the environment of the NIH Intramural Research Programs (IRP). The award will also include a follow-on two-year period of salary and research support at an academic institution of the candidate"s choice. This period of extramural support will facilitate the transition to independence as a clinical researcher specializing in research issues related to women"s health.

The National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDF) invite investigator-initiated research grant applications to study the neurobiology of diabetic complications. Research should be aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which diabetes results in painful, disabling peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, impaired counterregulation and hypoglycemia unawareness, and other neurological complications. The intent of this RFA is to attract basic neuroscientists to the study of diabetic neuropathy and neurobiology relevant to diabetes, and enhance interdisciplinary approaches to research in this area.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) are continuing joint sponsorship of a predoctoral research training program in the neurosciences. The aim of the program is to encourage and support broad, early-stage training in the neurosciences by offering institutions a single comprehensive training grant. It is expected that the new training programs will enhance basic and disease-related neuroscience research that is relevant to the participating NIH Institutes.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke invite research grant applications to study the ontogeny of drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and receptors, and the corresponding ion channels and related proteins. A major objective of this initiative is the characterization of the mechanisms involved in gene regulation and expression of these proteins during development, both prenatal and postnatal.

This RFA solicits applications to study the effects of HAART on HIV/CNS disease with respect to the clinical, neurological, neuropsychological, virological, immunological, and neuropathological response to the drugs. This solicitation also includes studies to develop drug formulations with improved ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, studies to develop improved methods of delivering drugs to the CNS, and the interaction of anti-retrovirals with psychotropic drugs.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), National Institute on Deafness and other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD), and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), invite applications to promote research into the role of microglia in the initiation and expansion of autoimmune processes of the central nervous system (CNS) and the resulting injury to CNS components. Microglia become reservoirs of infectious agents including viruses, fungi, treponema and prions. Under certain conditions, they assume the phenotypes and functions of macrophages. They may become activated and then be able to serve in antigen presentation. The contributions of these cells not only to infections of the CNS, but also to autoimmunity, are beginning to be appreciated. The intent of this PA is to intensify interest and investigator-initiated research to attract new investigators to this field and to mobilize interdisciplinary approaches.

This Program Announcement (PA), issued as an initiative of the trans-NIH Bioengineering Consortium (BECON), invites grant applications for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects on nanotechnologies useful to biomedicine. Nanotechnology is defined as the creation of functional materials, devices and systems through control of matter at the scale of 1 to 100 nanometers, and the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena at the same scale. Nanotechnology is emerging as a field critical for enabling essential breakthroughs that may have tremendous potential for affecting biomedicine. Moreover, nanotechnologies developed in the next several years may well form the foundation of significant commercial platforms.

The Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) provides support for an intensive, supervised career development experience in one of the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences leading to research independence. Candidates for this award normally must have a research or health-professional doctorate and postdoctoral research experience at the time of application. In addition, the candidate must be able to demonstrate the need for a three, four, or five-year period of additional supervised research as well as the capacity and/or the potential for highly productive independent research. The proposed career development experience must be in a research area new to the applicant and/or one in which an additional supervised research experience will substantially add to the research capabilities of the applicant. The candidate must provide a plan for achieving independent research support by the end of the award period.

The Independent Scientist Award (K02) provides up to five years of salary support for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. This award is intended to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research.