Notice Number: NOT-AI-16-046

Key Dates
Release Date: April 7, 2016

Issued by
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Purpose

Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating and complex illness. There are still many knowledge gaps about ME/CFS, including key aspects of the etiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment. NIH is committed to supporting research to better understand ME/CFS. This notice is one component of this effort.

Multiple Institutes and Centers are interested in accepting investigator-initiated administrative supplement requests for existing awards to expand ME/CFS research within the scope of the parent award. For the purpose of this Notice, within scope may include the addition of assays, bioinformatics/modeling approaches, or human cohorts to the parent studies (e.g., adding ME/CFS cohort to a fibromyalgia study in humans). However, supplement requests for studies that are in a substantially different direction than the parent award may be deemed "out of scope." In such situations, applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss the aims of the proposed work and the scope of the parent grant with NIH program staff (see below).

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Characterization of CNS-related biomarkers between new onset and established ME/CFS patients and appropriate comparison groups
• Identification of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid, blood, urine, etc. that can identify physiologically relevant subgroups of ME/CFS
• Studies elucidating autonomic abnormalities seen in the central or peripheral nervous system of patients with ME/CFS
• Studies to provide a better understanding of ME/CFS, prevalence, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology
• Identification of potential triggers or modifiers of immune responses or immune cell metabolism that contribute to ME/CFS
• Application of current methodologies (e.g., immune phenotyping) or computational modeling to better characterize human immune responses triggered by ME/CFS
• Elucidation of etiology of ME/CFS and physiological determinants involved in ME/CFS manifestations including but not limited to microbiome-related studies

NIAID: The requested award budget cannot exceed $150,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months. All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the contacts listed below, as well as their assigned program officer. Additionally, NIAID applicants must review the NIAID requirements for administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements prior to submission. For additional reference, see the NIH Administrative Supplement Program Announcement PA-14-077

NIDCR: The requested award budget cannot exceed $100,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months. All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the contacts listed below, as well as their assigned program officer. NIDCR will not support clinical trials or prospective enrollment of individuals with ME/CFS. The supplement may support studies on well-phenotyped cohorts, analysis of banked biospecimens from well-phenotyped cohorts, and the supplement must have relevance to temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or orofacial pain. Additionally, NIDCR applicants must review the requirements for administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-077.html) prior to submission.

NINDS: The requested award budget cannot exceed $100,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months. All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the contacts listed below, as well as their assigned program officer. Additionally, NINDS applicants must review the NINDS requirements for administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/funding_announcements/supplements.htm ) prior to submission.

NINR: The requested award budget cannot exceed $100,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months. All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the contacts listed below, as well as their assigned program officer. Additionally, NINR applicants must review the NINR requirements for administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-077.html) prior to submission.

NCCIH: The requested award budget cannot exceed $100,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months. All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss potential requests with the contacts listed below, as well as their assigned program officer. Additionally NCCIH applicants must review the requirements for administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-077.html) prior to submission.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Joseph Breen, Ph.D.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-292-4123
Email: [email protected]

Yolanda F. Vallejo-Estrada, Ph.D.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Telephone: 301-594-8926
Email: [email protected]

Vicky Whittemore, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-1917
Email: [email protected]

Martha Matocha, PhD
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-594-2775
Email: [email protected]

Wen Chen, Ph.D.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Telephone: 301-451-1989
Email: [email protected]