Notice Number: NOT-GM-08-136

Key Dates
Release Date: October 10, 2008
Receipt Date:    April 1, 2009 

Issued by
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) (http://www.niams.nih.gov/)
National Eye Institute (NEI) (http://www.nei.nih.gov/)

Purpose

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and the National Eye Institute announce the availability of one-year administrative revisions (also referred to as supplements) for funded grantees to encourage research into the derivation, characterization, and/or utilization of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) from non-embryonic sources.  This opportunity replaces NOT-NS-08-013, NIH Administrative Revisions for Human Pluripotent Stem Cell (hPSC) Research Using Non-Embryonic Sources, which was announced January 17, 2008.

Background

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have been recognized as a valuable resource for advancing our knowledge of human development and biology, and for their great potential in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.  Recent studies have shown that human non-embryonic cells can be reprogrammed to behave like embryonic stem cells. These induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have the ability to divide without differentiating for a prolonged period and to give rise to derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers. iPS cells provide a unique opportunity to study how somatic cells de-differentiate (are reprogrammed) to an embryonic stem cell-like state, and therefore also to understand the molecular basis of cell differentiation from the pluripotent state. iPS cells share many features with human embryonic stem cells, but may not be identical. Furthermore, induction of iPS cells has an efficiency of only approximately 1% and requires the use of retroviral vectors to insert key transcription factor genes into the somatic cell genome. The intermediate molecular and biochemical steps in the reprogramming process that take place during the several weeks between gene insertion and the appearance of iPS cells are largely unknown. Therefore, while iPS cells have enormous potential to substitute for embryonic stem cells and to generate genetically diverse and patient-specific pluripotent stem cell populations, more basic research will be needed to realize this potential.

This supplement program is intended to provide a rapid and flexible mechanism for NIGMS, NIAMS and NEI grantees to take advantage of this unanticipated opportunity to study the requirements for the derivation of iPS cells, the molecular, cellular and genetic properties of iPS cells derived from non-embryonic sources, and the full differentiation potential of iPS cells. Studies that make use of iPS cells in the screening and development of bioactive agents or disease processes relevant to the participating ICs also are encouraged. Although the focus of this Notice is on human iPS cells, work that advances this goal by developing new methodologies and approaches in non-human mammalian model systems will be eligible for consideration.  Comparative studies of the similarities and differences between iPS cells and embryonic or adult stem cells also are appropriate. The proposed studies must be within the scope of, and clearly related to, the aims of the parent grant.

Eligibility

This program will support administrative supplements to any grant mechanism that is normally eligible for an administrative supplement at the institute or center (IC) that awarded the parent grant.  Principal investigators (PIs) are strongly encouraged to contact the IC Program Director who administers the parent grant to determine whether their grant is eligible to receive an administrative supplement.  Parent awards must have at least one year of funding remaining at the time of supplement award in order to be eligible.  Grants that are in a no-cost extension period will not be considered for support under this program.  Only one request per PI may be submitted.

How to Apply

Before submitting a formal request for an administrative supplement, it is highly advisable to discuss your request with the IC Program Director who manages your grant or the IC Program contact listed below under “Inquiries.”  Once it has been determined that the supplement request is within the scope of the parent award and will have one year of funding remaining at time of supplement award, a formal request can be made.  Formal requests must be received on or before April 1, 2009. This is a one-time announcement.  Do not send applications to the Center for Scientific Review.

Review and Funding Criteria

Requests will be reviewed by staff at the IC that funds the parent grant within approximately six weeks of the receipt date.  The proposed studies must be within the scope of the aims of the NIH parent award. Awards will be determined on the basis of responsiveness to the Notice, programmatic relevance and availability of funds.  All funding decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

Post-Award Requirements 

A one page progress report addressing the results of the supplement will be required.  It should be included as part of the progress report of the parent grant submitted after completion of the one year supplement. 

Budget Information
A maximum of up to $75,000 direct costs, exclusive of consortium F&A costs, may be requested for a one-year supplement. Multiple years of support may not be requested.

Submitting an Application

Applications for an administrative supplement under this program should use the PHS 398 form available at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html, and must include the following:

1) A cover letter citing this Notice and including the PI name, grant number and title, amount of the requested supplement, the name and title of the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), and the phone, email, and address information for both the PI and the AOR.  The cover letter must be signed by the AOR.

2) Face page
The title of the project (Box 1) should be the title of the parent award.
This Notice (number and title) should be cited in Box 2, and the “yes” box should be checked.
The remaining items on the face page should be filled out according to the PHS 398 application instructions.

3) Form page 2 (Description, Performance Sites, Key Personnel, Other Significant Contributors, and Human Embryonic Stem Cells) from PHS 398. The project description is that of the administrative supplement, not the parent grant.

4) Proposed budget for the supplement with a budget justification that details the items requested. 

5) A Biographical Sketch of the PI.

6) Research Plan for the supplement (not to exceed five pages).  Applicants should describe the proposed experiments and their relationship to the Specific Aims of the original project and a brief discussion of the significance of the proposed research.  Applicants should also describe their experience working with iPS or embryonic stem cell lines, or indicate how they will acquire appropriate training. Although these descriptions should be as concise as possible, sufficient detail must be provided to allow the IC to evaluate the request. Font size restrictions apply as designated within the PHS398 instructions. 

This is a one-time announcement.  Applications must be received on or before April 1, 2009.  Do not send applications to the Center for Scientific Review.  Applications must be signed by the AOR and submitted to the appropriate Grants Management Specialist contact listed below under “Inquiries”. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications electronically as an e-mail attachment in PDF format; however the signature of the AOR must be clearly visible.  Applicants may also submit applications in paper format to the appropriate IC Grants Management contact.

Inquiries

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their plans for responding to this Notice by phone or e-mail.  Inquiries should be directed to either the Program Director at the NIH IC who oversees the parent grant associated with the administrative supplement request or the Program contact listed below. For administrative of budget questions, please contact the Grants Management Specialist listed below.

Marion M. Zatz, Ph.D.
Program Official
Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive, Room 2AS-25E, MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Phone: (301) 594-0943
Email: zatzm@mail.nih.gov

Lauren T. Toussaint, MPH
Grants Management Specialist
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive Room, 2AN-38H, MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892—6200
Phone: (301) 594-7706
Email: (301) 480-2554

Carl C. Baker, M.D., Ph.D.
Program Director, Division of Skin and Rheumatic Diseases
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
6701 Democracy Blvd, Room 888
Bethesda, MD 20892-4872
Phone: (301) 594-5017
E-mail: ccb@nih.gov

Katie Joffee
Grants Management Specialist, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
6701 Democracy Blvd, Suite 800
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4872
Phone:  (301) 594-5891
E-mail: joffeek@mail.nih.gov

Grace L. Shen, Ph.D.
Group Leader, Corneal Diseases and Ocular Immunology, Inflammation, & Infection
National Eye Institute
5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 1300, MSC-9300
Bethesda, MD  20892-9300
Phone: (301) 435-8169
Email: ShenG@nei.nih.gov

William W. Darby
Chief, Grants Management Branch
National Eye Institute
5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 1300, MSC 9300
Bethesda, MD 20892-9300
(Courier services use Rockville, MD  20852)
Phone: (301) 451-2020
Email: Darbyw@nei.nih.gov

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.