Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for Autism Centers of Excellence (R01 Network)


Notice Number: NOT-HD-11-003

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

  • June 3, 2011 - See RFA-HD-12-195 Autism Centers of Excellence: Centers (P50).
Key Dates

Release Date: February 9, 2011

Issued by

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to announce the intention of NICHD, with NIDCD, NIEHS, and NIMH, to issue an FOA to solicit New and Renewal applications for Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE).

Investigators of current ACE Networks and others who believe that they have sufficient expertise and resources to coordinate and implement a center or multi-site research program, are encouraged to begin consideration of applying for this initiative. NIH will consider "centers" as well as "networks" in response to the ACE initiative.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.

The FOA is expected to be published in Spring 2011 with an expected receipt date in Fall 2011.

This FOA will utilize the R01 activity code. A companion FOA will solicit applications for ACE Centers supported by the P50 activity code (see NOT-HD-11-004). Details of the planned Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

The focus of the centers and networks must be strongly related to gap areas identified in the 2011 IACC Strategic Plan. The 2011 IACC Strategic Plan for ASD Research will be posted at http://iacc.hhs.gov/. Applicants must indicate, when appropriate, to which short or long term objective or area of opportunity from the 2011 IACC strategic plan that each project responds.

At least one of the following priorities must be addressed:

  • Identification and evaluation of interventions and services for ASD.
  • Identification of risk factors (e.g., viruses, medication, environmental chemicals, genetics) that contribute to the development of autism and their associated developmental windows.
  • Identification of biological signatures for autism and their relevance to prediction of treatment response and outcomes.
  • Assessment of characteristics and evaluation of interventions in understudied populations (e.g. adults)

An individual may serve as Center or Network director (Principal Investigator) on only one application.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Alice Kau, Ph.D.
Program Director, Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDD)
Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine (CDBPM)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
6100 Executive Boulevard
Room 4B09F, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)
Telephone: 301-496-1383
Email: kaua@mail.nih.gov