Notice Number: NOT-RM-13-006

Key Dates
Release Date: January 4, 2013
Estimated Publication Date of Announcement: February 2013
First Estimated Application Due Date: June 14, 2013
Earliest Estimated Award Date: April 1, 2014
Earliest Estimated Start Date: April 1, 2014

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund)

Purpose

The NIH Common Fund, with the NHGRI, intends to publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for research on Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues of Genomic Research in Africa.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects and to begin necessary registration requirements,http://h3africa.org/registration_process.cfm. 

The NIH Common Fund, in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust, has established the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Network to facilitate a contemporary research approach to the study of the genomic and environmental determinants of common diseases in Africa in order to improve the health of African populations. The specific goals of H3Africa are to enhance the necessary genomic expertise among African scientists, and to establish networks of African investigators by supporting infrastructure development and research projects to address health inequities in both communicable and non-communicable diseases that will eventually lead to health benefits in Africa.  More information about the H3Africa initiative and a white paper with recommendations for the program can be found at www.h3africa.org.

This is a notice of intent to publish a second H3Africa ELSI Research Program Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) in early 2013. Please note that this FOA will have 2 application due dates, June 14, 2013 and March 14, 2014. The overall goals of the new FOA will remain the same as the first H3Africa ELSI FOA but will include important information about registrations and other requirements. Therefore, it will be critical that applicants read the new FOA when it is published and before they submit their applications.

Letters of Intent are encouraged and are due March 7, 2013 for the June 14, 2013 application due date and November 14, 2013 for the March 14, 2014 application due date.

Program Staff will have a teleconference with potential applicants to answer questions about the FOA and submission process at 9:00 am EST on March 18, 2013. Teleconference information will be posted on the H3Africa website (www.h3africa.org). The date and time of the teleconference for the March 14, 2014 due date will be announced in another Notice as well as the H3Africa website.

This FOA will utilize the U01 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into this area of genomics to consider applying for this reissued FOA.

In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in ethics, legal, and social science will be encouraged and these investigators should also consider applying to this FOA.

The purpose of the initiative titled the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa): Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues (ELSI) Research Program, is to encourage applications that identify, examine and address the ethical, legal and societal issues likely to arise from genomic research and technology for individuals, families, communities and societies throughout the African continent. It is anticipated that the H3Africa ELSI Research Program will help to minimize potential harm and maximize capacity of African communities to partake of the expected benefits of improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease that will potentially occur from genomic research in Africa.

It is critical that all parties interested in applying for this FOA start now to obtain the necessary login-information and registrations required for application submission and to identify the persons/office at the submitting institution that will submit the application. Late applications WILL NOT be accepted so applicants should have completed the necessary registrations required to start submitting their electronic grant applications at least one week before the application due date. Refer to the H3Africa Website (www.h3africa.org) for more information.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Ebony Bookman, Ph.D.
Jane Peterson, Ph.D.
H3Africa Program Staff
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institutes of Health
Email: H3Africa@nih.gov