DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH CONNECTIVITY NONMAMMALIAN MODELS

NIH GUIDE, Volume 22, Number 33, September 17, 1993



PA NUMBER:  PA-93-109



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Disease Model 

  0755043 

  Cell Lines 

  Computer Modeling 



National Center for Research Resources



PURPOSE



The Biological Models and Materials Research Program (BMMRP) of the

National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) is reissuing this

announcement to encourage the submission of applications for the

development of high connectivity nonmammalian models for biomedical

research.



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications may be submitted by foreign and domestic, for-profit and

non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities,

colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State or local

governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government.

Foreign institutions are not eligible for the First Independent

Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) award.  Applications

from minority individuals and women are encouraged.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The support mechanism for this program will be the individual

investigator-initiated research grant (R01) or the FIRST Award (R29),

as applicable.  Under these mechanisms the applicant will plan,

direct, and carry out the research program.  The proposed project

period during which the research will be conducted should adequately

reflect the time required to accomplish the stated goals and be

consistent with the policy for grant support.  Because the nature and

scope of the research proposed in response to this PA may vary, it is

anticipated that the size of an award will vary also.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



The objective of this announcement is to stimulate research on the

development of high connectivity, nonmammalian models for biomedical

research as follows:



o  Organismic, including all poikilotherms, but not homeotherms,

lower organisms (such as fishes, invertebrates, and microorganisms).



o  In vitro systems, such as established cell lines from any species,

or cell or tissue culture from poikilothermic sources.



o  Mathematical or computer models, in particular when closely

coupled to biological experimentation.  There are opportunities for

mathematical modeling in many areas of biomedical research and at all

levels of biological organization.



A high connectivity model is one in which:



o  the body of knowledge about the system is large, and has resulted

in extensive cross information, or connection, with other systems.

Examples of organisms that have many characterized properties

include, but are not limited to, Drosophila melanogaster,

Caenorhabditis elegans, Escherichia coli, Aplysia sp., Xenopus sp.,

Arabidopsis sp., and sea urchins.



o  a function or property is broadly retained across many taxa.

Examples of functions include cytoskeletal structure, cell adhesion,

cytochrome c, hormones, hormone receptors, and genetic regulation.



o  the research involves broad intertaxonomic projects.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS

398 (rev. 9/91) and will be accepted at the standard application

deadlines as indicated in the application kit, i.e., February 1,

June 1, and October 1.  Application kits are available at most

institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from

the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants,

National Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda,

MD 20892, telephone (301) 594- 7248.



Applications for the FIRST Award (R29) must include at least three

sealed letters of reference attached to the face page of the original

application.  FIRST Award (R29) applications submitted without the

required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete

and will be returned without review.



To identify the application as in response to this announcement,

check "YES" in Item 2a on the face page of the application and enter

the PA number and the title, "HIGH CONNECTIVITY NONMAMMALIAN MODELS."

The completed original application and five legible copies must be

sent or delivered to:



Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892**



REVIEW PROCEDURES



Applications will be received by the National Institutes of Health

(NIH), Division of Research Grants (DRG), and referred to an

appropriate Initial Review Group (IRG) for scientific and technical

review.  Institute assignment decisions will be governed by normal

programmatic considerations as specified in the NIH Referral

Guidelines.  Some applications may receive secondary assignments.

Following the initial scientific review, the applications will be

evaluated by the National Advisory Research Resources Council or

another appropriate Institute/Center (IC) council/board.



AWARD CRITERIA



Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved

applications assigned to that IC.  The following will be considered

when making funding decisions:



o  Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review

o  Availability of funds

o  Program balance among research areas of the announcement



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to

clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.



Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:



Louise E. Ramm, Ph.D. or Elaine Young, Ph.D.

Biological Models and Materials Research Program

National Center for Research Resources

Westwood Building, Room 854

5333 Westbard Avenue

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7906



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Ms. Mary V. Niemiec

Office of Grants and Contracts Management

National Center for Research Resources

Westwood Building, Room 849

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7955



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance No. 93.198.  Awards are made under authorization of the

Public Health Service Act, Title III, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as

amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241) and administered under PHS

grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.

This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review

requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency

review.



.

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