NIA Announces Changes in the Eligibility Criteria for use of the NIA Aged Rodent Colony

Notice Number: NOT-AG-09-003

Key Dates
Release Date: March 9, 2009

Issued by
National Institute on Aging (NIA), (http://www.nia.nih.gov )

Purpose

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has traditionally subsidized aging research funded by several NIH Institutes, Federal Agencies and private Foundations, by allowing grantees of those institutes/agencies/foundations access to the NIA aged rodent colonies. While the NIA values this collaborative contribution to the field of aging research, it carries a burden, both in the fiscal contribution and in the management of the colonies. In 2006, increased demands on the NIA aged rodent colonies required the NIA to implement restrictions on the use of the aged rodent colonies for an indefinite period of time. Due to increases in the entry levels into the NIA aged rodent colonies, the colonies have recovered sufficiently to allow a broader use by the aging research community. The revised policy still restricts use of the colonies to projects that are directly related to aging, but opens them to projects funded by a variety of federal and non-profit organizations. It also provides for the use of the colonies by investigators who do not have active funding but are in the process of revising grant applications to the NIH.

The full text of the revised policy for use of the NIA aged rodent colonies is posted on the rodent colony website: http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ScientificResources/AgedRodentColoniesHandbook/EligibilityCriteriaForUseoftheNIAAgedRodentColonies.htm .

All information for ordering from the NIA aged rodent colonies is posted on the web:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ScientificResources/AgedRodentColoniesHandbook/ .

The new policy is effective March 1, 2009 and remains in effect until further notice.

Inquiries

If you have any questions about eligibility to use the NIA aged rodent colonies please contact:

Nancy L. Nadon, Ph.D.
Chief, Biological Resources Branch
Division of Aging Biology
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Ave., GW 2C231
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-402-7744
FAX: 301-402-5997
nadonn@nia.nih.gov