March 8, 2024
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NIAID announces the availability of funds for administrative supplement awards to promote the development of pediatric chemical research models and medical countermeasures (MCM) discovery under the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP). There is currently an unmet need in understanding the natural history, pathophysiology, and treatment of critical illness in infants, children, adolescents, and young adults after exposure to highly toxic DHS-designated Chemicals of Concern (CoCs). The administrative supplement funds are intended to support pilot preclinical projects by CCRP-supported researchers that focus on 1) Basic research to elucidate mechanistic differences in susceptibility to CoCs between pediatric and adult populations and/or 2) Applied research towards the discovery and early development of pediatric-safe MCMs.
The CCRP is a NIAID-administered trans-NIH initiative supporting the discovery and early development of MCMs to treat and/or prevent serious morbidities and mortality during and after uncontrolled release of toxic chemicals and materials resulting in highly consequential, mass casualty harm to public health, i.e., a public health chemical emergency. Depending on the substance and route of exposure, the resulting health effects may range from acute to long-term chronic and affect multiple organ systems.
The civilian chemical threat spectrum includes military chemical weapons, toxic industrial chemicals and materials, pharmaceutical-based agents, and others that have been collectively identified by the United States Government (USG) as CoCs. CoCs are highly toxic and MCMs are urgently needed to advance national medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from, chemical emergencies. MCMs should be easily accessible to first responders and local public health authorities for use in a mass casualty pre-hospital setting or as follow-on treatments in-hospital. MCMs must be safe and effective for the entire population spanning pediatric to adults and the elderly.
In 2010, the National Commission on Children and Disasters Assessment highlighted the lack of disaster readiness for the pediatric population. This is of grave concern considering children are one of the most vulnerable segments of society during disasters and likely to be disproportionately affected by chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive agents due to their small size and other physiological differences, such as higher ratio of lung alveolar surface area to body size, differences in metabolic rate and skin permeability. Since children are not small adults, they may require special equipment and care.
Through this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI), current CCRP awards are eligible to receive supplemental funds to incorporate pediatric relevant chemical MCM research efforts, within the scope of the approved award, that were unforeseen when the new or renewal application or grant progress report for non-competing continuation support was submitted. Examples of relevant research areas include, but are not limited to, development of new pediatric research models and MCM efficacy studies. Applicants must propose research that, if successful, would contribute to a greater understanding of the health, well-being, or medical treatment of the pediatric population during and after a public health emergency involving CoCs.
Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent.
All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-272 must be followed, with the following additions:
Please direct all inquiries to:
Dave Yeung, Ph.D.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: (301) 761-7237
Email: dy70v@nih.gov
Houmam Araj, Ph.D.
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Phone: (301) 451-2020
E-mail: ha50c@nih.gov
Peter Koch, Ph.D.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Phone: (301) 496-0810
E-Mail: peter.koch@nih.gov
Kiran Vemuri, Ph.D.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Phone: (301) 435-4446
Email: kiran.vemuri@nih.gov
Srikanth Nadadur, Ph.D.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Telephone: (984) 287-3296
Email: nadadurs@niehs.nih.gov
Shardell Spriggs, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: (301) 443-8189
Email: shardell.spriggs@nih.gov
Tamia Powell
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: (240) 669-2982
Email:tamia.powell@nih.gov
Karen Robinson Smith
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Telephone: 301-451-2020
Email: kyr@nei.nih.gov
Sheila Simmons
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Phone: (301) 594-9812
E-mail: simmonss@mail.nih.gov
Pamela G. Fleming
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Telephone: 301-480-1159
Email: pfleming@mail.nih.gov
Jenny Greer
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Telephone: 984-287-3332
Email: jenny.greer@nih.gov
Chief Grants Management Officer
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: ChiefGrantsManagementOfficer@ninds.nih.gov