Notice Number: NOT-HD-19-028

Key Dates
Release Date: October 9, 2019

PA-19-056: Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-18-480: NICHD Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Required)

PA-18-481: NICHD Small Grant Program (R03 - Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-18-482: NICHD Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 - Clinical Trial Optional)

Issued by
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Purpose

Iodine is an essential nutrient that must be obtained via the food supply in order to meet established requirements for health. Despite a long and evolving history of understanding with regard to the impact of iodine deficiency, meeting iodine requirements remains a domestic and global challenge. Because of its key role in human development, adequate iodine nutrition of women of reproductive age, during pregnancy, and infancy is a critical public health priority. Despite significant progress in terms of public health programs and interventions, significant gaps remain to be filled in order to fully inform these efforts, particularly with regard to our understanding of the biology, assessment, and outcomes of iodine status in these vulnerable groups.

This Notice will encourage research using a range of disciplines and approaches to address the gaps in our understanding of the biology and functional impact of iodine nutrition, and in particular, mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency in women of reproductive age (including during adolescence, pregnancy, and lactation) as well as in infants and children.

Topics of Interest

This Notice is intended to stimulate research to address critical gaps in our understanding of iodine nutrition, assessment, and status-related outcomes (with an emphasis on mild-to-moderate dietary insufficiency). Topics of interest include, but are not necessarily limited, to:

• Mechanistic and proof-of-concept studies of dose-response relationships and other questions, which could lead to:
  • Enhanced understanding of relevant biological pathways
  • Identification of sensitive and specific biomarkers of iodine status
  • Identification of bio-indicators of relevant functional outcomes
  • Enhanced understanding of iodine nutritional requirements
• Cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort studies identifying iodine status, with participants drawn from the general population and at-risk groups
• Efficacy and effectiveness trials of iodine supplementation
• Resources and tools for research, public health practice, and clinical use, including:
  • Systems biology approaches (including relevant -omics technologies)
  • Laboratory-oriented approaches (including chemical analytic methodology)
  • Biological sample needs and storage challenges (e.g., blood, urine, human milk, etc.)
  • Assessment of dietary iodine exposure
  • Test diets for both basic and clinical study
  • Reference standards and certified reference materials
  • Point-of-care devices for iodine assessment
  • Statistical- and data-oriented materials and methodology (including questionnaires and behavioral and developmental assessment tools)
  • Sampling surveys of foods, dietary supplements, and other materials from retail, wholesale, and other settings

Application and Submission Information

This Notice applies to due dates on or after February 5, 2020 and subsequent receipt dates through September 8, 2022.

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following FOAs or any reissues of these announcements through the expiration date of this Notice.

• PA-19-056: Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• PA-18-480: NICHD Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
• PA-18-481: NICHD Small Grant Program (R03 - Clinical Trial Optional)
• PA-18-482: NICHD Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 - Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and referenced FOAs must be followed, with the following additions:

• For funding consideration, applicants must include "NOT-HD-19-028 " (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B, or non-responsive to the terms of this NOSI will not be considered for this NOSI initiative.
• Applicants planning to submit an application in response to this NOSI are strongly encouraged to contact the NICHD scientific/programmatic contact(s) listed on this NOSI in advance of the application due date.

Applications non-responsive to terms of this NOSI will be not be considered for the NOSI initiative.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the contacts in Section VII of the listed funding opportunity announcements with the following additions/substitutions:

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Daniel J. Raiten, PhD
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-435-7568
Email: [email protected]