Key Dates

Related Announcements

NOT-HG-23-021- Notice of Participation of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in PA-20-163: Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-20-163 - Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional)

RFA-HG-16-005 - ENCODE Data Coordinating Center (U24)

Issued by

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to inform the extramural community about NHGRI’s interest in maintenance of the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Resource and integration with relevant data resources to improve utility by the broader genomics research community. 

Background

A critical step in moving from genome sequence to understanding the impact of genetic variation on biology, health and disease is the identification of the parts of the genome that contribute to function. To facilitate this understanding, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) supported the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project (www.genome.gov/ENCODE) from 2003 to 2023 to identify sequence-based functional elements in the human genome and to share catalogs of these elements freely with the research community in readily accessible and interpretable formats. The catalogs of candidate elements were intended to complement ongoing efforts to understand the functions resident in the genome and to serve as the basis for hypothesis generation for more focused studies. Efficient and unencumbered access to ENCODE catalogs, data, analyses, methods, and other resources has been provided via the ENCODE Portal. Open access to ENCODE data have led to their use in thousands of papers published by researchers outside of ENCODE, including investigations of the role of the genome in human disease. NHGRI has determined that the ENCODE Portal and resources shared through it will likely remain of significant value to the research community for the next several years, and thus is planning to maintain uninterrupted access to ENCODE resources. 

Applications in response to this NOSI are limited to active grants to consortium data coordinating centers supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Research Objectives

The ENCODE resource continues to be widely used by the biomedical community. However, the ENCODE project has ended. The objectives of this NOSI include: 

• Maintenance of the ENCODE portal including maintaining the user interface, access to data/metadata, and web connections with other relevant resources
• Integration of the ENCODE resource with other relevant functional genomics data resources
• Integration of the ENCODE resource with NHGRI’s AnVIL platform 
• Transition of the resource at the end of the project period to relevant stakeholders

Examples of how funds may be used include: for software licenses, storage, updating ontologies, maintaining a help desk, and fixing software bugs. 

Applicants should have experience with management of genomic resources, and varied data types and analyses (e.g., derived from bulk cell, single-cell, and perturbation experiments). Experience with ENCODE datasets, data, metadata, and portal is highly encouraged.  

Eligibility and Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

• Competing revision supplement applications are limited to currently funded U24 consortium data coordinating centers supported by NHGRI. Requests for no-cost extensions on the parent grant to accommodate a supplement will not be permitted.
• PDs/PIs must hold an active award supported through NHGRI with sufficient time (minimum 1 year) left to complete the study proposed after the supplement has been awarded within the existing project period.
• Application Due Date: All requests, regardless of the parent award funding mechanism, must be received by 5:00 PM local time on May 1, 2023. This NOSI will expire on May 2, 2023.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their application with the scientific/research contact listed below prior to submission to ensure responsiveness and facilitate processing of the application.

Application and Submission Information

Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent.

• PA-20-163 - Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional).
• Requests (application) for support of clinical trials will not be accepted and/or considered in response to this NOSI.
• At least one full year on the parent award must remain at the time of funding. 
• Only one supplement application per award will be accepted for consideration through this NOSI.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-163 must be followed, with the following additions:

Budget

• The budget should not exceed $500,000 in total costs/year.
• Applicants may request a maximum of 3 years of support.
• If an applicant anticipates a balance of 50% or more of the current total costs for the parent grant, please contact the scientific research contact prior to submitting an application.
• Requests must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. 

Page limits – these sections have the following limits:

• Project Summary/Abstract: 30 lines of text
• Project Narrative: 3 sentences
• Research Strategy: 6 pages
• Biographical Sketch: for Senior/Key Personnel and Significant Contributors only

Applicants should begin the supplement application abstract by stating, "This application is being submitted in response to the Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) identified as “NOT-HG-23-023".

Application Due Date: Submissions must be received by May 1, 2023, at 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. This NOSI expires on May 2, 2023.

• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-HG-23-023” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
• Applications must be submitted to PA-20-163 using the application forms package with the Competition ID containing “NOT-HG-23-023".

Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved. 

In addition, competitive revision applications will be evaluated, taking into consideration the following factors: 

• Does the competitive revision supplement reasonably allow for the proposed project to be completed given the time and budget requested?
• Does the proposed project for supplemental funding have the potential to advance the program goals? 
• Do the proposed activities represent a reasonable expansion of scope to the goals of the parent award?
• Can the goals of the competitive revision be accomplished in the proposed time and budget?

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Scientific/Research Contact

Stephanie A. Morris, Ph.D.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-435-5738
Email: [email protected]