Notice Number: NOT-MH-06-108

Key Dates
Release Date: April 7, 2006

Related Announcements
NOT-MH-15-012

NOT-MH-19-041

Issued by
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), (http://www.nimh.nih.gov)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is interested in advancing whole genome association (WGA) studies to identify susceptibility genes for mental disorders. Because mental disorders are genetically complex and clinically heterogeneous, large and phenotypically well characterized samples will be necessary for such studies.

The NIMH Genetics Initiative has established the Center for Collaborative Genetics Studies (CCGC) (http://nimhgenetics.org) as a national resource, with broad data sharing requirements, for the genetic study of mental disorders. The sample and data repository at the CCGC contains DNA, cell lines, phenotyping data, clinical information and genotyping data for a large number of fully consented individuals with mental disorders as well as controls. The repository samples consist of unrelated cases and controls, sib pairs, and multiplex families. Detailed descriptions of samples, sample sizes, clinical and other phenotypic data, as well as other data can be found at http://nimhgenetics.org/.

The NIMH will consider requests from investigators for annotated samples for use in WGAs (such as the Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN) initiative supported by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health) for the following disorders: Autism, Alzheimer s, bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. The NIMH will consider providing these samples at no cost for use in such studies. GAIN data sharing policies will apply for proposals accepted into GAIN. For all other WGA studies wanting to use samples from the NIMH Genetics Initiative, NIMH data sharing policies will apply. For investigators intending to apply to the GAIN program, NIMH will provide access to the CCGC database and an appropriate letter describing the potential availability of biomaterials, as required for a GAIN application. Actual provision of these resources by NIMH will depend upon acceptance into the GAIN program.

Inquiries

Specific questions about this Notice should be directed to:

Thomas Lehner Ph.D., M.P.H.
Acting Director, Office of Human Genetics & Genomic Resources
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 7190, MSC 9643
Bethesda, MD 20892-9643
Rockville, MD 20852 (for courier/express mail service)
Tel: (301)443-1706
Fax: (301)402-4740
Email: [email protected]