Notice Number: NOT-MH-07-106
Key Dates
Release Date: February 22, 2007
Issued by
NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research (http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov)
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), (http://www.nccam.nih.gov/)
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), (http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/)
National Eye Institute (NEI), (http://www.nei.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Aging (NIA), (http://www.nia.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), (http://www.nibib.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (http://www.nida.nih.gov/)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), (http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), (http://obssr.od.nih.gov/)
Background
This is a time-sensitive RFI directed toward determining how best to accelerate research in neuronal plasticity. Responses to this RFI should be pertinent to the interests of one or more of the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint Institutes listed above. Comments pertaining to normal and/or abnormal plasticity within the nervous system are encouraged.
Neuroscience research is a unifying theme across many NIH Institutes and Centers. The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research was launched in 2004 with 16 participating Institutes and Centers to provide a framework for coordinating research, and for developing tools and resources which are broadly useful for advancing neuroscience research (http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/). To this end, the NIH is generating a series of focused initiatives designed to catalyze neuroscience research. In fiscal years 2005 and 2006, the Blueprint supported the creation and distribution of resources that are of broad utility to the entire neuroscience community. In fiscal years 2007-2009 the NIH Blueprint plans to address three specific, cross-cutting themes: neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, and neuronal plasticity, respectively.
NIH Blueprint Resources Currently Available to the Neuroscience Community
The goal of the NIH Blueprint is to create research tools, resources and infrastructure that will better serve the neuroscience community. This is accomplished by pooling resources and expertise, and by taking advantage of economies of scale, to confront challenges too large for any single NIH Institute or Center. The NIH Blueprint is presently in its third year and a variety of tools and resources are becoming available to the neuroscience community through its activities. The following websites provide overviews of the NIH Blueprint initiatives already underway, many of which are useful to researchers studying neuronal plasticity:
http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/funded_activities.html
http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/funding.html
http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/future_plans.html
Information Requested
Any aspect of nervous system plasticity is of interest to the NIH Neuroscience Blueprint. The study of neuronal plasticity encompasses many levels of analysis, including genetic, molecular, cellular, integrative, behavioral, computational, and clinical research. The goal of this RFI is to identify the need for new or adapted tools and resources to enhance and facilitate the study of neuronal plasticity. As part of the initial planning process for blueprint activities related to neuronal plasticity, the participating NIH Institutes and Centers request responses to the questions below:
- What are the important but understudied areas in basic and/or clinical research in neuronal plasticity?
- Which areas of neuronal plasticity research are poised for rapid advancement?
- What are the major opportunities for, and impediments to, research in neuronal plasticity?
- What are the 2-3 highest priority tools and resources needed to seize these opportunities and overcome these impediments?
Responses
The NIH Blueprint goal for fiscal year 2009 is to generate novel research tools and resources to rapidly advance the field of neuronal plasticity. The Blueprint represents a unique means to enhance cooperative activities among the fifteen NIH Institutes and Centers that support research on the nervous system. To that end, the Blueprint encourages visionary ideas that will dramatically stimulate the field of neuroscience.
Please send responses to [email protected] no later than April 15, 2007
Inquiries
Specific questions about this Notice may be directed to:
Nancy Pilotte, Ph.D., Chief
Functional Neuroscience Research Branch
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd., Rm 4282, MSC 9555
Bethesda, MD 20892-9555
Tel: 301-435-1317
FAX: 301-594-6043
Email: [email protected]
Chiiko Asanuma, Ph.D.
Signal Transduction Program
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd., Rm. 7183, MSC 9605
Bethesda, MD 20892-9605
Tel: 301-443-5288
FAX: 301-451-5615
Email: [email protected]
and Human Services (HHS)
