Notice Number: NOT-MH-12-020

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

• April 12, 2013 - See Notice NOT-NS-13-024. Notice of Clarification on Responsive Projects.

Key Dates
Release Date: March 1, 2012

Issued by
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to alert the community of a change in funding strategy to support biobanking for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The NIMH, NICHD and NINDS will no longer fund applications for individual brain collection facilities via research grant (R) or cooperative agreement (U) mechanisms (with the exception of NeuroAIDS banking efforts). NIMH, NICHD and NINDS intend to fund such activities via competitive contract mechanism solicitations and intend to issue a request for proposals in FY2013. Access to high quality brain and related biospecimens serves as a critical research tool for discovery of mechanisms underlying diseases of neurobiological origin, as well as identification of potential therapeutic targets. This change in funding strategy is intended to broaden access to and improve the quality of valuable biospecimens collected with NIH funds.

Currently supported research grants for brain banks will continue to be funded through their current competitive cycle; however, these grants will not be renewed. Rather, investigators are encouraged to compete for subsequent funding via competitive contract mechanisms at the close of their budget periods. The intent of this change in funding stream is to allow for linked facilities via an IT system and database infrastructure into a federated model for integrated brain banking. This federated approach will encourage and foster access, standard practices, quality control methods, and partnership with disease advocacy organizations. Solicitations for contract proposals will be advertised on the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fedbizopps.gov).

Inquiries

Inquiries regarding this Notice may be directed to:

Michelle Freund, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, MSC 9667
Rockville, MD 20892-9667
Telephone: 301-443-1815
Email: [email protected]

Melissa Parisi, Ph.D.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7510
Rockville, MD 20892-7510
Telephone: 301-496-1383
Email: [email protected]

Anna Taylor, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3303, MSC 9631
Rockville, MD 20892-9631
Telephone: 301-496-9248
Email: [email protected]