Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa): Collaborative Centers (U54)

Notice Number: NOT-RM-16-017

Key Dates
Release Date: May 13, 2016

Estimated Publication Date of Announcement: July 2016
First Estimated Application Due Date: November 2016
Earliest Estimated Award Date: July 1, 2017
Earliest Estimated Start Date: July 1, 2017

Related Announcements

NOT-RM-16-016
NOT-RM-16-014
NOT-RM-16-015
NOT-RM-16-019
NOT-RM-16-018
NOT-RM-16-020

Issued by

Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Purpose

The Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund), with other NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications from foreign institutions in African countries to conduct investigator-initiated H3Africa Collaborative Centers. H3Africa Collaborative Centers should consist of 3-5 collaborating research projects at three or more African institutions working together as a partnership to accomplish more than each project could accomplish on its own. An H3Africa Collaborative Center should employ state of the art genomics approaches to study genetic and environmental contributors to specific health condition(s) or disease(s) relevant to African populations.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects and to complete the required institutional registrations necessary to be able to submit an application to the NIH.

The FOA is expected to be published in Summer 2016 as part of the H3Africa initiative (see h3africa.org) with an expected application due date in Fall 2016.

This FOA will utilize the U54 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages African investigators to begin to consider applying for this new FOA; applicants with expertise and insights into how human genetic variation combined with environmental risk factors affect specific disease outcomes, exposures to specific disease, or affect other specific health-related traits in Africa should particularly consider applying. Collaborative Centers should bring together different areas of expertise, different research approaches, and/or different African contexts that will provide synergy and will enhance our understanding of how human genetic variation combined with environmental risk factors affect specific disease outcomes, influence exposures to specific disease, or affect other specific health-related traits in Africa. Areas of investigation that will be considered include, but are not limited to, genetic/environmental contributors to non-communicable disease in Africa, genetic/environmental contributors to infectious diseases in Africa, the contribution of the human microbiome to health and disease in Africa, inherited diseases in Africa, pharmacogenomics, and bioinformatics.

Investigators involved in H3Africa Research Projects will be expected to participate in H3Africa activities and abide by H3Africa guidelines, policies, and procedures (see h3africa.org).

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Jennifer Troyer, Ph.D.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-312-3276
Email: troyerj@mail.nih.gov