HIGH THROUGHPUT ANALYSIS OF GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 

Release Date:  June 14, 1999

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI): NO. NINDS-99-02

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS)

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and 
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) are planning to establish a public 
gene expression database for the mouse nervous system.  As part of this 
initiative, we are seeking sources that are interested in and capable of high 
throughput production of histological data on gene product localization in 
tissue sections of the brain and spinal cord. 

Background

This RFI is issued as one element of the Brain Molecular Anatomy Project 
(BMAP), a multi-institute initiative aimed at promoting the understanding of 
gene function in the nervous system.  BMAP has two components:  (1) gene 
discovery, and (2) gene expression analysis.  The gene discovery component is 
using an expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing approach to catalogue the 
full repertoire of genes that are expressed in the nervous system under both 
normal and abnormal conditions.  This gene discovery component of BMAP was 
initiated last year, with the award of a contract (N01 MH80014) to the 
University of Iowa (M. B. Soares, PI) to support construction of cDNA 
libraries from 11 brain regions of adult mouse.  Over 75,000 3� ESTs will be 
derived from serially subtracted libraries, and used to identify a non-
redundant collection of >20,000 mouse brain cDNAs.

The expression analysis component of BMAP will use high throughput methods to 
analyse gene expression patterns in the nervous system as a function of cell 
type, anatomical location, developmental stage, and physiological state.  The 
first step in this analysis component was the issuance of a Request for 
Applications (NS-99-003) to develop technologies to support gene expression 
analysis in the nervous system.  The next step will be to establish a public 
database of images of gene expression patterns in sections of the mouse brain 
and spinal cord.  

To aid in the design of a possible future solicitation relative to this 
initiative, we ask that interested organizations submit information 
concerning your capabilities to accomplish the following:

1.   Generation of histochemical probes for hundreds to thousands of gene 
products (RNA and/or protein) normally expressed in the murine nervous 
system.  (Note: The 20,000 member mouse brain cDNA collection described 
above will be available for this effort.)
2.  High throughput production of tissue sections of uniform thickness and 
consistent stereotaxic position from the mouse brain and spinal cord.
3.  Histochemical processing of tissue sections to localize RNA and/or 
protein products at high sensitivity, resolution, and throughput volume.
4.  Collection of microscopic, microscanner, or other kinds of optical images 
of gene localization patterns in tissue sections for subsequent transfer 
into an image database.

It is our opinion that the most suitable target audience to respond to this 
initiative would be organizations involved in high throughput generation of 
histological data.  

This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes 
only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the 
part of the Government.  The Government does not intend to award a contract 
on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any 
information submitted or the Government's use of such information.  
Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents 
be notified of the Government's evaluation of the information received.  
However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against 
the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for 
information or the Government's use of such information as either part of our 
evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent 
requirement.  Responses will be held in a confidential manner.  Any 
proprietary information should be so marked.  

All respondents are asked to indicate the type and size of your business 
organization, e.g., Large Business, Small Business, Hubzone Small Business, 
Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Business, 8(a), Historically Black 
College or University/Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), educational 
institution, profit/non-profit hospital, or other nonprofit organization. 

Responses should be identified with NINDS RFI No. 99-02, and are due by July 
6, 1999.  Please submit three (3) copies of your response, not to exceed 5 
pages, to the attention of: Laurie A. Leonard, Contracting Officer, Contracts 
Management Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 
NIH, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3287, MSC 9531, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-
9531.  Facsimile responses will also be accepted as long as they do not 
exceed 5 pages in length.  E-mail responses, sent to [email protected], will also 
be accepted. 

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