SILVIO O. CONTE RESEARCH CENTERS:  MODIFICATIONS TO CURRENT PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS

Release Date:  August 3, 1999

National Institute of Mental Health

This is to cite several important changes to the program announcements for 
Silvio O. Conte Centers for Neuroscience Research (CCNR) (PAR-98-057; 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-98-057.html) and Silvio O. Conte 
Centers for the Neuroscience of Mental Disorders (CCNMD) (PAR-98-058; 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-98-058.html).

The revisions will be effective with the Application Receipt Date of October 
20, 1999.

Modified provisions of these two announcements are as follows:

1. Mechanism of Support:

Direct costs are limited to $1.5 million in any one year; this limit applies 
to new grants, their non-competitive continuations, and any subsequent 
competitive renewals.  (This limit does not apply to previously awarded CCNRs 
or CCNMDs.)  Since the best scientific talent and resources are expected to 
be brought to bear on questions posed in each center, and since these are 
often not available at one institution, projects constituting a given center 
may be based at a variety of institutions.  In an effort to allow for such 
multi-institutional involvement, for the purposes of this program 
announcement, Facility and Administrative costs for such consortial and 
contractual arrangements will not be counted against the $1.5 million limit 
to direct costs (but these costs should be delineated as instructed in form 
PHS 398 [rev. 4/98]).

Competitive supplements will not be considered for these center grants.  It 
is anticipated that individual projects, which are developed as outgrowths of 
a center grant, will seek independent funding through mechanisms such as 
research project grants (R01 mechanism).

2.  Activities Supported:

a.  The section entitled �Essential Scientific Expertise� is no longer 
active, but it is replaced by:

Although it is expected that novel findings and alternative paths of inquiry 
that arise from CCNR/CCNMD-supported research may be pursued with CCNR/CCNMD 
funds, categorical budgets for unspecified �pilot projects� may not be made.

b.  The following section is added:

Sharing Data, Biological Material Resources, and Tools

Public Health Service (PHS) policy requires that investigators make unique 
research resources readily available to qualified individuals within the 
scientific community for research purposes following publication (PHS Grants 
Policy Statement in the July 12, 1996 issue of the NIH Guide to Grants and 
Contracts). CCNRs/CCNMDs marshal the very best researchers and resources for 
investigating neuroscience, and novel data, materials and tools, which can be 
difficult to develop under smaller mechanisms, are often the result. 
Therefore, the NIMH requires applicants to develop detailed plans for the 
dissemination of data and materials generated through the center. (It should 
be noted that the cost of developing such resources for distribution and the 
cost of distributing them may be charged to those requesting them.)  The plan 
will be considered part of the scientific methodology for carrying out the 
research and, as such, the adequacy of the plan will be considered by NIMH 
staff in determining whether the grant should be awarded. The initial review 
group will comment on the proposed plan for sharing and data access. The 
sharing plan as approved, after negotiation with the applicant when 
necessary, will be a condition of the award.

3.  Review Criteria:

The following review criterion will also be used:

o Appropriateness of plans for the sharing of data, research tools, and 
biological materials.

No other aspects of these two program announcements are changed.

INQUIRIES

For information regarding these or other aspects of these two announcements, 
contact:

Michael F. Huerta, Ph.D.
Division of  Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 7196 MSC 9645
Bethesda, MD  20892-9645
Telephone:  (301) 443-3563
FAX:  (301) 443-1731
Email:  [email protected]

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