Full Text PAR-95-012

HIV, AIDS AND RELATED ILLNESSES COLLABORATION AWARD

NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 44, December 16, 1994

PA NUMBER:  PAR-95-012

P.T. 34

Keywords: 
  AIDS 


Fogarty International Center

Receipt Dates:  January 2, May 1, September 1

PURPOSE

The Fogarty International Center (FIC) is expanding its AIDS
International Research and Training Program to provide small
individual research grants for collaboration between U.S. and foreign
scientists in any country, consistent with U.S. foreign policy
considerations.  Support is available for research on human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) and for research related to AIDS.

Up to $20,000 per year for a maximum of three years is available for
U.S. investigators and their foreign collaborators to conduct
research mainly at the foreign site.  U.S. investigators holding
currently active NIH grants for research related to HIV infections,
AIDS, and other related health problems are eligible to apply with
their foreign collaborator for the AIDS Fogarty International
Research Collaboration Award (AIDS-FIRCA).  A similar program of
Fogarty International Research Awards (FIRCA) is available in all
non-AIDS biomedical sciences topics for collaborative projects
involving U.S. scientists and investigators in developing countries:
see Program Announcement number PAR-95-011.

Grants will provide funds to the foreign collaborator, through the
U.S. grantee institution, for supplies at the foreign institution;
for expenses incurred at the U.S. institution to support the
collaboration; and for research-related travel and subsistence
expenses for both the U.S. and foreign investigators.

If the foreign collaborator is in a developing country, applicants
may also request funds for small pieces of equipment necessary to the
AIDS-FIRCA project at the foreign site.  For the purpose of this
program, developing countries are considered to include those in the
following regions:  Africa, Asia (except Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore,
South Korea and Taiwan), Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America
and the non-U.S. Caribbean, the Middle East (except Israel and the
Persian Gulf states), and the Pacific Ocean Islands (except Australia
and New Zealand).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be submitted by U.S. non-profit organizations,
public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible
agencies of the Federal government.  Racial/ethnic minority
individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to
apply as principal investigators.

To be eligible for the AIDS-FIRCA program, the following conditions
must be met:

o  The proposed U.S. Principal Investigator must be the Principal
Investigator (Project Director) of an NIH-sponsored AIDS or
AIDS-related research grant project (R, P, or U01 series) that will
be active and funded during the proposed grant award period (up to
three years).  Under exceptional circumstances, after consultation
with program officials, some research contracts (N01 series) may be
eligible "parent" funding for the AIDS-FIRCA.  On submission of an
application, at least 18 months of active research support must
remain on the listed parent grant.  Investigators may request the
full three years of support in the FIRCA application in cases where
less than three future years remain on the parent grant, presuming
that the renewal application will be submitted and awarded.

o  The foreign collaborator must hold a position at an institution in
a foreign country that will allow him or her adequate time and
provide appropriate facilities to conduct the proposed research.

o  The application must demonstrate that the award will enhance the
scientific contributions of both the U.S. and foreign scientists and
will enhance or expand the contribution of the NIH-sponsored research
project (parent grant).

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

The small grants (R03) will provide up to $20,000 per year in direct
costs for up to three years.  Funds may be used for materials and
supplies necessary to conduct the collaborative research in the
foreign scientist's research laboratory or site, and for costs
related to the AIDS-FIRCA project at the U.S. institution.  Equipment
requests are limited to items for use in the AIDS-FIRCA project at
foreign institutions in developing countries.

Travel and subsistence-related expenses may be requested for the U.S.
Principal Investigator, the foreign collaborator, and/or their
colleagues for visits directly related to the subject of the
collaborative research.  All proposed expenditures must be well
justified and clearly related to the research objectives of the
proposed project.

Applicants should request support to conduct research not already
being supported by the U.S. investigator's parent grant; however, the
research proposal must be an extension of or related to the research
project currently funded by the NIH.  The awards will be made to U.S.
institutions that will be responsible for the expenditures.  The
minimum FIRCA project period will be for one year; the maximum will
be for three years.  Continuation of the FIRCA project depends upon
research progress, availability of funds, and continuation of
appropriate NIH support of the Principal Investigator's AIDS-related
research.

Since the research supported under this award is mainly to occur at
the foreign site, indirect costs will be calculated on the basis of
the off-site rate of the U.S. sponsoring institution.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this AIDS-FIRCA program is to facilitate unique
and highly promising collaborative basic and applied research efforts
between U.S. and foreign scientists that will both expand and enhance
the HIV- and AIDS-related NIH-supported research program of the U.S.
Principal Investigator and benefit the scientific interests of the
collaborating foreign scientist.  All areas of research directly and
indirectly related to HIV infection and AIDS are eligible for
consideration.  Examples of topics include, but are not limited to:

o  Research related to the development of HIV/AIDS vaccines;

o  Research on antiviral and other interventions for HIV/AIDS;

o  Research on HIV and infection by the virus;

o  Research on other retroviruses related to HIV;

o  Studies of maternal/pediatric HIV infections;

o Cofactors involved in HIV infection;

o  Studies on the spread of HIV infection and AIDS into new locales;

o  The natural history of HIV infection;

o  Research on opportunistic infections and other disorders that
result from immunosuppression by the AIDS virus;

o  Studies of emerging/reemerging microbes and diseases linked to
factors known or suspected to relate to the spread of HIV; and

o  Research on the social and behavioral factors that affect HIV risk
and transmission.

Applicants should be aware that applicable provisions for protection
of human research subjects and laboratory animals must be met in both
domestic and foreign settings.  See Title 45 CFR, Part 46, for
information concerning the Department of Health and Human Services
regulations for the protection of human subjects and the PHS Policy
on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.  These are available
from the Office for Protection from Research Risks, National
Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard MSC 7507, Rockville,
MD 20892-7507.  Information on these assurances is included in the
special application instructions available from the FIC program
contact listed under INQUIRIES.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS

It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the
subjects or the purpose of the research.  This new policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies
(Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and
Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which
have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some
provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies.
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should
read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (59 FR 14508-14513) and printed in
the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March
18, 1994.

Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program
staff listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide
additional relevant information concerning the policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

o  Special application instructions are required and are available
from the International Research and Awards Branch, FIC (address
below).

o  The application consists of a portion to be completed by the U.S.
Principal Investigator, and a separate portion to be completed by the
foreign collaborator.  Both portions of this application must be
submitted as a single package, by the U.S. grantee institution.

o  Applications must be submitted by the U.S. Principal Investigator
on standard form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91), which is available from most
U.S. institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Office
of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National
Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD
20892, telephone (301) 710-0267.  Receipt dates for completed
applications are September 1, January 2 and May 1.  If the deadline
falls on a weekend or a holiday, it is automatically extended to the
following workday.  Applications received on these dates will be
reviewed using the mandated AIDS-Expedited Review schedule.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications will be assigned to the Fogarty International Center.
Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by
the AIDS and Related Research Initial Review Group in the Division of
Research Grants (DRG), NIH.  Following scientific-technical review,
the applications will receive a second level review by the Fogarty
International Center Advisory Board.

As part of the initial merit review, a process (triage) may be used
by the initial review group in which applications will be determined
to be competitive or non-competitive based on their scientific merit
relative to other applications received in response to the program
announcement.  Applications judged to be competitive will be
discussed and be assigned a priority score.  Applications determined
to be non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration
and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the
applicant organization will be notified.

Review Criteria

o  likelihood that the proposed research extends or enhances the
ongoing funded research of the U.S. Principal Investigator;

o  ability of the foreign collaborator to undertake and direct the
foreign research efforts;

o  appropriateness of the proposed collaborative effort as a format
for accomplishing the stated aims;

o  appropriateness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to
the proposed research;

o  scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of
proposed research;

o  appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and
methodology proposed to carry out the research;

o  availability of the resources necessary to perform the research;

o  Adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their
subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research.
Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications assigned to the Fogarty International Center.  The
following will be considered in making funding decisions:  quality of
the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of
funds, and program priority.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.  Special application
instructions are necessary to apply for this program.  To obtain
further information write, FAX, or telephone the Fogarty
International Center.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Dr. Mirilee Pearl
International Research and Awards Branch
Fogarty International Center
Building 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD  20892-2220
Telephone:  (301) 496-1653
FAX:  (301) 402-0779
Email:  vnp@cu.nih.gov

For grants management and fiscal matters, contact:

Ms. Susan Bettendorf
Grants Management Specialist
Fogarty International Center
Building 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD  20892-2220
Telephone:  (301) 496-1653
FAX:  (301) 402-0779
Email:  sn5@cu.nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.934.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45
CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental
review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency
review.

The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant
recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use
of all tobacco products.  This is consistent with the PHS mission to
protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American
people.

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