From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Dec 01 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 30 November 1996 Date: 2 Dec 1996 15:58:37 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 71 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <57vqfd$rqc@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net This message contains a summary of the documents added to the NSF STIS system for the week ending November 30, 1996. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** NEW DOCUMENTS ON STIS ** Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 97-18--Research in Learning and Intelligent Systems (LIS) File size (bytes): 38488 STIS Filename: nsf9718.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 95-111-Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry(GOALI) File size (bytes): 23416 STIS Filename: nsf95111.txt Title: NSF 95-112-Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry File size (bytes): 16989 STIS Filename: nsf95112.txt Title: NSF 96-119 - CISE Postdoctoral Research Associates in Computational Science and Engineering & Experimental Computer Science File size (bytes): 14406 STIS Filename: nsf96119.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE (updated 8/23/96) ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS We are currently migrating to a completely Web-based information dissemination system. Please visit our Web site at the following URL: http://www.nsf.gov/ The above files refer to the STIS system, which is being replaced. If you are familiar with STIS, you can use the information above to retrieve these files: Documents via E-mail: Send a message to stisserve@nsf.gov Use the "STIS Filename" shown above in the "get" command. For example, to retrieve nsf96119.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get nsf96119.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve nsf96119.txt, you would enter: ftp> get nsf96119.txt If you want a *printed* copy of a document: Send your name and postal mailing address, and the document title and number to "pubs@nsf.gov". If you have problems with the above procedures: Send a message to "stis@nsf.gov". From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - PAR-97-012 - V25(41) 11/29/96 Date: 4 Dec 1996 13:52:05 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 301 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584rq5$h3l@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net SMALL GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE NIDCD NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 PA NUMBER: PAR-97-012 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715050, 0715055, 0775005, 0775017 National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Application Receipt Date: December 20, 1996; April 22, 1997; August 22, 1997 PURPOSE This program announcement (PA) supersedes all previous program announcements of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Small Grant (R03) Program for support of pilot research that is likely to lead to a subsequent individual research project grant (R01) or a First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) award application. The research must be focused on one or more of the areas within the biomedical and behavioral scientific mission of the NIDCD: hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, or language. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, Small Grant Program for the NIDCD, is related to the priority area of clinical prevention services. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-11474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-11473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and 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. Institutions located in foreign countries are not eligible to apply for this program. Current and previous recipients of NIH research grants such as Research Project Grants (R01), FIRST (R29), or NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards (R15) awards are ineligible for this Small Grant Program, as are principal investigators of research subprojects of Research Program Projects (P01) and Centers (P50 and P60). Current and previous recipients of Small Grants (R03), excluding Minority Dissertation Small Grant Awards, are also ineligible. Individuals who have served as principal investigators on other Federally-funded research grants are also ineligible. Before completion of the R03, investigators are encouraged to seek continuing support for a promising program of research through a research project grant (R01) or FIRST (R29) award. However, R01 or R29 support may not be held concurrently with an R03 until the final year of the R03 support. Guidelines addressing scientific and budgetary overlap still apply. Former recipients of Mentored Research Scientists Development Awards (K01), or Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awards (K08) (formerly called Clinical Investigator Development Awards) are eligible for this Small Grant Program; however, an individual may not hold an R03 award concurrently with a K01 or K08 award. Former recipients of Individual (F32) or Institutional (T32) National Research Service Award training support are eligible for this Small Grant Program; however, the Small Grant award cannot be held concurrently with this support. Investigators who have questions about eligibility should contact one of the program officials listed under INQUIRIES. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This PA will use the small grant (R03) mechanism. The small grant funds may not be used to supplement projects currently supported by Federal or non-Federal funds, or to support thesis or dissertation research. Applicants may request up to $35,000 (direct costs) per year through the R03 mechanism. The grant may not exceed three years and is not renewable. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The Small Grant Program is designed to support basic and clinical research of scientists who are in the early stages of pursuing an independent research career. 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 are provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This 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 policy. 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 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted 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 also may provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) and prepared according to the directions in the application packet, with the exceptions noted below. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Grants Information Office, Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov. On the face page of the application: Item 2, Type "Small Grant Program NIDCD" in "Title" box. Check the "YES" box. Sections a-d: Do not exceed a total of five pages for the following sections: Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies/Progress Report, and Research Design and Methods. Tables and figures are included in the five page limitation. For revised applications, an additional introduction not to exceed one-half page is allowed. This introduction should respond to the comments and concerns of the Initial Review Group delineated in the summary statement. Applications that exceed the page limitation or NIH requirements for type size and margins (refer to PHS 398 application for details) will be returned to the investigator. The five page limitation does not include Sections e-i (Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Consortia, Literature Cited, etc.). Appendix materials are not allowed. Use the mailing label in the application kit to mail the original and three copies of the application to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, SUITE 1040 - MSC-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) To ensure that the application is received in sufficient time for the review, send two copies of the application to: Acting Chief, Scientific Review Branch National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Executive Plaza South, Room 400-C 6120 Executive Boulevard MSC 7180 Bethesda, MD 20892-7180 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) The submission, review, and award schedule for the Small Grant Program for FY 97 (these dates likely will differ for FY 98) is: Application Receipt Dates for: Dec 20 Apr 22 Aug 22 NIDCD Committee Review: Feb/Mar Jun/Jul Oct/Nov Council Review: May Oct Jan Earliest Funding: Aug Jan May Only one Small Grant application may be submitted by a principal investigator per receipt date. Applicants may not submit an R01 or R29 application on the same topic concurrently (to be considered at the same National Advisory Council cycle) with the submission of a Small Grant application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS A review committee of the NIDCD will evaluate each Small Grant application in accordance with the usual NIH peer review procedures and criteria, which include: o Scientific, technical, or clinical significance and originality of the proposed research. o Appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and methodology proposed to carry out the research. o Appropriateness of the statistical methods proposed to analyze the results. o Potential of the proposed studies to lead to more extensive research. o Qualifications and research experience of the principal investigator. o Availability of resources necessary to conduct the research, including information beyond what is requested in the submitted budget (such as support for salaries, equipment and supplies). o Appropriateness of the proposed budget, resources, and timetable in relation to the scope of the proposed research. o The adequacy of the proposed means for protecting against or minimizing potential adverse effects upon humans, animals, or the environment. o Adequacy of adherence to guidelines for including gender and minority representation in any study population involving humans. Applications will be subsequently reviewed by the National Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Advisory Council. AWARD CRITERIA The award of grants is contingent on (1) the receipt of applications of high scientific merit; (2) responsiveness to this program announcement, including the eligibility of investigators; (3)relevance to the mission of the NIDCD; and (4) the availability of appropriated funds. INQUIRIES Inquiries are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Hearing Dr. Chyren Hunter Telephone: (301) 402-3461 Email: Chyren_Hunter@NIH.GOV Balance/Vestibular Dr. Daniel Sklare Telephone: (301) 496-1804 Email: Daniel_Sklare@NIH.GOV Taste Dr. Jack Pearl Telephone: (301) 402-3464 Email: Jack_Pearl@NIH.GOV Smell Dr. Rochelle Small Telephone: (301) 402-3464 Email: Rochelle_Small@NIH.GOV Voice/Speech Dr. Beth Ansel Telephone: (301) 402-3461 Email: Beth_Ansel@NIH.GOV Language Dr. Judith Cooper Telephone: (301) 496-5061 Email: Judith_Cooper@NIH.GOV The address and FAX number for the above named persons are: Division of Human Communication National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Executive Plaza South, Room 400-C 6120 Executive Boulevard MSC-7180 Bethesda, MD 20892-7180 FAX: (301) 402-6251 Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Sharon Hunt Grants Management Office National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Executive Plaza South, Room 400-B 6120 Executive Boulevard MSC-7180 Bethesda, MD 20892-7180 Telephone: (301) 402-0909 AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.173. 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 PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA AA-97-001 - V25(41) 11/29/96 Date: 4 Dec 1996 13:50:45 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 558 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584rnl$gua@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA: AA-97-001 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404003, 0730050 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks health services research grant applications that are aimed at developing a knowledge base to improve the delivery of services for alcohol-related problems. Such a knowledge base includes both treatment and preventive interventions. This Request for Applications (RFA) invites research grant applications related to improving the availability, accessibility, delivery, quality, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes of alcohol-related treatment and prevention services. The research objectives include, but are not limited to, five major areas: (1) determining the effects of financing and reimbursement mechanisms on alcohol-related health care program availability, accessibility, delivery, organization, content, quality, and outcomes; (2) assessing sources of variation in access and utilization of treatment services and prevention interventions for alcohol-related problems; (3) identifying and assessing the effectiveness and outcomes of alcohol-related treatment and preventive services; and (4) evaluating the cost, cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, and cost-utility of alcohol-related treatment and prevention services; and (5) identifying organizational and managerial factors that influence the delivery of treatment and prevention services for alcohol-related problems across regions, populations, and settings. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Health Services Research On Alcohol-Related Problems, is related to the priority areas of alcohol abuse reduction and alcoholism treatment. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit, public and private organizations, 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. Foreign institutions are not eligible for First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29). Regular research project grant applications (R01) from foreign institutions are limited to three years. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Research support may be obtained through applications for a regular research project grant (R01) or FIRST (R29) Award. Applications are also encouraged for exploratory/developmental grants (R21), which are limited to up to two years for up to $70,000 per year for direct costs. Applicants may also submit Investigator-Initiated Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPG) under this RFA. Interactive Research Project Grants require the coordinated submission of related regular research project grant applications and, to a limited extent, FIRST Award applications from investigators who wish to collaborate on research, but do not require extensive shared physical resources. Program Project Grant applications (P01) will not be accepted under this RFA. Potential applicants for FIRST (R29) Awards, or exploratory/developmental (R21) grants may obtain copies of the specific announcements from the NIAAA Home Page at HTTP://WWW.NIAAA.NIH.GOV or from the Office of Scientific Affairs, NIAAA, Willco Building, Suite 409, 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003, Bethesda, MD 20892-7003, telephone: 301-443-4375 or FAX 301-443-6077. Further information on grant mechanisms and areas of research interest may be obtained from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. FUNDS AVAILABLE It is estimated that up to $4 million will be available for approximately 16 grant awards under this RFA in FY 1997. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. The NIAAA estimates that the average grant size will be approximately $250,000 in total costs for the first year. Although the financial plans of the NIAAA provide for the support of this program, the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Health services research is defined as "research endeavors that study the impact of the organization, financing and management of health services on the quality, cost, access to and outcomes of care" (PL 101-321, Section 409). Health services research also is concerned with assessing the effectiveness of health services in everyday practice. For the purposes of this RFA, health services research includes: (a) the assessment of the impact of health services and the effects of organizational and financing arrangements in "real world" clinical settings on the quality and outcomes of care provided to patients with alcohol abuse and alcoholism or with medical problems consequent to alcoholism and (b) the assessment of the effectiveness of prevention services as well as their financing, organization, management, implementation, cost, and utilization. As directed by subsequent legislation (P.L. 103-43), for the purposes of this RFA health services research does not include studies of the efficacy of specific preventive, diagnostic, and treatment modalities. Applications whose main objective is to establish and support treatment or prevention service programs are not eligible for funding under this RFA. Support for research-related treatment, rehabilitation, or prevention services and programs may be requested only for those particular costs related to the implementation of the research project and for that period of time required by the research project. These costs must be justified in terms of research objectives, methods, and designs that promise to yield important generalizable knowledge and/or to make a significant contribution to theoretical concepts. Applicants should adopt the most rigorous research designs feasible in conducting their alcohol-related treatment and prevention services research studies (see Lettieri 1992; Sechrest, Persin, and Bunker 1990; Cook and Campbell 1979). As elaborated in the "Review Criteria" section of this RFA, applications will be judged on the basis of the scientific and technical merit of the proposed research as well as on the adequacy and appropriateness of the proposed methodology. Applicants may wish to consult generic publications in health services research as well as alcohol-specific examples of prevention and treatment research. The following list of research topics is for illustrative purposes. Topics not mentioned below that fall within the research objectives of this RFA will also be accepted. The NIAAA is particularly interested in applications that address the effects of managed care on access, utilization, cost, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes of alcohol services. Financing and Reimbursement of Services o Investigating the effects of financing and reimbursement approaches on the quality, cost effectiveness, and supply of alcohol treatment and/or prevention services as well as demand for and barriers to those services. o Assessing how alternative managed care systems affect availability, quality, cost, and outcomes of treatment and prevention services. o Developing uniform ways to measure insurance benefits and payments for treatment and prevention of alcohol-related problems in order to compare performance of alternative health plans. o Identifying the impact of changes in compensation incentives on 1) the behavior of consumers, clinicians, and institutions; 2) treatment appropriateness; 3) treatment outcomes; and 4) the nature and extent of prevention services within the health care system. o Modeling and assessing the impact of health care reform legislation and other policy changes on the organization, management, financing, availability, appropriateness, and cost of alternative alcohol-related health policies and treatment/prevention services. Access and Utilization of Services o Identifying health service factors and individual characteristics influencing access to, or compliance with, treatment or preventive interventions for alcohol-related problems, particularly among underserved, uninsured, and HIV-infected populations. o Assessing how alternative managed care systems affect access and utilization of treatment and prevention services. o Identifying care-seeking behavior of people with alcohol problems, including utilization of informal resources (e.g., self-help groups) and alternative (e.g., acupuncture) health resources as well as general medical and specialty alcohol services. o Developing standardized criteria for identifying episodes of alcohol treatment to apply in longitudinal analyses of utilization data. o Determining whether prevention programs have significant effects on the utilization of treatment services. Effectiveness and Outcomes of Services o Developing and assessing criteria to classify and measure objectives, components, and processes involved in delivering major types of treatment services or prevention interventions for alcohol-related problems; examining linkages between treatment content, quality of care, and functional as well as alcohol-specific outcomes; and examining linkages (e.g., process evaluations) between prevention content, its method of delivery, and alcohol outcomes. o Examining alternative managed care systems to assess the effect of these arrangements on the effectiveness and outcomes of alcohol-related treatment and prevention interventions. o Assessing the effectiveness of brief interventions to treat or prevent problem drinking and its medical and social consequences. Health services treatment research may assess brief interventions in inpatient or outpatient acute and specialty as well as primary care settings. o Assessing adequacy and appropriateness of treatment and prevention services to meet needs and demands of different groups such as women, youth, minorities, rural residents, and the elderly. o Determining the impact of organization, financing, and management on the effectiveness of research-based treatment and prevention interventions when they are delivered to heterogeneous populations in natural rather than experimental settings. o Developing classification or measurement systems for use by clinicians to better assign patients to treatment modalities or to improve outcomes, particularly prevention and management of post-treatment relapse. o Assessing the effects of participation in Alcoholics Anonymous on treatment utilization, outcome, and cost. Cost Analyses of Services o Determining the extent to which costs of treatment or prevention services are offset by subsequent reductions in health care costs. For example, evaluating characteristics of individuals, programs, service systems, and insurance benefits associated with greater cost offsets and cost effectiveness. o Applying cost effectiveness, cost-benefit and cost-utility analyses to alcohol-related health services (including treatment and prevention) from the perspective of consumers or their families as well as from the perspectives of payers, providers, or employers. o Applying cost effectiveness, cost-benefit and cost-utility analyses to alcohol-related health services within managed health care systems. o Effects of managed care on costs of alcohol-related health services. Service System Delivery, Organization, and Management o Examining organization and management of alcohol treatment and prevention services, including social, economic, demographic, geographic, legal or health policy, and other factors that may facilitate or impede effective and efficient linkage and delivery of those services. o Evaluating the effect of different organizational models of managed care on the availability, quality, cost, and outcomes of treatment and prevention services. o Determining the impact of system-level, service integration initiatives on the coordination, comprehensiveness, and continuity of alcohol treatment and prevention services. o Identifying different organizational models needed for delivery of alcohol treatment and prevention services to different subpopulations such as the elderly, youth, women, minorities, rural residents, or HIV-positive individuals. o Developing and testing innovative management approaches to improve productivity and efficiency in implementing treatment and prevention services. Examining organizational, provider, and consumer responses to changes in the following areas: (a) financing and reimbursement policies, (b) structural aspects of managed care systems, insurance coverage characteristics of populations in the service area, (d) number and characteristics of other organizations and providers in the area, and (e) demographic factors such as population density, and/or other factors that may lead to changes in organizational and provider behavior with ultimate consequences for access to and outcomes of treatment and prevention services. Investigating factors that influence how preventive interventions or treatment services reach the appropriate target populations; are distributed to be accessible to those populations; are utilized in an effective manner; are adopted with sufficient commitment from policy makers to make them viable; and are implemented with adequate resources. 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 20, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted 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. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by March 21, 1997, a letter ofc intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name,c address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities ofc other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIAAA staff to estimate the potential review workload and to avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: RFA-AA-97-001 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-4375 FAX: (301) 443-6077 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained >From the Grants Information Office, Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Applications for support mechanisms other than R01 (i.e., an R29) must cite the relevant program announcement on line 2 in addition to listing the current RFA. Applications for FIRST awards (R29) must include at least three sealed letters of reference attached to the face page of the original application. FIRST award (R29) applications submitted without the required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete and will be returned without review. Page limits and limits on size of type are strictly enforced. Non-conforming applications will be returned without being reviewed. Applicants from institutions that have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC), funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources, may wish to identify the Center as a resource for conducting the proposed research. If so, a letter of agreement from either the GCRC program director or principal investigator should be included in the application material. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist and three signed photocopies in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040-MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817-7710 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent to: RFA-AA-97-001 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Rockville, MD 20852-7003 (for express/courier service) Applications must be received by April 24, 1997. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique and must be prepared in the format of a revised application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG and for responsiveness by the NIAAA. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. If the application is not responsive to the RFA, DRG staff may contact the applicant to determine whether to return the application to the applicant or submit it for review in competition with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIAAA in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, a review process may be used by the initial review group in which applications may or may not be discussed based on their scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to the RFA. Applications that are fully discussed will be assigned a priority score. Applications that are not discussed will be withdrawn from further considerations and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. The second level of review will be provided by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Review Criteria Criteria to be used in the scientific and technical merit review of alcohol-related health services research grant applications will include the following: 1. The scientific, technical, health or medical significance, and originality of the proposed research in the context of alcohol-related health services and relevance to the goals of this RFA. 2. The appropriateness and adequacy of the research design and methodology proposed to carry out the research. 3. The adequacy of the qualifications (including level of education and training) and relevant research experience of the principal investigator and key research personnel. 4. The feasibility of implementing the project (including recruitment of subjects, implementation of the intervention or innovation, cooperation of relevant organizations, and/or availability and quality of necessary data). 5. The availability of adequate facilities, general environment for the conduct of the proposed research, other resources, and collaborative arrangements necessary for the research. 6. The appropriateness of budget estimates and duration in relation to the proposed research. 7. 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 these subjects will also be evaluated. The initial review group will also examine the provisions for the protection of human subjects and the safety of the research environment. The review criteria for FIRST Awards (R29) and Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) are contained in their program announcements. AWARD CRITERIA Applications recommended for approval by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will be considered for funding on the basis of the overall scientific and technical merit of the proposal as determined by peer review, NIAAA programmatic needs and balance, and the availability of funds. NIAAA is particularly interested in managed care and alcohol-related health services. Special consideration will be given to applications that focus on the effects of managed care arrangements on access, utilization, cost, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes of alcohol services. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding applications under this RFA to: Robert B. Huebner, Ph.D. Division of Clinical and Prevention Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-0786 FAX: (301) 443-8774 Email: bhuebner@willco.niaaa.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Linda Hilley Grants Management Branch National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-0915 FAX: (3010 443-3891 Email: lhilley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.273. Awards are made under the authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Sections 301 and 464H, and administered under the PHS policies and Federal Regulations at Title 42 CFR Part 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 PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. References Cook, T.D. and Campbell, D.T. Quasi-Experimentation: Design and Analysis Issues for Field Settings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1979. Lettieri, D.J. A Primer of Research Strategies in Alcoholism Treatment Assessment. DHHS Pub. No. (ADM) 92-1882. Rockville, MD: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1992. Sechrest, L.; Persin, E.; and Bunker, J., eds. Research Methodology: Strengthening Causal Interpretations of Nonexperimental Data. DHHS Pub. No. (PHS) 90-3454. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 1990. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH Guide, vol. 25, no. 41, pt. 1of1, 29 November 1996 Date: 4 Dec 1996 13:50:31 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 670 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584rn7$gs0@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net NIH GUIDE - Vol. 25, No. 41 - November 29, 1996 $$INDEX BEGIN ******************************************************* NOTICES $$INDEX N1 ********************************************************** REVISION TO THE PHS GRANTS POLICY STATEMENT AND THE PHS 398 GRANT APPLICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS National Institutes of Health INDEX: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH $$INDEX N2 ********************************************************** NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD (NRSA) STIPEND INCREASE National Institutes of Health Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Health Resources Services Administration INDEX: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH; HEALTH CARE POLICY, RESEARCH; HEALTH RESOURCES $$INDEX N3 ********************************************************** MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF SLEEP AND SLEEP DISORDERS - ADDENDUM RFA HL-96-015 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases INDEX: HEART, LUNG, BLOOD; MENTAL HEALTH; CHILD HEALTH, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; ARTHRITIS, MUSCULOSKELETAL, SKIN DISEASES NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs/RFAs/PAs) $$INDEX R1 04/24/97 ************************************************* HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS (RFA AA-97-001) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism INDEX: ALCOHOL ABUSE, ALCOHOLISM $$INDEX R2 04/24/97 ************************************************* BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL AND AIDS (RFA AA-97-002) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism INDEX: ALCOHOL ABUSE, ALCOHOLISM $$INDEX R3 04/24/97 ************************************************* DEVELOPING ALCOHOL-RELATED HIV PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS (RFA AA-97-003) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism INDEX: ALCOHOL ABUSE, ALCOHOLISM $$INDEX P1 ********************************************************** SMALL GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE NIDCD (PAR-97-012) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders INDEX: DEAFNESS, OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS $$INDEX P2 ********************************************************** INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY STUDENT DEVELOPMENT (PAR-97-013) National Institute of General Medical Sciences INDEX: GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES THE NIH GUIDE IS AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY VIA BITNET OR INTERNET, BY SUBSCRIPTION, AND IS ALSO ON THE NIH GOPHER (GOPHER.NIH.GOV) AND THE NIH WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.NIH.GOV). ALTERNATIVE ACCESS IS THROUGH THE NIH GRANT LINE VIA MODEM (DATA LINE 301/402-2221); CONTACT DR. JOHN JAMES AT 301/435-2801 FOR DETAILS ON THE NIH GRANT LINE. THE PHS STRONGLY ENCOURAGES ALL GRANT AND CONTRACT RECIPIENTS TO PROVIDE A SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE AND PROMOTE THE NON-USE OF ALL TOBACCO PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, PUBLIC LAW 103-227, THE PRO-CHILDREN ACT OF 1994, PROHIBITS SMOKING IN CERTAIN FACILITIES (OR IN SOME CASES, ANY PORTION OF A FACILITY) IN WHICH REGULAR OR ROUTINE EDUCATION, LIBRARY, DAY CARE, HEALTH CARE OR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PHS MISSION TO PROTECT AND ADVANCE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. ALL COMPETING GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH MUST BE SENT TO: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) THE GRANTS INFORMATION OFFICE, DRG, HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE NEW OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL OUTREACH & INFORMATION RESOURCES, OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, NIH. REQUESTS FOR APPLICATION FORMS, PUBLICATIONS, AND OTHER INFORMATION MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE FOLLOWING: OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL OUTREACH & INFORMATION RESOURCES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, MSC 7910 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7910 TELEPHONE: (301) 435-0714 EMAIL: ASKNIH@ODROCKM1.OD.NIH.GOV $$INDEX END ********************************************************* NOTICES $$N1 BEGIN ********************************************************** REVISION TO THE PHS GRANTS POLICY STATEMENT AND THE PHS 398 GRANT APPLICATIONS INSTRUCTIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404000, 0710030, 1014006 National Institutes of Health As a part of ongoing efforts to reduce the administrative costs and burden on applicants and grantees, the NIH has reviewed its policy regarding the receipt date of competing applications (PHS 398). In the past, the NIH required that grant, fellowship, and cooperative agreement applications be received on specific published "receipt dates." A consequence of this policy has been that many applicants felt compelled to submit applications via express shipping or courier service. To simplify and minimize the cost associated with application submission, the NIH is making the following policy change: Unsolicited Applications: Effective January 2, 1997, an application will be considered on time if it is received by or mailed on or before the published receipt date and a proof of mailing is provided. Proof of timely mailing consists of one of the following: a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark; or a dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks are not acceptable. The receipt dates for unsolicited investigator-initiated applications as published in the competing application kit (PHS 398) remain unchanged. It is hoped that this will lead to delivery methods that are timely but more economical in practice. Solicited Applications and Proposals: Solicited applications and proposals continue under the previous policy. Applications must be received by the specified dates. However, an application received after the deadline may be acceptable if it carries a legible proof- of-mailing date assigned by the carrier and the proof-of-mailing is not later than one week prior to the deadline date. These include Request for Applications (RFAs); Program Announcements (PAs) with specified receipt dates, such as Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREAs), Small Business Innovation Research applications (SBIRs), and Small Business Technology Transfer applications (STTRs); and Request for Proposals (RFPs). Noncompeting Applications: This new policy also applies to the noncompeting continuation application (PHS 2590). The receipt submission dates identified in the noncompeting continuation application remain unchanged. Grantees are reminded that noncompeting applications should be received in time for orderly processing of noncompeting awards. This is particularly critical during peak workload times at Institute or Center grants management offices This policy announcement supersedes the PHS Grants Policy Statement (rev. 5/95), section 4-14, and the competing application kit (PHS 398), page 22. INQUIRIES Questions regarding the receipt of competing applications procedures may be directed to: Referral Office Division of Research Grants Telephone: (301) 435-0715 For issues relating to noncompeting applications, Institute or Center grants management offices should be contacted. $$N1 END ************************************************************ $$N2 BEGIN ********************************************************** NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD (NRSA)STIPEND INCREASE NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 P.T. 22, 44; K.W. 0720005, 1014006 National Institutes of Health Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Health Resources Services Administration Effective with all awards made on or after October 1, 1996, the following annual stipend levels apply to all individuals receiving support through institutional or individual National Research Service Awards (NRSA), including the Minority Access to Research Career (MARC) and Career Opportunities in Research (COR) programs. These awards are all made under the authority of Section 487 of the Public Health Service Act. The new stipends are as follows: Career Level Stipend for FY 97 MARC/COR Honors Undergraduates Freshmen/Sophomores $6,276 Juniors/Seniors $8,796 Predoctoral $11,496 Postdoctoral Years of Experience 0 $20,292 1 $21,420 2 $25,600 3 $26,900 4 $28,200 5 $29,500 6 $30,800 7 or more $32,300 THESE STIPEND LEVELS ARE EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR AWARDS MADE WITH FY 1997 FUNDS. Retroactive adjustments or supplementation of stipends with NRSA funds for awards made prior to October 1, 1996 is not permitted. Stipend level adjustments can be made only on the award date of the fellowship or the appointment date of the trainee on awards made with FY 1997 funds. Competing and non-competing awards made during the period between October 1, 1996 and the date of this announcement will be retroactively adjusted by the awarding component. Institutions are permitted to supplement NRSA stipends from non-Federal sources according to their own formally established policies, as described in the PHS Grants Policy Statement. The new stipend levels are to be used in the preparation of future competing and non-competing NRSA institutional training grant and individual fellowship applications. They will be administratively applied to all applications now in the review process. $$N2 END ************************************************************ $$N3 BEGIN ********************************************************** MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF SLEEP AND SLEEP DISORDERS - ADDENDUM NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA: HL-96-015 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715187, 1002008, 1002019 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases This is to inform the scientific community that the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is also a co-sponsor of RFA HL-96-015, which was published in NIH Guide Vol. 25, No. 29, August 30, 1996. FUNDS AVAILABLE It is anticipated that during fiscal year 1997, support will be available for total costs of approximately $2,000,000 from the NHLBI, $800,000 from NIMH, $400,000 from NICHD, and $400,000 from NIAMS for the first year of this initiative. It is anticipated that approximately 12 to 15 grants will be awarded under this program. Award of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent upon receipt of such funds for this purpose and scientific merit. INQUIRIES Inquiries may be directed to: James P. Kiley, Ph.D. National Center on Sleep Disorders Research National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 7024, MSC-7920 Bethesda, MD 20892-7920 Telephone: (301) 435-0199 FAX: (301) 480-3451 Email: Kileyj@nih.gov Susana A. Serrate-Sztein, M.D. Arthritis Branch National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Natcher Building, Room 5AS19J Bethesda, MD 20892-6500 Telephone: (301) 594-5032 FAX: (301) 480-4543 Email: szteins@ep.niams.nih.gov $$N3 END ************************************************************ NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs/RFAs/PAs) $$R1 BEGIN AA-97-001 FULL-TEXT ************************************** HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA AVAILABLE: AA-97-001 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404003, 0730050 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks health services research grant applications that are aimed at developing a knowledge base to improve the delivery of services for alcohol-related problems. Such a knowledge base includes both treatment and preventive interventions. This Request for Applications (RFA) invites research project grants (R01), First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) awards, exploratory/developmental (R21) grants, and Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPG) related to improving the availability, accessibility, delivery, quality, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes of alcohol-related treatment and prevention services. The research objectives include, but are not limited to, five major areas: (1) determining the effects of financing and reimbursement mechanisms on alcohol-related health care program availability, accessibility, delivery, organization, content, quality, and outcomes; (2) assessing sources of variation in access and utilization of treatment services and prevention interventions for alcohol-related problems; (3) identifying and assessing the effectiveness and outcomes of alcohol-related treatment and preventive services; and (4) evaluating the cost, cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, and cost-utility of alcohol-related treatment and prevention services; and (5) identifying organizational and managerial factors that influence the delivery of treatment and prevention services for alcohol-related problems across regions, populations, and settings. It is anticipated that up to $4 million will be available to support approximately 16 grants under this RFA. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Health Services Research on Alcohol-Related Problems, is related to the priority areas of alcohol abuse reduction and alcoholism treatment. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The RFA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Robert B. Huebner, Ph.D. Division of Clinical and Prevention Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-0786 FAX: (301) 443-8774 Email: bhuebner@willco.niaaa.nih.gov $$R1 END ************************************************************ $$R2 BEGIN AA-97-002 FULL-TEXT ************************************** BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL AND AIDS NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA AVAILABLE: AA-97-002 P.T. 44; K.W. 0404003, 0715008 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is seeking applications to support human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related biomedical alcohol research. Investigations into the biologic determinants of HIV disease have begun to yield interventions that can transform HIV disease from a fatal condition to a chronic, manageable disease syndrome. As understanding of the pandemic progresses, and as HIV/AIDS research becomes more focused, it is becoming increasing apparent that cofactors such as alcohol consumption may play an important role in sexual transmission, susceptibility to infection, and progression of HIV disease. Alcohol has been suggested as a cofactor in HIV disease (Crum, et al.; Alcoholism Clin Exp Res 20:364-371, 1996) and recent evidence demonstrated additive effects of alcohol abuse and HIV infection on brain function (Fein, et al.; Biological Psychiatry 37:183-195, 1995). However, there is no conclusive evidence that acute or chronic alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to HIV infection or accelerates AIDS progression. Strain variations of HIV, individual differences in susceptibility, and long incubation time following seroconversion are some of the difficulties in studying disease progression. Whether alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections in HIV+ patients and whether alcohol-induced immunosuppression is associated with stimulation, expansion, and perpetuation of disease are important questions to be answered. The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to solicit applications to study two of the most important questions in alcohol-AIDS research: 1. Does alcohol consumption modulate host susceptibility to HIV infection? 2. Does alcohol consumption accelerate progression of AIDS or predispose to new complications of HIV infection? It is estimated that up to $2.0 million will be available to fund approximately twelve research project grants (R01), First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) awards, exploratory/developmental (R21) grants, and Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPG) under this RFA. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Biomedical Research on Alcohol and AIDS, is related to the priority area of AIDS prevention. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The RFA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Leslie Isaki, Ph.D. Division of Basic Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-4224 FAX: (301) 594-0673 Email: lisaki@willco.niaaa.nih.gov $$R2 END ************************************************************ $$R3 BEGIN AA-97-003 FULL-TEXT ************************************** DEVELOPING ALCOHOL-RELATED HIV PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA AVAILABLE: AA-97-003 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404003, 0715008, 0745027 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks to stimulate the design, development, and testing of alcohol-related HIV preventive interventions that have the potential for reducing the risk of transmission of HIV in alcohol using, abusing, and dependent populations. Alcohol consumption has been identified as an important behavioral cofactor for HIV infection and has been consistently associated with HIV-risk behaviors over time. Alcohol use has been shown to predict time to seroconversion among gay men. Significantly higher rates of HIV infection are found among clinical samples of alcoholics and nonclinical samples of individuals who meet criteria for alcohol dependence than in the general public. In addition, reduction in alcohol use is associated with reduced sexual risk taking. Alcohol-related HIV interventions are currently being tested among gay and bisexual men, Native American youth, and persons in alcoholism treatment. Initial results suggest that a wide range of HIV-risk behaviors can be reduced after intervention and at follow-up, particularly among gay men. This research suggests that substance abuse prevention and treatment programs that include HIV components are more effective in reducing alcohol consumption and risky sexual practice than programs those that do not contain these components. Similarly, it appears that HIV prevention programs that include an alcohol risk reduction component may be more effective in reducing HIV risk behaviors than those that do not. This Request for Applications (RFA) reflects "Findings and Recommendations" suggested by the "NIH AIDS Research Program Evaluation; Behavioral, Social Science, and Prevention Research Area Review Panel." The review panel recommended a substantial increase in support for preventive intervention research in a diverse range of alcohol-related settings, drinking populations, and HIV-risk populations. Investigators are encouraged to move beyond basic behavioral studies to measure the efficacy and effectiveness of substance use risk-reduction interventions in populations at risk for both alcohol problems and HIV infection. The emphasis of this RFA on prevention research in the alcohol/AIDS area continues the previous focus of the NIAAA Prevention Research Branch on primary prevention of HIV and alcohol abuse among alcohol users. In addition, this RFA addresses secondary prevention among HIV infected alcoholics who may be more likely than other HIV infected individuals to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, to use unclean needles, and to have problems adhering to therapeutic treatments for HIV and AIDS. It is estimated that up to $2.0 million will be available to fund approximately ten research project grants (R01), First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) awards, exploratory/developmental (R21) grants, and Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPG) under this RFA. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Developing Alcohol-Related HIV Preventive Interventions, is related to the priority area of AIDS prevention. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The RFA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Kendall Bryant, Ph.D. Division of Clinical and Prevention Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-8820 FAX: (301) 443-8774 Email: kbryant@willco.niaaa.nih.gov $$R3 END ************************************************************ $$P1 BEGIN PAR-97-012 FULL-TEXT ************************************* SMALL GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE NIDCD NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PAR-97-012 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715050, 0715055, 0775005, 0775017 National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Application Receipt Date: December 20, April 22, August 22 PURPOSE This program announcement (PA) supersedes all previous announcements of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Small Grant (R03) Program for support of pilot research that is likely to lead to a subsequent individual research project grant (R01) or a First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) award application. The research must be focused on one or more of the areas within the biomedical and behavioral scientific mission of the NIDCD: hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, or language. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA, Small Grant Program for the NIDCD, is related to the priority area of clinical prevention services. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-11474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-11473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Dr. Beth Ansel Division of Human Communications National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Executive Plaza South, Room 400-C - MSC 7180 Bethesda, MD 20892-7180 Telephone: (301) 402-3461 FAX: (301) 402-6251 Email: Beth_Ansel@NIH.GOV $$P1 END ************************************************************ $$P2 BEGIN PAR-97-013 FULL-TEXT ************************************* INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY STUDENT DEVELOPMENT NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 PA AVAILABLE: PAR-97-013 P.T. 34; K.W. 0710030, 0720005 National Institute of General Medical Sciences Application Receipt Date: February 1 PURPOSE The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) reannounces an initiative directed toward increasing the number of underrepresented minorities entering careers in biomedical research. This initiative seeks to encourage the development and/or expansion of innovative programs to improve the academic and research competitiveness of underrepresented minority students at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels and to facilitate their progress toward careers in biomedical research. Programs developed under this initiative must be specifically designed to target underrepresented minority students majoring in the biomedical sciences or in medical, dental, or veterinary training who are interested in pursuing research careers. The term "science" is used in this program announcement to mean the natural, physical, and behavioral sciences and mathematics relevant to biomedical research. Awards under this program will use the institutional education program (R25) grant. INQUIRIES The PA, which describes the research objectives, application procedures, review considerations, and award criteria for this solicitation, may be obtained electronically through the NIH Grant Line (data line 301/402-2221), the NIH GOPHER (gopher.nih.gov), and the NIH Website (http://www.nih.gov), and by mail and email from the program contact listed below. Ernest D. Marquez, Ph.D. Division of Minority Opportunities in Research National Institute of General Medical Sciences 45 Center Drive, Room 2AS.37 MSC 6200 Bethesda, MD 20892-6200 Telephone: (301) 594-3900 FAX: (301) 480-2753 Email: marqueze@gm1.nigms.nih.gov $$P2 END ************************************************************ From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA AA-97-003 - V25(41) 11/29/96 Date: 4 Dec 1996 13:51:24 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 475 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584ros$h00@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net DEVELOPING ALCOHOL-RELATED HIV PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA: AA-97-003 P.T. 34; K.W. 0404003, 0715008, 0745027 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) seeks to stimulate the design, development, and testing of alcohol-related HIV preventive interventions that have the potential for reducing the risk of transmission of HIV in alcohol using, abusing, and dependent populations. Alcohol consumption has been identified as an important behavioral cofactor for HIV infection and has been consistently associated with HIV-risk behaviors over time. Alcohol use has been shown to predict time to seroconversion among gay men. Significantly higher rates of HIV infection are found among clinical samples of alcoholics and nonclinical samples of individuals who meet criteria for alcohol dependence than in the general public. In addition, reduction in alcohol use is associated with reduced sexual risk taking. Alcohol-related HIV interventions are currently being tested among gay and bisexual men, Native American youth, and persons in alcoholism treatment. Initial results suggest that a wide range of HIV-risk behaviors can be reduced after intervention and at follow-up, particularly among gay men. This research suggests that substance abuse prevention and treatment programs that include HIV components are more effective in reducing alcohol consumption and risky sexual practice than programs those that do not contain these components. Similarly, it appears that HIV prevention programs that include an alcohol risk reduction component may be more effective in reducing HIV risk behaviors than those that do not. This Request for Applications (RFA) reflects "Findings and Recommendations" suggested by the "NIH AIDS Research Program Evaluation; Behavioral, Social Science, and Prevention Research Area Review Panel." The review panel recommended a substantial increase in support for preventive intervention research in a diverse range of alcohol-related settings, drinking populations, and HIV-risk populations. Investigators are encouraged to move beyond basic behavioral studies to measure the efficacy and effectiveness of substance use risk-reduction interventions in populations at risk for both alcohol problems and HIV infection. The emphasis of this RFA on prevention research in the alcohol/AIDS area continues the previous focus of the NIAAA Prevention Research Branch on primary prevention of HIV and alcohol abuse among alcohol users. In addition, this RFA addresses secondary prevention among HIV infected alcoholics who may be more likely than other HIV infected individuals to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, to use unclean needles, and to have problems adhering to therapeutic treatments for HIV and AIDS. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA is related to the priority area of AIDS prevention. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit, public and private organizations, 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. Foreign institutions are not eligible for First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29). Research project grant applications (R01) from foreign institutions are limited to three years. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Research support may be obtained through an application for a regular research project grant (R01) or FIRST (R29) award. Applications are also encouraged for exploratory/developmental Grants (R21), which are limited to two years for up to $70,000 per year for direct costs. Exploratory/Developmental grants are also available for the secondary analysis of existing alcohol abuse prevention research data. Applicants may submit applications for Investigator-Initiated Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPGs). Interactive Research Project Grants require the coordinated submission of related research project grant (R01) and, to a limited extent FIRST Award (R29) applications from investigators who wish to collaborate on research, but do not require extensive shared physical resources. These applications must share a common theme and describe the objectives and scientific importance of the interchange of, for example, ideas, data, and materials among the collaborating investigators. A minimum of two independent investigators with related research objectives may submit concurrent, collaborative, cross-referenced individual R01 and R29 applications. Applicants may be from one or several institutions. Further information on these and other grant mechanisms may be obtained from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Further information on the IRPG mechanism is available in program announcement PA-96-001, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 24, No. 35, October 6, 1995. Potential applicants for FIRST Awards or Exploratory/Developmental Grants may obtain copies of the specific announcements for these programs from the NIAAA Home Page at HTTP://WWW.NIAAA.NIH.GOV or from the Office of Scientific Affairs, NIAAA, Willco Building, Suite 409, 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7003, telephone: 301-443-4375 or FAX 301-443-6077. Further information on these and other grant mechanisms may be obtained from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. FUNDS AVAILABLE It is estimated that up to $2.0 million will be available to fund approximately ten grants under this RFA. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. Although this program is provided for in the financial plan of the NIAAA, the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. The earliest possible award date is September 30, 1997. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Preventive interventions may be initiated and implemented by the investigators themselves for the specific purpose of testing effects of the strategies; or the interventions may occur naturally through the actions of public and private organizations (e.g., reduction in availability and accessibility of alcohol, increased distribution of condoms at bars, health promotion campaigns that highlight linkages between alcohol use and AIDS). Investigator-initiated alcohol-focused interventions may also be nested within the context of naturally occurring HIV interventions, such as vaccine trials, permitting the effects of both types of interventions to be studied simultaneously. These alcohol-focused interventions can be aimed at individuals, social networks, institutions, and specific alcohol settings such as bars and clubs, to change alcohol-related sexual expectancies, behavioral norms, and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Populations at risk for HIV who also abuse or are dependent on alcohol are most in need of study. These special subgroups include gay or bisexual men, alcoholics in treatment, alcohol abusing women and minorities, and adolescents initiating sexual behavior in the context of drinking. Other groups of interest that may be indirectly affected by alcohol use include partners and families of HIV-infected alcoholics. In addition to developing and testing new investigator-initiated interventions or naturally-occurring preventive programs, timely and cost-effective approaches may include: a) developing "augmenting" HIV interventions within the context of clinical or epidemiological studies to address alcohol-related problems (e.g., improving adherence of alcohol abusers to therapeutic regimes involving protease inhibitors). b) supplementing ongoing alcohol-problem intervention studies to include HIV infected or at-risk populations and adapting the intervention to address HIV issues in this subgroup (e.g., including HIV-risk populations in comparisons of brief motivational counseling and cognitive-behavioral interventions.) A wide range of contexts may be appropriate for intervention studies. These include but are not limited to: o Hard-to-reach populations: Alcohol abusers often delay entering medical settings where they could be identified as needing appropriate interventions and are often difficult to retain in controlled clinical trials. Such difficulties in attracting and retaining alcohol-abusing individuals may have particular significance for the testing and evaluation of HIV vaccines and therapeutics. New interventions need to be developed to attract and retain individuals at extremely high-risk for alcohol abuse and HIV infection, and new research designs and analytic strategies need to be developed to adequately evaluate these interventions in settings in which high rates of attrition may occur. Intervention strategies might, for example, include more informal and culturally relevant drop-in clinics, and different analytic procedures, such as case-control or case-based designs, may be necessary to test the effects of these interventions on such variables as HIV exposure, alcohol abuse, and retention in trials. o Health-Care Systems: Increasing attention is being paid to the role of health-care systems and professionals in preventing alcohol-related problems before they occur, in facilitating early detection of alcohol-related high-risk behaviors, and in providing appropriate treatment. Experimental and quasi-experimental designs may be used within health-care settings to test the efficacy of preventive strategies. These strategies may include risk assessment, brief and more extensive advice, case monitoring, and improved linkage to services for alcoholics in treatment or for HIV-infected individuals with alcohol problems. o Application of Basic Behavioral Research to Interventions: A wide range of preintervention studies have addressed the relationship of cognitive and physiological effects of alcohol use on high-risk sexual behavior. These studies have measured the effects of alcohol-related sexual expectancies, physiological disinhibition, decision making while intoxicated, and affect regulation. Interventions need to be developed that take into account these recent findings concerning high-risk behavior under conditions of intoxication. o Media/Communications: Ongoing research is needed to assess the efficacy of media strategies, alone or combined with other strategies, to prevent alcohol-related risky sexual behavior. Applicants are encouraged to develop and test promising media messages, new communications technologies, and special media for cultural subgroups to determine the most effective media/communications approaches for varied target audiences. Of particular interest are communication strategies that reach audiences at highest risk for alcohol abuse and HIV-infection, which include youth, selected ethnic minorities, gay and bisexual men, and male and female partners of HIV-infected individuals. o Family Studies: Research suggests that family involvement, broadly defined, can enhance the effectiveness of school-based and clinic-based alcohol prevention programs among youth at-risk for alcohol problems. Research on homeless and runaway youth indicates a high rate of co-occurring alcohol abuse and unsafe sexual behavior, often resulting in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Research needs to be expanded in this area to develop effective interventions among family members to reduce the risk for HIV infection. o College and School-Based Studies: Interventions are needed in school and college environments to alter drinking practices that contribute to unprotected sex, sexual assaults, and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Late adolescence and the transition >From high-school to college is when many young people are initially freed from parental controls, increase their levels of alcohol consumption, and increase sexual activity. Often high rates of drinking and binge drinking are encountered on college campuses. Studies of alcohol-focused interventions that are currently being carried out in school or college contexts could be usefully expanded to evaluate effects of these interventions on high-risk sexual behavior. 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 20, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted 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. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by March 21, 1997, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number of title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIAAA staff to estimate the potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: RFA-AA-97-003 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Suite 409 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 FAX: (301) 443-6077 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained >From the Grants Information Office, Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Applications for support mechanisms other than R01 (i.e., an R29) must cite the relevant program announcement on line 2 in addition to listing the current RFA. Applications for FIRST awards (R29) must include at least three sealed letters of reference attached to the face page of the original application. FIRST award (R29) applications submitted without the required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete and will be returned without review. Page limits and limits on size of type are strictly enforced. Non-conforming applications will be returned without being reviewed. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist and three signed photocopies in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent to: RFA AA-97-003 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) Failure to forward the above two applications to NIAAA at the above address may delay consideration of an application such that it may not be received in time for FY 1997 funding consideration. Applications must be received by April 24, 1997. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique and must be prepared in the format of a revised application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the DRG and for responsiveness by the NIAAA. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. If the application is not responsive to the RFA, the DRG staff may contact the applicant to determine whether to return the application to the applicant or submit it for review in competition with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the Institute in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, a streamlined review process may be used by the initial review group in which applications may or may not be discussed based on their scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to the RFA. Applications which are fully discussed will be assigned a priority score. Applications which are not discussed will be withdrawn from further considerations and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. The second level of review will be provided by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Review Criteria Criteria to be used in the scientific and technical merit review of the research grant applications will include the following: 1. The scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of the proposed research and its relevance to the goals of this RFA: 2. The appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and methodology, including adequacy of quality control methods, proposed to carry out the research such as adequacy of plans to measure biological markers relevant to AIDS behavioral research e.g., seroconversion. 3. The adequacy of the qualifications (including level of education and training) and relevant research experience of the principal investigator and key research personnel. 4. The availability of adequate facilities, general environment for the conduct of the proposed research, other resources, and collaborative arrangements necessary for the research. 5. The reasonableness of budget estimates and duration for the proposed research. 6. When applicable, 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 these subjects will also be evaluated. When applicable, the initial review group will also examine the provisions for the protection of human and animal subjects and the safety of the research environment. The review criteria for Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) and FIRST Awards (R29) are contained in their program announcements. AWARD CRITERIA Applications recommended for approval by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will be considered for funding on the basis of the overall scientific and technical merit of the application as determined by peer review, NIAAA programmatic needs and balance, and the availability of funds. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Kendall Bryant, Ph.D. Division of Clinical and Prevention Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-8820 FAX: (301) 443-8774 Email: kbryant@willco.niaaa.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Linda Hilley Office of Planning and Resource Management National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-4703 FAX: (301) 443-3891 Email: lhilley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.273. Awards are made under the authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Sections 301 and 464H, and administered under the PHS policies and Federal Regulations at Title 42 CFR Part 52, "Grants for Research Projects;" Title 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92, "Administration of Grants;" and 45 CFR Part 46, "Protections of Human Subjects." This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA AA-97-002 - V25(41) 11/29/96 Date: 4 Dec 1996 13:51:06 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 429 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584roa$gv3@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ON ALCOHOL AND AIDS NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 RFA: AA-97-002 P.T. 44; K.W. 0404003, 0715008 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 21, 1997 Application Receipt Date: April 24, 1997 PURPOSE The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is seeking applications to support human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related biomedical alcohol research. Investigations into the biologic determinants of HIV disease have begun to yield interventions that can transform HIV disease from a fatal condition to a chronic, manageable disease syndrome. As understanding of the pandemic progresses, and as HIV/AIDS research becomes more focused, it is becoming increasing apparent that cofactors such as alcohol consumption may play an important role in sexual transmission, susceptibility to infection, and progression of HIV disease. Alcohol has been suggested as a cofactor in HIV disease (Crum, et al.; Alcoholism Clin Exp Res 20:364-371, 1996) and recent evidence demonstrated additive effects of alcohol abuse and HIV infection on brain function (Fein, et al.; Biological Psychiatry 37:183-195, 1995). However, there is no conclusive evidence that acute or chronic alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to HIV infection or accelerates AIDS progression. Strain variations of HIV, individual differences in susceptibility, and long incubation time following seroconversion are some of the difficulties in studying disease progression. Whether alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to opportunistic infections in HIV+ patients and whether alcohol-induced immunosuppression is associated with stimulation, expansion, and perpetuation of disease are important questions to be answered. The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to solicit applications to study two of the most important questions in alcohol-AIDS research: 1. Does alcohol consumption modulate host susceptibility to HIV infection? 2. Does alcohol consumption accelerate progression of AIDS or predispose to new complications of HIV infection? HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA, Biomedical Research on Alcohol and AIDS, is related to the priority area of AIDS prevention. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No.017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non-profit, public and private organizations, 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. Foreign institutions are not eligible for First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) awards. Research project grant applications (R01) from foreign institutions are limited to three years. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Research support may be obtained through applications for a regular research project grant (R01) or FIRST (R29) award. Applications are also encouraged for exploratory/developmental grants (R21), which are limited to two years for up to $70,000 per year for direct costs. Applicants may also submit applications for Investigator-Initiated Interactive Research Project Grants (IRPGs). Interactive Research Project Grants require the coordinated submission of related research project grant (R01) and, to a limited extent FIRST Award (R29) applications from investigators who wish to collaborate on research, but do not require extensive shared physical resources. These applications must share a common theme and describe the objectives and scientific importance of the interchange of, for example, ideas, data, and materials among the collaborating investigators. A minimum of two independent investigators with related research objectives may submit concurrent, collaborative, cross-referenced individual R01 and R29 applications. Applicants may be from one or several institutions. Further information on the IRPG mechanism is available in program announcement PA-96-001, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 24, No. 35, October 6, 1995. Potential applicants for FIRST Awards and Exploratory/Developmental Grants may obtain copies of the specific announcements for these programs from the NIAAA Home Page at HTTP://WWW.NIAAA.NIH.GOV or from the Office of Scientific Affairs, NIAAA, Willco Building, Suite 409, 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7003, telephone: 301-443-4375 or FAX 301-443-6077. Further information on these and other grant mechanisms may be obtained from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. FUNDS AVAILABLE It is estimated that up to $2.0 million will be available to fund approximately twelve grants under this RFA. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. Although this program is provided for in the financial plan of the NIAAA, the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. The earliest possible award date is September 30, 1997. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Chronic and acute alcohol consumption has been demonstrated to be immunosuppressive, to decrease host defense against infection, and to increase viral replication. Given the frequency of alcohol consumption (to moderate and excessive extents), alcohol drinking has the potential to influence the severity and course of disease. Sophisticated molecular and cellular biology methodologies are revealing the detailed cellular processes responsible for virus growth and escape from host defense systems, and alcohol/AIDS researchers are beginning to define mechanisms of ethanol-induced immune impairments. However, basic questions such as whether alcohol consumption can modulate susceptibility to HIV infection remain unanswered. Although alcoholics have been reported to be at higher risk for HIV infection because of associated intravenous drug use, recent studies on HIV seropositivity rates in alcoholics without a history of intravenous drug use reported significant rates of HIV infection ranging from 4.5 percent (Schleiffer, et al.; Alcohol Clin Exp Res 20:75-80, 1996) to 11.4 percent (Lee, et al.; Am J Addiction 1:85-88, 1992 ). Behavioral studies in adolescents, gay men, and alcoholics in treatment settings indicate a substantial correlation between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behavior which can result in increased frequency of exposure to HIV. However, regardless of the route of primary HIV infection, once infected, whether alcohol consumption can accelerate the clinical course of the disease is a second critical question that remains unanswered. Although progress in alcohol/AIDS research has been significant, many areas require further investigation. Strategies to study the effects of alcohol consumption on modulating host susceptibility to primary HIV infection may include investigations on: o HIV infectivity on host immune function including studies on immune activation, suppression, and differentiation, and alteration of cytokine production by lymphocytes, monocytes/ macrophages, dendritic cells, and neural cells; o HIV factors including studies on early replication events such as attachment, uncoating and reverse transcription; o Host organ systems that may alter HIV infectivity and/or replication characteristics including studies on mucosal integrity, mucosal immunity, inflammation, microflora, and viral uptake; and o Other host factors that may alter HIV infectivity including studies on nutritional consequences, changes in regional immunity, and interactions with underlying disease, e.g., alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic neurologic disease, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Strategies to elucidate the effects of alcohol consumption on acceleration of progression of HIV disease or on predisposition to new complications of HIV infection may include studies on: o HIV-infected cells including studies on upregulation of HIV gene expression and replication in permissive cells, and in activated versus resting CD4+ cells; cytopathogenic effects; cell-to-cell transmission; and differences in HIV phenotype; o Host immune mechanisms directed against HIV including studies on whether ethanol enhances the acquisition of Th2-like state by T cells >From HIV+ patients or enhances the immunodeficient state in animal models of ethanol consumption and AIDS; o Host immunosuppression as a consequence of HIV infection including studies on localized and systemic opportunistic infections; cancer development, progression, and metastasis; and o HIV-specific complications including studies on the neuropathogenesis and pathogenic processes involved in HIV wasting, neuropathy, encephalopathy, and enteropathy; studies that evaluate whether ethanol alters efficacy of AIDS treatment strategies, especially by interfering with drug absorption and altered hepatic drug metabolism; and whether ethanol increases toxicity of AIDS therapeutics. 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 20, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted 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. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by March 21, 1997, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number of title of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIAAA staff to estimate the potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: RFA-AA-97-002 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Suite 409 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 FAX: (301) 443-6077 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained >From the Grants Information Office, Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Applications for support mechanisms other than R01 (i.e., an R29) must cite the relevant program announcement on line 2 in addition to listing the current RFA. Applications for FIRST awards (R29) must include at least three sealed letters of reference attached to the face page of the original application. FIRST award (R29) applications submitted without the required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete and will be returned without review. Page limits and limits on size of type are strictly enforced. Non-conforming applications will be returned without being reviewed. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist and three signed photocopies in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent to: RFA AA-97-002 Office of Scientific Affairs National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Willco Building, Room 409 6000 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) Failure to forward the above two applications to the NIAAA at the above address may delay consideration of an application such that it may not be received in time for FY 1997 funding consideration. Applications must be received by April 24, 1997. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The DRG will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction addressing the previous critique and must be prepared in the format of a revised application. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the DRG and for responsiveness by the NIAAA. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. If the application is not responsive to the RFA, the DRG staff may contact the applicant to determine whether to return the application to the applicant or submit it for review in competition with unsolicited applications at the next review cycle. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the Institute in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, a streamlined review process may be used by the initial review group in which applications may or may not be discussed based on their scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to the RFA. Applications that are fully discussed will be assigned a priority score. Applications that are not discussed will be withdrawn from further considerations and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. The second level of review will be provided by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Review Criteria Criteria to be used in the scientific and technical merit review of the research grant applications will include the following: 1. The scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of the proposed research and its relevance to the goals of this RFA. 2. The appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and methodology, including adequacy of quality control methods, proposed to carry out the research. 3. The adequacy of the qualifications (including level of education and training) and relevant research experience of the principal investigator and key research personnel. 4. The availability of adequate facilities, general environment for the conduct of the proposed research, other resources, and collaborative arrangements necessary for the research. 5. The reasonableness of budget estimates and duration for the proposed research. 6. When applicable, 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 these subjects will also be evaluated. When applicable, the initial review group will also examine the provisions for the protection of human and animal subjects and the safety of the research environment. The review criteria for Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) and FIRST Awards (R29) are contained in their program announcements. AWARD CRITERIA Applications recommended for approval by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will be considered for funding on the basis of the overall scientific and technical merit of the application as determined by peer review, NIAAA programmatic needs and balance, and the availability of funds. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Leslie Isaki, Ph.D. Division of Basic Research National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-4224 FAX: (301) 594-0673 Email: lisaki@willco.niaaa.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Linda Hilley Office of Planning and Resource Management National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 6000 Executive Boulevard MSC 7003 Bethesda, MD 20892-7003 Telephone: (301) 443-4703 FAX: (301) 443-3891 Email: lhilley@willco.niaaa.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.273. Awards are made under the authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Sections 301 and 464H, and administered under the PHS policies and Federal Regulations at Title 42 CFR Part 52, "Grants for Research Projects;" Title 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92, "Administration of Grants;" and 45 CFR Part 46, "Protections of Human Subjects." This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Dec 03 22:00:00 1996 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - PAR-97-013 - V25(41) 11/29/96 Date: 4 Dec 1996 14:33:58 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 411 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <584u8m$mho@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY STUDENT DEVELOPMENT NIH GUIDE, Volume 25, Number 41, November 29, 1996 PA NUMBER: PAR-97-013 P.T. 34; K.W. 0710030, 0720005 National Institute of General Medical Sciences Application Receipt Date: February 1 PURPOSE The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) reannounces an initiative directed toward increasing the number of underrepresented minorities entering careers in biomedical research. This initiative seeks to encourage the development and/or expansion of innovative programs to improve the academic and research competitiveness of underrepresented minority students at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels and to facilitate their progress toward careers in biomedical research. Programs developed under this initiative must be specifically designed to target underrepresented minority students majoring in the biomedical sciences or in medical, dental, or veterinary training who are interested in pursuing research careers. For the purposes of this program announcement, underrepresented minority students are individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group that has been determined by the grantee institution to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research. Nationally, individuals who have been found to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research include, but are not limited to, United States citizens who are African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and Natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands. The term "science" is used in this program announcement to mean the natural, physical, and behavioral sciences and mathematics relevant to biomedical research. ELIGIBILITY Applications may be submitted by domestic private and public, educational institutions. The application may be directed toward the development of underrepresented minority scientists who are in any phase of their career development, from the undergraduate level through the Ph.D. Applications proposing to develop the competitive research skills of recent clinical doctorates are also eligible. An applicant institution may submit only one application for this program announcement. This initiative expands on and replaces the MBRS Associate Investigator (AI) Institution category of support. Currently funded AI institutions are encouraged to apply for the present initiative with a start date to coincide with the end of their current project period. Institutions holding active MBRS regular research (S06) or undergraduate (S14) awards are not eligible. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Awards under this program will use the institutional education project (R25) grant. Responsibility for the planning, direction, execution, and tracking for evaluation of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this program announcement may not exceed four years and is renewable. Requested direct costs are not to exceed $500,000 a year for the four-year period. Indirect costs will be paid at 8% of the direct costs, minus appropriate exclusions. A budget for each year must be provided. Allowable Costs The budget request may include the reasonable costs of administering, coordinating, and evaluating the program. Requests for equipment, supplies, travel, and other expenses for program operation should be carefully and specifically justified. Student remuneration through salary/wages and/or other forms of compensation paid in lieu of wages for participation in research experiences may be requested, provided the following conditions are met: o the student is performing necessary work, o there is an employer-employee relationship between the student and the institution, o the total compensation is reasonable for the work performed, and o it is the institution's practice to provide compensation for all students in similar circumstances, regardless of the source of support for the activity. Tuition remission is allowable for graduate students only and is limited to the current NIH guidelines for graduate student remuneration. It is an expectation of NIGMS that students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program as a result of this program announcement will not be excluded from support from other non-federal sources, if needed, while making satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D degree. The student may make use of Federal educational loan funds and assistance under the Veterans Readjustment Benefits Act (G.I. Bill), or may receive funds from a Pell Grant, based on financial need. Such funds are not considered supplementation or compensation. In summary, allowable costs include, but are not limited to: graduate student tuition remission, supplies, equipment, travel, other expenses, as well as salary/wages and fringe benefits for students and faculty. Unallowable Costs Undergraduate tuition, housing, food, or recruitment expenses of any kind are not allowable costs under this program. Release time solely for faculty mentoring is not allowable. Support for faculty research is not allowable, since faculty mentors in competitive programs are expected to have their own research support and an active research program capable of supporting the research of MBRS students. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background As of 1992, underrepresented minorities constituted only 4.5 percent of the postdoctoral fellows in the life sciences and less than 2.7 percent of the principal investigators of NIH research grants. In addition, the number of underrepresented minority applicants for research grants and training positions is very low. In the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, NIH was encouraged to increase the number of underrepresented minorities participating in biomedical and behavioral research. In response to the Act, this program announcement will establish an opportunity for universities and other eligible institutions that are involved in biomedical research and training to target qualified underrepresented minorities at various stages in their education and move them along the path to competitive research careers. The objective of this program announcement is to significantly increase the number of underrepresented minority students entering competitive careers in biomedical research by promoting the initiation and development of new programs, as well as the expansion and enhancement of existing programs, to motivate and foster the development of underrepresented minority students in biomedical research careers. NIGMS recognizes the heterogeneity in institutional settings and institutional missions. Therefore, the emphasis of this initiative will be on the institution's program, as defined by its own goals and specific measurable objectives, to make a substantial contribution to ameliorating the underrepresentation of minority groups in biomedical research. Some institutions may have the greatest opportunity for impact by motivating undergraduate students. Other institutions may be poised for success in developing graduate students. Still others may wish to motivate and develop the research skills of students in, or recently graduated from, medical schools or other biomedically relevant professional schools. Additional Information Institutional programs must be designed with special attention to the needs and special requirements of underrepresented minority students who are pursuing biomedical research careers. For example, they may include, but are not limited to, the following: o providing research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, medical, or post-clinical doctoral students at the institution (students may receive compensation for these activities); o while routine research support is not allowable, funds may be provided for strengthening the research capabilities of faculty who are uniquely successful in the development of underrepresented minority students or who are critical to the development of an environment supportive of minority students; o research-oriented technical training courses or workshops for students; o activities to improve technical skills of students such as writing; o student travel for presentation of research at scientific meetings; and o mentoring activities. Professional degree-granting institutions need to describe new programs or modifications and/or additions to their existing programs that would encourage and facilitate minority students to enter research careers. Request for support of existing efforts and programs related to the objectives of this announcement must be well justified. APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Grants Information Office, Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/435-0714, email: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov; and from the NIGMS program director listed under INQUIRIES. The title and number of the program announcement must be typed in Section 2 on the face page of the application. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three legible copies of the signed application in one package to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20872-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must also be sent to Dr. Marquez at the address listed under INQUIRIES. Application receipt date is February 1. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Applicants should describe their proposed program in detail. They should explain how the program will meet their institutional goals and specific measurable objectives and how meeting these institutional goals will fulfill the objectives of this program announcement. Applicants should describe: o the criteria to be used in the selection of, and steps taken to ensure the retention of, the student participants for this program; o the criteria for selecting participating faculty; o the methods and facilities available for tracking student participants and their career outcomes; and o the criteria to be used for program evaluation. In this context, the applicant should provide institutional data for the previous five years on underrepresented minority student training or participation in biomedical research. This will serve as a baseline for the specific measurable objectives proposed (See Student Population and Career Tracking section below). Other Training Programs Applicants should describe the type(s) of support available to underrepresented minority students at their institutions. Applications from academic institutions with funding for student development programs such as, but not limited to, National Research Service Award (NRSA) training grants (e.g., NIH pre- and post-doctoral T32 grants or MARC T34 grants), NIH minority supplements, National Science Foundation grants or Howard Hughes Medical Institute grants, should define the relationship between those programs and a program responding to this program announcement. Reporting Requirements An annual progress report will be required. A final report will be required 90 days after the termination date of the award and must include information for each student participant and the benefits derived from the program. Student Population and Career Tracking The nature and extent of underrepresented minority student participation must be thoroughly delineated. The applicant should describe the institution's success in training its students from underrepresented minority groups in the sciences, including information on the number of minority students enrolled and receiving baccalaureate, master's, or Ph.D. degrees and data on the subsequent careers or education of the institutions underrepresented minority graduates. In order to evaluate the success of the program, applicants should describe the systems by which they would monitor and track the student participants in their programs, including the careers students choose after graduation. Applicants should maintain data to be able to demonstrate the benefits of their programs on matriculation, retention and graduation rates. These data should be compared to those of non-minority students and to those of minority students at their institutions from the previous five years. Key Personnel The program director is the individual designated on the application as the principal investigator and is responsible for the overall execution of the program. Unless otherwise stated in the application, the program director will have direct responsibility for all projects/activities (e.g., mentoring activities, individual research or pilot projects, curriculum development), including the Student Population and Career Tracking project. The names and qualifications of the program director, the directors of individual projects within the program (where appropriate), and any other key personnel, shall be listed in the application under Key Personnel and in the Biographical Sketch. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be administratively reviewed by NIH staff. Incomplete and/or unresponsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive will be evaluated by the NIGMS in accordance with the criteria stated below for scientific and technical merit by appropriate peer review groups. The second level of review will be provided by the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council. Review criteria Proposed Education Plans: o the difference the program will make as defined by the stated goals and specific measurable objectives relative to the current status quo (previous five years); o the degree to which the program's plan may be expected to meet the goals of this solicitation, as well as the goals and specific measurable objectives of the applicant institution; o the budget and cost-effectiveness of the program, including its appropriateness to the scope of the program, benefit to the students, number of students involved, and responsible and prudent senior personnel costs; o evidence of a programmatic quality of the projects/activities proposed as distinct from a potential collection of minority supplements to existing research grants; and o the appropriateness of the applicant's plan for the evaluation of the impact of the program, including a system to track the future course of program participants. Institutional Setting and Personnel: o the availability of significant numbers of underrepresented minority students in the participating science department(s) who are interested in developing their research careers in biomedical and health-related fields; o the qualifications and experience of the Principal Investigator, faculty and staff to carry out the proposed program; o evidence of institutional commitment, and strength of the efforts of the institution, to foster the professional development of underrepresented minority faculty; o evidence of institutional commitment, and strength of the efforts of the institution, to foster the training of underrepresented minority students in the biomedical sciences; o the past training record of both program and designated preceptors, as determined by the success of former trainees in establishing independent and productive research careers, which may include non-underrepresented minority students; o the caliber of the proposed preceptors as researchers, including their successful competition for research support. AWARD CRITERIA Award decisions will be based on the technical merit of the applic