From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Jul 06 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 5 July 1997 Date: 7 Jul 1997 16:28:03 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 128 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5pru23$88r@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 July 5, 1997. Reference material concerning STIS follows the summary. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** NEW DOCUMENTS ON STIS ** Document Type: Grant Conditions Title: Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) III General Terms and Conditions 1 July 1997 File size (bytes): 49787 STIS Filename: fnlfdp5.txt Document Type: International Document Title: INT 97-26 NSF/Tokyo Report: 1997 Summer Institute in Japan File size (bytes): 8230 STIS Filename: int9726.txt Title: INT 97-27 NSF/Tokyo Report: JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUDGET Fiscal Year 1997 File size (bytes): 52440 STIS Filename: int9727.txt Title: INT 97-28 NSF/Tokyo Report: US-Japan Seminar: Pesticides and the Future - Minimizing Chronic Exposure of Humans and the Environment File size (bytes): 8519 STIS Filename: int9728.txt Document Type: Issuance Title: iin120 - Year 2000 Computer Problem File size (bytes): 2962 STIS Filename: iin120.txt Document Type: News Title: BURNING ISSUE WINS $25,000 FOR EIGHTH GRADE GIRLS File size (bytes): 4732 STIS Filename: tip70627.txt Document Type: Press Release Title: NEW "CHILD INDICATORS" REPORT OFFERS DATA TO TRACK CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING File size (bytes): 7461 STIS Filename: pr9748.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 97-129 - Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) File size (bytes): 34700 STIS Filename: nsf97129.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Program Assistant (Office Automation) File size (bytes): 9260 STIS Filename: vgs9770.txt Title: Computer Specialist File size (bytes): 11488 STIS Filename: vgs9771.txt Title: Criminal Investigator File size (bytes): 8788 STIS Filename: vgs9772a.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: Committees Title: NSF Advisory Committee Meetings File size (bytes): 4467 STIS Filename: cmmtg.txt Document Type: Phone Book Title: NSF Alphabetical Telephone Directory File size (bytes): 114303 STIS Filename: phnalpha.txt Also available: phnalpha.dlm Title: NSF Organization Directory File size (bytes): 126788 STIS Filename: phnorg.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 phnorg.txt, the text of your message should be as follows: get phnorg.txt Anonymous FTP: FTP to stis.nsf.gov. Use the "STIS Filename" shown above to retrieve a file. For example, to retrieve phnorg.txt, you would enter: ftp> get phnorg.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 Jul 08 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH Guide, vol. 26, no. 22, pt. 1of1, 27 June 1997 Date: 9 Jul 1997 16:51:11 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 905 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5q185f$fs1@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net NIH GUIDE - Vol. 26, No. 22 - June 27, 1997 $$INDEX BEGIN ******************************************************* NOTICES $$INDEX N1 ********************************************************** NIH GUIDE PUBLICATION DATES $$INDEX N2 ********************************************************** FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT Department of Health and Human Services INDEX: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES $$INDEX N3 NOT-97-010 *********************************************** REVIEW CRITERIA FOR AND RATING OF UNSOLICITED RESEARCH GRANT AND OTHER APPLICATIONS National Institutes of Health INDEX: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH $$INDEX N4 NOT-97-011 *********************************************** NIH POLICY ON SUBMISSION OF REVISED (AMENDED) APPLICATIONS National Institutes of Health INDEX: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH $$INDEX N5 ********************************************************** NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS: INTENT TO MODIFY National Institutes of Health INDEX: National Institutes of Health $$INDEX N6 ********************************************************** CANCER DRUG DISCOVERY: DIVERSITY GENERATION AND SMART ASSAYS - ADDENDUM (RFA CA-97-006) National Cancer Institute INDEX: CANCER $$INDEX N7 ********************************************************** COMMUNITY CLINICAL ONCOLOGY PROGRAM - ADDENDUM (RFA CA-97-015) National Cancer Institute INDEX: CANCER $$INDEX N8 ********************************************************** NIH REGIONAL SEMINAR IN PROGRAM FUNDING AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATION National Institutes of Health INDEX: National Institutes of Health NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs/RFAs/PAs) $$INDEX R1 ********************************************************** SPINAL CORD INJURY SURGICAL AND TROPHIC FACTOR REPAIR AND GAIT ANALYSIS (RFP N01DA-7-9054) National Institute on Drug Abuse INDEX: DRUG ABUSE $$INDEX R2 ********************************************************** NEUROANATOMY AND REGENERATION RELATED TO SPINAL CORD INJURY (RFP N01DA-7-9055) National Institute on Drug Abuse INDEX: DRUG ABUSE $$INDEX R3 ********************************************************** UNITED STATES RENAL DATA SYSTEM (USRDS) (RFP NIH-NIDDK-97-7) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases INDEX: DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, KIDNEY DISEASES $$INDEX R4 ********************************************************** PRECLINICAL EVALUATION OF THERAPIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF CRYPTOCOCCOSIS (RFP NIAID-DAIDS-98-13) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases INDEX: ALLERGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES The NIH GUIDE is available electronically via LISTSERV subscription, and is also on the NIH gopher (gopher.nih.gov) and the NIH website (http://www.nih.gov). Alternative access is through the NIH Grant Line via modem (data line 301/402-2221); contact Dr. John James at 301/435-2801 for details on the NIH Grant Line. All competing grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health must be sent to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710 BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) INQUIRIES ABOUT THE NOTICES, PAs, AND RFAs IN THIS PUBLICATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE NIH STAFF MEMBER IDENTIFIED AT THE END OF EACH ITEM. THE PHS STRONGLY ENCOURAGES ALL GRANT AND CONTRACT RECIPIENTS TO PROVIDE A SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE AND PROMOTE THE NON-USE OF ALL TOBACCO PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, PUBLIC LAW 103-227, THE PRO-CHILDREN ACT OF 1994, PROHIBITS SMOKING IN CERTAIN FACILITIES (OR IN SOME CASES, ANY PORTION OF A FACILITY) IN WHICH REGULAR OR ROUTINE EDUCATION, LIBRARY, DAY CARE, HEALTH CARE OR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PHS MISSION TO PROTECT AND ADVANCE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. $$INDEX END ********************************************************* NOTICES $$N1 BEGIN ********************************************************** THE NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS & CONTRACTS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED ON JULY 4 & JULY 11. THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE NIH GUIDE WILL BE ON JULY 18. $$N1 END ************************************************************ $$N2 BEGIN ********************************************************** FINDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC MISCONDUCT NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 13, April 25, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014004, 1014006 Department of Health and Human Services Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has made a final finding of scientific misconduct in the following case: Fugang Li, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center: Based upon a report from the University of Oklahoma, information obtained by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) during its oversight review, and Dr. Li~s own admission, ORI found that Dr. Li, a former postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, engaged in scientific misconduct by fabricating and falsifying data in conducting and reporting research supported by a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Specifically, Dr. Li fabricated and falsified data in a study involving the characterization of glycoprotein binding to P-selectin on the surface of human leukocytes. The questioned data were included in a manuscript that was withdrawn prior to publication. Dr. Li has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he has voluntarily agreed to exclude himself, for the three (3) year period beginning June 3, 1997, from: (1) any contracting or subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or involvement in, nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and cooperative agreements) of the United States Government as defined in 45 C.F.R. Part 76 (debarment Regulations); and (2) serving in any advisory capacity to the Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a consultant. No scientific publications were required to be corrected as part of this Agreement. INQUIRIES For further information contact: Acting Director, Division of Research Investigations Office of Research Integrity 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700 Rockville, MD 20852 Telephone: (301) 443-5330 $$N2 END ************************************************************ $$N3 BEGIN NOT-97-010 FULL-TEXT ************************************* REVIEW CRITERIA FOR AND RATING OF UNSOLICITED RESEARCH GRANT AND OTHER APPLICATIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014006 National Institutes of Health BACKGROUND As part of the ongoing effort to maintain high standards for peer review at the NIH, the Rating of Grant Applications (RGA) subcommittee of the NIH Committee on Improving Peer Review was charged with examining the process by which scientific review groups rate grant applications and with making recommendations to improve that process in light of scientific knowledge of measurement and decision making. The charge was in response to the perception that the review of grant applications needed to be refocused on the quality of the science and the impact it might have on the field, rather than on details of technique and methodology. After extensive discussion of the RGA~s report by NIH staff, the extramural community, and the Peer Review Oversight Group (PROG), at the May 5, 1997 meeting of PROG the Director of NIH announced procedures to be used for the review of research grant applications. The procedures will be effective for all unsolicited research project grant applications (including those in response to Program Announcements published in the NIH Guide) submitted on or after October 1, 1997, most of which will be reviewed starting in January/February 1998. Reviewers will be instructed to (a) address the five review criteria below and (b) assign a single, global score for each scored application. The score should reflect the overall impact that the project could have on the field based on consideration of the five criteria, with the emphasis on each criterion varying from one application to another, depending on the nature of the application and its relative strengths. The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. (1) Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) Innovation: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or method? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) Investigator: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)? (5) Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? While the review criteria are intended for use primarily with unsolicited research project applications (e.g., R01, R29, P01), to the extent reasonable, they will also form the basis of the review of solicited applications and non-research activities. However, for some activities (e.g., construction grants), use of these criteria as stated may not be feasible. In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all applications will also be reviewed with respect to the following: o The adequacy of plans to include both genders, minorities, and their subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. o The reasonableness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the proposed research o The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project proposed in the application. Requests for Applications (RFAs), which are published in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts, will list the specific criteria for scientific peer review of applications submitted in response to the particular RFA. INQUIRIES Inquiries regarding this notice may be directed to: Dr. Janet Cuca Office of Extramural Programs National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6192 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 435-2691 Email: janet_cuca@nih.gov $$N3 END ************************************************************ $$N4 BEGIN NOT-97-011 FULL-TEXT ************************************* NIH POLICY ON SUBMISSION OF REVISED (AMENDED) APPLICATIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014006 National Institutes of Health Following is a repeat of the essential elements of the policy notice on this subject that appeared in the NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 19, June 14, 1996. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not consider any A3 or higher amendments to an application and, regardless of the number of amendments, the NIH will not accept a revised (amended) application that is submitted later than two years beyond the date of the receipt of the initial, unamended application. This policy applies to all mechanisms, including applications submitted under the NIH~s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Annual application receipt dates for the SBIR program are April 15, August 15, and December 15; the dates for the STTR program are April 1, August 1, and December 1. Information on the SBIR and the STTR programs, including application forms and instructions for completion and submission thereof, is available electronically on the NIH~s ~Small Business Funding Opportunities~ home page at http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm on the World Wide Web. $$N4 END ************************************************************ $$N5 BEGIN ********************************************************** NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS: INTENT TO MODIFY NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014006; 1004017 National Institutes of Health PURPOSE The National Institutes of Health intends to modify the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on October 1, 1997. The format of Request for Applications (RFAs) and Program Announcements (PAs) will not be changed, but the NIH Guide will be available only in HTML format on the Office of Extramural Research (OER) Homepage (http://www.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm). The purpose of this change is to improve the timeliness and accuracy of information dissemination and reduce production costs. BACKGROUND Currently, in addition to paper subscriptions, a delimited, electronic edition of the NIH Guide, which includes RFAs in addition to NA/RFAs, is sent via a LIST to individuals and university offices of sponsored research. The NIH Guide is also available on a public access electronic bulletin board and on the NIH GOPHER, which may be accessed via the OER Homepage (http://www.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm). Through these sources, the NIH Guide, including the full text of RFAs and PAs, is available nationwide within a day of publication. The NIH Gopher service will be discontinued within the next several months and the NIH intends to take advantage of this opportunity to convert Gopher documents to HTML format, that is, web-browser readable format. Furthermore, as part of an overall reengineering of the process whereby the NIH Guide is created and distributed, the NIH will take the next logical step and make it available only via the OER Web Homepage. INTENDED MODIFICATIONS Content of the NIH Guide - The contents of the NIH Guide will not change. Access to the NIH Guide - The current print and LISTSERV subscription lists and the Gopher version will be terminated. The Web edition of the NIH Guide, including the RFAs and PAs, will be available to individuals on the OER Web Homepage (http://www.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm). ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO THE NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS 1. NIHGDE-L is closed as of the publication of this Notice. No new subscriptions will be accepted. New users of the NIH Guide should access it through the OER Web Homepage. 2. NIH Grant Line Bulletin Board. The NIH Grant Line Bulletin Board will be discontinued on October 1, 1997. Until then, it will continue to be available to current users. 3. NIH Gopher. The NIH Gopher contains information about the NIH, including the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and has text searching capability. Until September 30, 1997, the NIH Gopher version of the NIH Guide is available on the OER Homepage (http://www.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm). INQUIRIES For additional information or comment on the intended modifications, direct inquiries to: James O'Donnell, Ph.D. Office of Extramural Programs National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6182 - MSC 7910 Bethesda, MD 20892-7910 Telephone: (301) 435-2768 Email: odonnelj@odrockm1.od.nih.gov Myra Brockett Office of Extramural Programs National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6095 - MSC 7910 Bethesda, MD 20892-7910 Telephone: (301) 435-2801 Email: q2c@cu.nih.gov or mb36t@nih.gov For additional information about the NIH Grant Line Bulletin Board, direct inquiries to: John C. James, Ph.D. Office of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6206 - MSC 7910 Bethesda, MD 20892-7910 Telephone: (301) 435-2801 Email: jqj@odrockm1.od.nih.gov $$N5 END ************************************************************ $$N6 BEGIN ********************************************************** CANCER DRUG DISCOVERY: DIVERSITY GENERATION AND SMART ASSAYS - ADDENDUM NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFA: CA-97-006 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715035, 1003012, 0710080, 0740020, 0755025 National Cancer Institute The following additional information is provided for RFA CA-97-006, "Cancer Drug Discovery: Diversity Generation and Smart Assays," which appeared in the NIH Guide, Vol. 26, No. 15, May 9, 1997: The Letter of Intent Receipt Date has been changed to July 11, 1997. The Application Receipt Date remains at August 22, 1997. The following section on FUNDS AVAILABLE has been changed to clarify the budget limitations on applications. The NCI has set aside $3.75 million total costs (direct plus facilities and administrative costs) for the first year of funding. The number of awards and level of support is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number and diversity of applications with high scientific merit. It is expected that most awards will not exceed $950,000 total costs (direct plus facilities and administrative costs) for year one with no more than a 3% per year increase for future years. Exceptionally meritorious applications may be funded at a higher level provided the budget is adequately justified and considered reasonable by peer review. In all cases, budget requests should be carefully justified and commensurate with the needs of the project. Because the nature and scope of the research proposed in response to the RFA may vary, it is anticipated that the size of the awards may vary. It is anticipated that four to five awards will be made for periods up to five years, with the earliest expected award date being April 1, 1998. Although this program is provided for in the financial plans of the NCI, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. INQUIRIES For further information contact: Mary K. Wolpert, Ph.D. Division of Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis and Centers National Cancer Institute 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 841, MSC 7456 Bethesda, MD 20892-7456 Telephone: (301) 496-8783 FAX: (301) 402-5200 Email: wolpertm@dtpepn.nci.nih.gov $$N6 END ************************************************************ $$N7 BEGIN ********************************************************** COMMUNITY CLINICAL ONCOLOGY PROGRAM - ADDENDUM NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFA: CA-97-015 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715035, 0755015, 0745020, 0745027 National Cancer Institute The following additional information is provided for RFA CA-97-015, "Community Clinical Oncology Program," which appeared in the NIH Guide, Vol 26, Number 18, May 30, 1997: The Letter of Intent Receipt Date has been changed to July 23, 1997. The Application Receipt Date has been changed to September 9, 1997. INQUIRIES For further information on the RFA, including documents cited in the RFA, contact: Jeffrey A. Perlman, M.D., M.Sc. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control National Cancer Institute 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 300-D - MSC 7340 Bethesda, MD 20892-7340 Telephone: (301) 496-8541 Email: PerlmanJ@dcpcepn.nci.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Ms. Crystal Wolfrey Grants Administration Branch National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza South, Room 243 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-7800, ext 282 Email: WolfreyC@gab.nci.nih.gov $$N7 END ************************************************************ $$N8 BEGIN ********************************************************** NIH REGIONAL SEMINAR IN PROGRAM FUNDING AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATION NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34: K.W. 1014006 National Institutes of Health A regional seminar covering topics related to program funding and grants administration at the National Institutes of Health has been scheduled for September 4-5, 1997, in Nashville, Tennessee. This seminar, hosted by Vanderbilt University, is designed to attract participants from the southeast region, although interested individuals from other regions are welcome to participate. Individuals from small and minority colleges, for-profit research organizations, hospitals, universities and medical centers are encouraged to attend. The format of this two-day seminar will be plenary in nature; however, it will provide information of interest to both academic researchers and new and senior research administrators. Discussions of current issues that affect NIH funding and grants administration will be featured to give seminar participants a comprehensive view of NIH-sponsored research. NIH Faculty will include senior staff from a number of different NIH funding institutes and centers. SEMINAR LOGISTICS Seminar Leader: Geoffrey Grant, Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration Seminar Coordinator (NIH): David Mineo, Chief, Grants Management Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 919/541-7628 Seminar Coordinator (Vanderbilt University): Steven Smartt, Director, Division of Sponsored Research 615/322-3825 Seminar Dates: Thursday and Friday, September 4-5, 1997 Location: Loew's Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel 2100 West End Ave Nashville, TN Room reservations should be made directly with the Loew's Vanderbilt Plaza hotel by calling 1-800-336-3335. A block of rooms has been reserved for seminar participants at the Loew's Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel at a rate of $115 per night, single or double occupancy. The conference rate is also available for participants who arrive prior to or depart after the conference dates. Participants should reference the NIH Regional Seminar when you call. Reservations must be made by August 3 in order to receive the negotiated conference room rate. Registration Fee: $135 The registration fee will cover continental breakfast and lunch on Thursday and Friday, a reception on Thursday evening, and all seminar materials. Registration and Inquiries: Steven Smartt at Vanderbilt University is coordinating logistics for the host institution and may be contacted for registration materials. Interested individuals may request registration materials by sending an email message containing your name, title, institution, address, telephone number, and anticipated number of registrants to: smartt@uansv1.vanderbilt.edu (Note: the "uansv1" character string in this address includes a numeral "1" rather than the letter "l"). Requests for registration materials may also be made by fax at 615/322-3825 or by mail to Vanderbilt University, Division of Sponsored Research, ATTN: NIH Seminar, 512 Kirkland Hall, Nashville, TN 37240. FUTURE SEMINARS Beginning in fiscal year 1998, NIH plans to resume offering one or two regional seminars per year in different regions of the country. At this time, the dates and locations of future seminars have not yet been determined, although it is likely that one of the FY 1998 seminars will be offered in the west/northwest. Information on upcoming regional seminars will be published in the NIH Guide and on the NIH homepage as soon as it becomes available. $$N8 END ************************************************************ NOTICES OF AVAILABILITY (RFPs/RFAs/PAs) $$R1 BEGIN N01DA-7-9054 ********************************************* SPINAL CORD INJURY SURGICAL AND TROPHIC FACTOR REPAIR AND GAIT ANALYSIS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFP AVAILABLE: N01DA-7-9054 P.T. 34; K.W. 0705055, 0715027 National Institute on Drug Abuse The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program(IRP) is soliciting proposals from qualified organizations having in-house capability to perform specific experimental procedures that will duplicate published work that has demonstrated spinal cord regeneration is possible. The research will build on work published by Drs. Cheng, Cao and Olson in Science 96. The project will study spinal cord regeneration and trophic factor repair using techniques developed by Drs. Cheng, Cao and Olson. The contractor will be required to carry out experiments using multiple (18) fine peripheral nerve graft bridges across spinal cord lesion, that reroute and regenerate nerve fibers from white matter to grey matter; using precisely defined positioning of the nerve grafts and stabilization of the engrafted area with fibrin-based tissue glue. Research will focus on electrophysiological analysis of the connections across the repaired spinal cord. The studies carried out by this contract will evaluate whether patterns of activity in motor neurons, sensory neurons and interneurons in several spinal cord areas can be normalized by current or improved repair protocols. This research project will also provide detailed gait analysis of the hindlimb function using specialized testing techniques (e.g., the Open Field Walking Score and the Combined Behavior Score) in animals that have had the repair strategies done. The contractor will be required to observe and analyze the gait of rats after spinal cord regeneration. The contractor must have experience and expertise in spinal cord regeneration, complex gait analysis, synapse formation, fibrin-based tissue glue, trophic factor repair, regeneration of white matter and related neurotrophic factors. It is anticipated that one cost reimbursement, completion or fixed price type contract will be awarded for a period of two years. RFP No. N01DA-7-9054 will be available electronically on or about June 23, 1997, and may be accessed through the NIH Gopher and/or the Internet by using the following electronic mail addresses and instruction: 1. NIH Home Page (via the World Wide Web): Access the NIH Home Page by using http://www.nih.gov . Once you are at the NIH Home Page, select ~Grants and Contracts~; select ~NIH Gopher directory: listed under the ~Contracts Page~ section. Once at the NIH R&D Gopher, select ~RFPs Available~; select ~NIDA~; and select ~RFP N01DA-7- 9054". (URL: gopher://gopher.nih.gov:70/11/res/rd-rfp) 2. NIH Gopher: Point your Gopher client to GOPHER.NIH.GOV Port 70 (you should now be in the NIH Gopher). Select ~Grant and Research Information~; select ~R&D Request for Proposals (RFP)~; select ~RFPs Available~; select ~NIDA~; and, select ~RFP N01DA-7-9054". Please note that the RFP for this acquisition will be streamlined to include only the Work Statement, deliverable and reporting requirements, special requirements and mandatory qualifications, Technical Evaluation Criteria, and proposal preparation instructions. All information required for the submission of an offer will be contained in the electronic RFP package. Response to this RFP will be due on or about July 23, 1997. Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. INQUIRIES For further information, contact: Dale S. Weiss National Institute on Drug Abuse 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10-49 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-1301 FAX: (301) 443-7595 Email: dw79f@nih.gov $$R1 END ************************************************************ $$R2 BEGIN N01DA-7-9055 ********************************************* NEUROANATOMY AND REGENERATION RELATED TO SPINAL CORD INJURY NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFP AVAILABLE: N01DA-7-9055 P.T. 34; K.W. 0705055, 0715027, 1002030 National Institute on Drug Abuse The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program(IRP) is soliciting proposals from qualified organizations having in-house capability to study spinal cord neuroanatomy, regeneration, synapse formation, neurotrophic factors, regeneration of white matter, contusion injuries, improvement of functional recovery of high spinal cord lesions and contusion injuries. The research will build on work published by Drs. Cheng, Cao and Olson in Science 96. The project will generate experiments that will demonstrate novel spinal cord repair strategies. The contractor will be required to carry out experiments using multiple (18) fine peripheral nerve graft bridges across spinal cord lesions, that reroute and regenerate nerve fibers from white matter to grey matter; using precisely defined positioning of the nerve grafts and stabilization of the engrafted area with a fibrin-based tissue glue. Research will require access to and use of a high resolution MRI that will allow detailed analysis of structures as small as the rat spinal cord. In addition to generating a further basis for interpretation of the repair strategy, the project will study several new aspects such as whether or not there is an altered conduction across the injured area as well as aspects of specificity and topography of function of regenerated fiber tracts. In addition, chronic spinal cord injury will be studied. The contractor must have experience and expertise in spinal cord regeneration, synapse formation, fibrin-based tissue glue, regeneration of white matter and related neurotrophic factors. It is anticipated that one cost reimbursement, completion or fixed price type contract will be awarded for a period of two years. RFP No. N01DA-7-9055 will be available electronically on or about June 23, 1997, and may be accessed through the NIH Gopher and/or the Internet by using the following electronic mail addresses and instruction: 1. NIH Home Page (via the World Wide Web): Access the NIH Home Page by using http://www.nih.gov . Once you are at the NIH Home Page, select ~Grants and Contracts~; select ~NIH Gopher directory: listed under the ~Contracts Page~ section. Once at the NIH R&D Gopher, select ~RFPs Available~; select ~NIDA~; and select ~RFP N01DA-7- 9055". (URL: gopher://gopher.nih.gov:70/11/res/rd-rfp) 2. NIH Gopher: Point your Gopher client to GOPHER.NIH.GOV Port 70 (you should now be in the NIH Gopher). Select ~Grant and Research Information~; select ~R&D Request for Proposals (RFP)~; select ~RFPs Available~; select ~NIDA~; and, select ~RFP N01DA-7-9055". Please note that the RFP for this acquisition will be streamlined to include only the Work Statement, deliverable and reporting requirements, special requirements and mandatory qualifications, Technical Evaluation Criteria, and proposal preparation instructions. All information required for the submission of an offer will be contained in the electronic RFP package. Response to this RFP will be due on or about July 23, 1997. Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. INQUIRIES For further information, contact: Dale S. Weiss, Contracting Officer National Institute on Drug Abuse 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10-49 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-1301 FAX: (301) 443-7595 Email: dw79f@nih.gov $$R2 END ************************************************************ $$R3 BEGIN NIH-NIDDK-97-7 ******************************************* UNITED STATES RENAL DATA SYSTEM (USRDS) NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFP AVAILABLE: NIH-NIDDK-97-7 P.T. 34; K.W. 0785095, 0755018 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases The National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has a requirement for the continuation of the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). The Request for Proposal NIH-NIDDK-97-7 will be issued on or about July 11, 1997 with a closing date of September 10, 1997. INQUIRIES: Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal which will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. Requests for copies of the RFP may be addressed to: Mr. Robert Coonley Acquisition Management Branch National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Natcher Building - Room 6AN32 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-8837 FAX: (301) 480-4226 No collect calls will be accepted $$R3 END ************************************************************ $$R4 BEGIN NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-98-13 ************************************ PRECLINICAL EVALUATION OF THERAPIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF CRYPTOCOCCOSIS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 RFP AVAILABLE: NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-98-13 P.T. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases The Opportunistic Infections Research Branch, Therapeutics Research Program, Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, has a requirement to develop therapies for the treatment of AIDS and associated opportunistic infections. The purpose of this RFP is to seek responsible offers for establishment of drug screening capability. To this end, this solicitation is to support activities in the microbiological and animal model testing of new candidate drugs. Performance of the Work Statement includes (a) evaluation of therapeutic agents against C. neoformans in a standardized, validated mouse model of acute cryptococcal infection of the central nervous system; (b) evaluation of therapeutic agents against C. neoformans in a standardized, reproducible and validated in vitro test system employing intact organisms; and (c) additional studies such as evaluation of drug combinations, determination of optimal dosages of therapeutic agents, and evaluation of therapeutic agents in prophylaxis protocols. It is anticipated that one cost reimbursement, completion type contract (approximately 2.5 FTEs) will be awarded for a period of four years, beginning approximately July 23, 1998. RFP NIH-NIAID-DAIDS-98-13 will be available electronically on or about July 20, 1997, and may be accessed through either the NIAID Contract Management Branch (CMB) Home Page or the NIH Gopher by using the following electronic addresses and instructions: (1) NIAID/CMB Home Page (via the World Wide Web): Access by using http://www.niaid.nih.gov/contract and select the "RFPs" link. (2) To access the NIH Gopher: Point your Gopher client to GOPHER.NIH.GOV PORT 70 (You should now be in the NIH Gopher). Select "Grants and Research Information", then select "R&D Requests for Proposals (RFP)". Please note that the RFP for this procurement has been revised to include only the Work Statement, deliverable and reporting requirements, the Technical Evaluation Criteria, and the proposal preparation instructions. All information required for the submission of an offer will be contained in the electronic RFP package. Following proposal submission and the initial review process, offerors comprising the competitive range will be requested to provide additional documentation to the Contracting Officer. INQUIRIES Responses to this RFP will be due on November 20, 1997. Any responsible offeror may submit a proposal that will be considered by the Government. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. Joyce U. Sagami Telephone: (301) 496-7118 FAX: (301) 402-0972 Email: js73b@nih.gov No collect calls will be accepted $$R4 END ************************************************************ From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Jul 08 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA NOT-97-010 - V26(22) 06/27/97 Date: 9 Jul 1997 16:51:33 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 117 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5q1865$fsm@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net REVIEW CRITERIA FOR AND RATING OF UNSOLICITED RESEARCH GRANT AND OTHER APPLICATIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014006 National Institutes of Health BACKGROUND As part of the ongoing effort to maintain high standards for peer review at the NIH, the Rating of Grant Applications (RGA) subcommittee of the NIH Committee on Improving Peer Review was charged with examining the process by which scientific review groups rate grant applications and with making recommendations to improve that process in light of scientific knowledge of measurement and decision making. The charge was in response to the perception that the review of grant applications needed to be refocused on the quality of the science and the impact it might have on the field, rather than on details of technique and methodology. After extensive discussion of the RGA~s report by NIH staff, the extramural community, and the Peer Review Oversight Group (PROG), at the May 5, 1997 meeting of PROG the Director of NIH announced procedures to be used for the review of research grant applications. The procedures will be effective for all unsolicited research project grant applications (including those in response to Program Announcements published in the NIH Guide) submitted on or after October 1, 1997, most of which will be reviewed starting in January/February 1998. Reviewers will be instructed to (a) address the five review criteria below and (b) assign a single, global score for each scored application. The score should reflect the overall impact that the project could have on the field based on consideration of the five criteria, with the emphasis on each criterion varying from one application to another, depending on the nature of the application and its relative strengths. The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. (1) Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) Innovation: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or method? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) Investigator: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)? (5) Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? While the review criteria are intended for use primarily with unsolicited research project applications (e.g., R01, R29, P01), to the extent reasonable, they will also form the basis of the review of solicited applications and non-research activities. However, for some activities (e.g., construction grants), use of these criteria as stated may not be feasible. In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all applications will also be reviewed with respect to the following: o The adequacy of plans to include both genders, minorities, and their subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. o The reasonableness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the proposed research o The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project proposed in the application. Requests for Applications (RFAs), which are published in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts, will list the specific criteria for scientific peer review of applications submitted in response to the particular RFA. INQUIRIES Inquiries regarding this notice may be directed to: Dr. Janet Cuca Office of Extramural Programs National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 6192 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 435-2691 Email: janet_cuca@nih.gov From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Jul 08 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA NOT-97-011 - V26(22) 06/27/97 Date: 9 Jul 1997 16:51:57 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 31 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5q186t$ftf@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net NIH POLICY ON SUBMISSION OF REVISED (AMENDED) APPLICATIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 22, June 27, 1997 P.T. 34; K.W. 1014006 National Institutes of Health Following is a repeat of the essential elements of the policy notice on this subject that appeared in the NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 19, June 14, 1996. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not consider any A3 or higher amendments to an application and, regardless of the number of amendments, the NIH will not accept a revised (amended) application that is submitted later than two years beyond the date of the receipt of the initial, unamended application. This policy applies to all mechanisms, including applications submitted under the NIH~s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Annual application receipt dates for the SBIR program are April 15, August 15, and December 15; the dates for the STTR program are April 1, August 1, and December 1. Information on the SBIR and the STTR programs, including application forms and instructions for completion and submission thereof, is available electronically on the NIH~s ~Small Business Funding Opportunities~ home page at http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm on the World Wide Web. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jul 14 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 12 July 1997 Date: 14 Jul 1997 20:57:22 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 65 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5qesf2$r0f@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 July 12, 1997. ******************************************************************* PLEASE NOTE: The STIS system will be discontinued July 18th, 1997. More information follows the summary. ******************************************************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** NEW DOCUMENTS ON STIS ** Document Type: Press Release Title: Radio Telescopes In The New Movie "Contact" Dish Up Real Science File size (bytes): 4524 STIS Filename: pr9749.txt Document Type: Program Guideline Title: NSF 97-128 Announcement of FY 1998 Target Dates for Proposal Submissions File size (bytes): 4996 STIS Filename: nsf97128.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Law Clerk (Audit Advisor) File size (bytes): 6115 STIS Filename: vex9722.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** UPDATES TO EXISTING STIS DOCUMENTS ** Document Type: Phone Book Title: PHNALPHA -- NSF Alphabetical Directory File size (bytes): 114258 STIS Filename: phnalpha.txt Also available: phnalpha.dlm Title: PHNORG -- NSF Organization Directory File size (bytes): 125533 STIS Filename: phnorg.txt Title: PHNORG -- NSF Organization Directory File size (bytes): 125533 STIS Filename: phnorg.txt Document Type: Recruit Title: Law Clerk (Audit Advisor) File size (bytes): 6115 STIS Filename: vex9722.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE (updated 7/8/96) ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The STIS system will be discontinued July 18th, 1997. Please visit our Web site at the following URL: http://www.nsf.gov/ From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jul 14 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: tgonce@mindspring.com Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: Plasma Membrane Date: 15 Jul 1997 15:20:38 -0700 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Lines: 6 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <33cbbfec.1131612@news.mindspring.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Hello.. I am looking for clipart or other pic format of the Singer- Nicolson biomembrane model. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks, tgonce@mindspring.com From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Jul 20 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: Gernot Ernst Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: (no subject) Date: 21 Jul 1997 09:26:05 -0700 Organization: Virchow-Klinikum Lines: 32 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5qn9gn$7it$6@brachio.zrz.TU-Berlin.DE> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net New scientific discussion group: Psychoneuroimmunology is a fast developing interdisciplinary research fie= ld. More and more=20 evidence has been found about relationships between psychoneruoimmunologi= cal modulations abd=20 chronifications processes of pain. To promote scientific exchange and dis= cussion in=20 this field a closed discussion group. Any participant of usenet-groups kn= ows the usual=20 problems: Spams (multiple messages sent simultaneously to several groups)= , different levels of=20 information etc. Our goal is to establish cooperation between different r= esearch groups, to=20 have a common platform of presenting new results, to help new groups and = young researchers, in=20 all to be an informal place with high output.=20 The group is open to any Scientist and/ or Clicnician actively involved i= n one or both of the=20 fields pni or (chronic) pain To subsribe, write an e-mail with short description of your working field= to: ernst@ukrv.de Don=92t be frustrated, when answer don=92t come within hours... From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Jul 20 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: 4jch3@qlink.queensu.ca (Hesketh J Christian) Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: Ion Channel Web Page Date: 21 Jul 1997 09:29:19 -0700 Organization: Queen's University, Kingston Lines: 22 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5qoccq$93i@knot.queensu.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net The Ion Channel Web Page has just undergone a major update. Recent article summaries have been added, a clickable map of the Shaker K+ channel pore is being developed, the reference list has been updated to include more recent articles as well as a search utility. These are just a few of the changes and the page still has links to leading researchers in the ion channel field, a section exploring ion channel toxins, human Kv channel gene sequences as well as several other resources. The URL for this site is: http://qlink.queensu.ca/~4jch3/ Sincerely, --------------------------------------------------------------------------- J. Christian Hesketh Queen's University - Kingston, Canada Phone (613) 531-8048 e-mail: 4jch3@qlink.queensu.ca Web Page (Research in Ion Channels): http://qlink.queensu.ca/~4jch3 -Current research in ion channels with a biophysical perspective From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Sun Jul 20 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: BIOSCI/bionet miniFAQ & Fundraiser Date: 21 Jul 1997 09:29:30 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 234 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <199707200900.CAA06345@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net (LAST REVISION: 30-JUL-95) This BIOSCI "miniFAQ" is designed to answer the questions that come up the *most frequently*. The main BIOSCI FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is accessible on the World Wide Web at URL http://www.bio.net/. If you can not find an answer to your question in this or other documentation, the BIOSCI technical support staff answers e-mail queries sent to biosci-help@net.bio.net We can only answer questions about the use of the newsgroups and mailing lists. We unfortunately do not have the staff to do Internet information searches or answer scientific questions. Please post those to the appropriate BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. Contents: -------- 0) BIOSCI NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!! 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. 0) BIOSCI NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!! ------------------------------ BIOSCI's government funding has been expended, and we are now operating solely from advertising revenue that we have raised from our Web site at http://www.bio.net/. We need just a few minutes of your time to help us serve you. You can do two important things which will take very little time for you individually and will immensely help us continue to help you. First, please use our WWW system at http://www.bio.net/ to access the archives. You can post or reply to messages via your Web browser as described in item #1 below. Your usage helps attract sponsors. If you contact any of our sponsors, please be sure to thank them for supporting BIOSCI. It is critical for them to get this feedback if they are to continue their sponsorship for the long term. Second, if you work for a company or organization that provides products or services of interest to the biology community, please pass this message on to your marketing or marketing communications department or other appropriate group. Please ask them to help support BIOSCI by sponsoring our Web site and explain the uses and benefits of the system to the biology community. If they are interested, they can then contact us for further information at our tech support address, biosci-help@net.bio.net. 1) Using the WWW to access the BIOSCI/bionet newsgroups. -------------------------------------------------------- As of 10 December 1995, all BIOSCI/bionet full newsgroups are accessible through the World Wide Web (WWW) at URL http://www.bio.net. One can read and reply publicly or privately to both recent postings and archived messages through one's Web browser if it is configured properly to send e-mail. Each newsgroup is equipped with its own WAIS index. The main BIOSCI home page also has access to the BIO-JOURNALS Table of Contents database WAIS index and the BIOSCI user address database described in another item further below. 2) What to do about "spams," i.e., junk mail, ads, etc. ------------------------------------------------------- BIOSCI is a set of parallel USENET newsgroups (the "bionet" groups), mailing lists, and a hypermail archive at URL http://www.bio.net/. The same postings are distributed on all media (except for a small number of mailing-list-only groups at net.bio.net). Unfortunately it is becoming a despicable practice on the Internet (by a few people out to make a fast buck) to do automated mass postings to thousands of newsgroups and mailing lists. These attempts to grab free advertising are refered to as "spams" in the usual, somewhat boneheaded, net terminology. USENET is more susceptible to this practice, and many spams originate on the USENET groups and then are passed on to the mailing lists. However, spammers also get lists of mailing addresses and hit these too, so neither medium is immune. What should you do personally if you get junk mail? --------------------------------------------------- Just delete it and move on without reading it further. Filing a protest is becoming increasingly useless because spammers are often disguising the addresses where the messages are sent from. Unless you really understand Internet mail systems, your attempt at protest by sending replies to the message will often end up being sent to the address of an innocent person that the spammer is victimizing. What can BIOSCI/bionet do to protect its newsgroups? ---------------------------------------------------- The only solution currently available is to moderate the newsgroup. If this newsgroup is already moderated, then you are in good shape. Moderation protects the USENET distribution from about 95% of the spams that are being sent to date and protects the mailing lists completely. Moderation means, however, that someone has to take the time to review each message before it goes out. We have set up software here that simply allows the moderator to forward to an address at net.bio.net messages that (s)he wishes to have distributed. This takes no more time than that needed to read the message and pass it on, say about 1 min. per message. Most newsgroups currently have a discussion leader who is responsible for their newsgroup. The discussions leaders and their e-mail addresses are listed in the BIOSCI Information Sheet which is available on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. If a newsgroup is being hit with too many junk postings, please contact the discussion leader for that group and see if there is interest in moderating the group. Please do not assume that by simply posting a complaint to the newsgroup itself, anyone on the BIOSCI staff will act on your complaint. With close to 100 newsgroups to run, the BIOSCI staff has to rely on the discussion leaders of each newsgroup to report problems directly to us at biosci-help@net.bio.net. We will moderate any of our newsgroups if the discussion leader tells us that the readership of the group wishes to do so and if a moderator is willing to do the work. For most BIOSCI/bionet groups, this entails only a few minutes of work each day. Moderating a newsgroup will resolve probably 95% of the junk postings on the USENET distribution. Unfortunately there are easy ways for determined spammers to override the moderation mechanism on USENET, but we can protect our e-mail subscribers from unwanted postings if the newsgroup is moderated. You can also access our newsgroups over the WWW at URL http://www.bio.net. While this Web interface will not stop spammers from trying to post to the groups, this will give you yet another way, besides using USENET news, to keep the junk out of your personal mail files. For those of you with local USENET news systems, the Web interface will also give you faster access to new newsgroups and recent postings. 3) Examples of subscribing and unsubscribing to the mailing lists. ------------------------------------------------------------------ PLEASE NOTE: The BIOSCI management does NOT act on subscription/unsubscription requests that are posted improperly to the newsgroups and mailing lists. People who do this only bother everyone on the lists to no avail. Please be sure to follow the proper procedures below. Gory details are in the BIOSCI Information sheets on the Web at http://www.bio.net. Below we give an example utilizing the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list at both of our two BIOSCI sites: Users in the Americas and Pacific Rim countries who use the BIOSCI ------------------------------------------------------------------ node at computer net.bio.net: ---------------------------- A) Determine the "listname" which is the <=8 character mail address ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ for the group. These can be found in the BIOSCI Info. Sheet. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS group the mailing address is methods@net.bio.net. The listname is the portion of the address to the left of the @ sign, i.e., "methods". The listname is used with the "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" commands illustrated below. B) Mail all commands in the body of a mail message addressed to biosci-server@net.bio.net. Do NOT send commands to the newsgroup posting addresses! Leave the Subject: line blank, any text on it will be ignored. C) In the body of your message put one or more of the following commands with an "end" command on the last line, e.g., subscribe methods unsubscribe methods end Do NOT put your e-mail address or other text on these lines. The server only allows you to cancel your subscription if the address on your mail header matches the address on our mailing list. Please ask for help at biosci-help@net.bio.net if your address has changed, e.g., if you know you are on the list but the server tells you that you are not a member. Users in Europe, Africa, and Central Asia who use the BIOSCI node at -------------------------------------------------------------------- computer daresbury.ac.uk (also known as dl.ac.uk): ------------------------------------------------- To subscribe and unsubscribe to/from the BIOSCI lists, you need to specify the full USENET newsgroup name with "bionet-news." prepended. The USENET newsgroup names are listed in the BIOSCI Information sheet on the Web at http://www.bio.net/. For the METHODS-AND-REAGENTS list the USENET newsgroup name is bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts, thus the appropriate commands are sub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts unsub bionet-news.bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts These commands are included in a message addressed to mxt@dl.ac.uk, NOT to the newsgroup mailing addresses. As usual, include the text in the body of the message as text on the Subject: line is ignored. To unsubscribe from all the lists at the UK node, use unsub bionet-news Please note that if the address in the list is different than the one in your mail message header, you will not be able to unsubscribe by this method. If you have problems, please mail biosci@daresbury.ac.uk. 4) The BIOSCI user address and research interest directory. ----------------------------------------------------------- Please take this opportunity to add your name, address, and research interest information to the BIOSCI User Address Database if you have not already done so. You can fill out the address form directly through our Web page at URL http://www.bio.net/adrform.html. The address database is reindexed nightly for WWW access (the URL is http://www.bio.net/). If you are not directly on the Internet but can reach it by e-mail, please use our waismail server to access the user directory. waismail use is described above. You can also request a user address form by e-mail from biosci-help@net.bio.net. Please check your database entry from time-to-time to see if your address information is still up-to-date. Because of our limited personnel resources, we ask that you resubmit a *complete* form to revise your entry; we only replace complete entries and do not have resources to edit old forms. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Mon Jul 21 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NSF - Summary of new documents on STIS, 19 July 1997 Date: 21 Jul 1997 19:22:39 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 20 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5r15hf$5ed@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 July 19, 1997. ******************************************************************* PLEASE NOTE: The STIS system will be discontinued July 18th, 1997. More information follows the summary. ******************************************************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There were no new documents on STIS this week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE (updated 7/8/96) ** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTS The STIS system will be discontinued July 18th, 1997. Please visit our Web site at the following URL: http://www.nsf.gov/ From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Tue Jul 22 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: "Dr. Frank Schm,itz" Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: PCR-Protocols for the use of degenerate primers Date: 22 Jul 1997 17:54:39 -0700 Organization: Rechenzentrum der Universitaet Kiel, Germany Lines: 7 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <01bc96b0$515581a0$28a55ec2@bibliothek.1med.uni-kiel.de> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net I'd be very delighted if anyone could help me out with newsgroups or links that deal with PCR-cloning by using degenerate primers. Thank you, Fschmitz@1med.uni-kiel.de From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Thu Jul 24 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: jenimimi@aol.com (JeniMimi) Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: biotechnology Date: 25 Jul 1997 15:16:28 -0700 Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Lines: 5 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <19970725090801.FAA27940@ladder02.news.aol.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net I need to find articles or suggestion on a reading list of books/textbooks on biotechnology. Please respond immediately. Many thanks, Cindy From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Wed Jul 30 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: "o.ortolani@dfc.unifi.it"@CESIT1.UNIFI.IT Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: vibrations and ice nucleation during freezing Date: 31 Jul 1997 12:48:03 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 24 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <01ILVRHK4FIA000BL7@CESIT1.UNIFI.IT> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net Relay-Version: ANU News - V6.1B10 04/18/95 OpenVMS VAX; site cesit1.unifi.it Path: cesit1.unifi.it!nntp Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: vibrations and ice nucleation during freezing Message-ID: <33E04303.1F75@dfc.unifi.it> From: Oreste Ortolani Istituto di Anestesiologia - Università di Firenze Date: Thu, 31 Jul 1997 09:47:15 +0200 Nntp-Posting-Host: anest1.dfc.unifi.it X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 9 I am looking for contacts to discuss the possible role of vibrations of any kind and frequencies on nucleation of water during freezing. Are there potential effects of vibrations on the transition to the vitreous state reducing ice crystal formation ? Please let me know opinions, suggest people to contact or articles to read. Thank you, my e-mail is : o.ortolani@dfc.unifi.it From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Thu Jul 31 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - PAR-97-080 - V26(24) 07/25/97 Date: 31 Jul 1997 21:52:39 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 627 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5rrq2n$41i@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net NOVEL HIV THERAPIES: INTEGRATED PRECLINICAL/CLINICAL PROGRAM NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 24, July 25, 1997 PA NUMBER: PAR-97-080 P.T. 34; K.W. 0715008, 0740012 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Mental Health Application Receipt Date: November 12 PURPOSE The Division of AIDS (DAIDS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), invites applications for the discovery, preclinical evaluation, development, and/or pilot clinical study of novel agents and strategies to suppress HIV replication, interfere with disease progression, and ameliorate the consequences of infection. The National Institute of Mental Health invites applications to identify and treat the nervous system complications of HIV infection that result in CNS dysfunction. The Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program (IPCP) described in this Program Announcement (PA) combines applications for the National Cooperative Drug Discovery Groups for the Treatment of HIV Infection (NCDDG-HIV), which supports preclinical discovery of new therapeutics; applications from collaborative Groups seeking to transition from preclinical to clinical studies during the award period; and applications for the Strategic Program for Innovative Research on AIDS Treatment (SPIRAT), which supports pilot clinical studies of novel treatments. By combining these into a single PA, the IPCP will provide a continuous spectrum of research opportunities to Groups interested in the discovery and development of new therapies for HIV infection. This PA is designed for multi-disciplinary preclinical and clinical research Groups, each consisting of a minimum of three interrelated projects, in which the participation of the private sector is strongly encouraged. Responsive applications will involve creative and original therapeutic research that emphasizes diverse facets of HIV infection. Excluded from this PA are targets and approaches already under extensive investigation by academia and the pharmaceutical sector, non-targeted random screening of potential inhibitors, and research on AIDS-associated opportunistic pathogens and malignancies. 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, Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program, is related to the priority area of HIV infection. 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 for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, units of state and local governments, and eligible agencies of the federal government. While foreign organizations are not eligible to apply as the principal institution, foreign components may apply as a research project or core. However, these components will not receive support for indirect costs. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators (PIs). MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The administrative and funding mechanism will be the program project grant (P01). Program project grants support broadly-based, multidisciplinary research programs that have a well-defined, central research focus or objective. An important feature is that the interrelationships of the individual scientifically meritorious projects will result in a greater contribution to the overall program goals than if each project were pursued individually. The program project grant consists of a minimum of three interrelated individual research projects that contribute to the program objective. This type of award can also provide support for certain shared resources termed cores that provide funds for tasks common to two or more projects within the award. To increase the diversity and multi-faceted expertise in any Group, each project will be from a different academic department (if from the same institution) and/or >From a different company. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed research will be that of the applicant. Research groups supported by the IPCP include: (1) Groups focusing exclusively on preclinical discovery and development of novel therapeutic entities and strategies; and (2) Groups positioned to implement a proposed pilot clinical study during the award period. The suggested maximum budget for a Group engaged in preclinical research is $675,000 total (direct plus indirect) cost for the first year; larger budgets must be strongly justified. The maximum budget for a Group actively engaged in clinical studies is $1.4 million total (direct plus indirect) cost for the first year. Groups proposing a clinical phase during the award period should submit a complete budget for both the preclinical and clinical portions of the study using the preclinical and clinical limits set above. It is noted that the level of support for clinical research under this PA may well be insufficient to provide all the funds necessary to conduct the proposed clinical study. Prospective Groups should, therefore, develop plans to use existing infrastructure and organizational support to complement the award [including NIH sponsored General Clinical Research Centers (GCRC) and Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR)]. The total project period for any Group is four years. Awards pursuant to this PA are contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Research advances in recent years have yielded a wealth of information on HIV molecular biology, the pathogenesis of HIV disease, and the impact of disease progression on immune function. Concomitantly, seminal technological advances have been realized. Together, these advances offer exciting opportunities to develop and translate new therapeutic concepts to clinical application and complement current FDA approved therapies. To assist in assembling the diverse scientific expertise and ancillary resources needed to translate basic discoveries to applied entities, this PA is designed to support multi-disciplinary preclinical and clinical research Groups. The objective of the Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program is thus two-fold: (1) to maintain a strong and diverse base in preclinical discovery and development of new therapeutics; and (2) to support the translation of innovative treatment concepts from preclinical studies to pilot clinical proof-of-concept studies. The NIMH will consider co-support of NIAID-supported applications when a component of the research is directed toward understanding and treating the nervous system disease. Scope of Research As stated above, the ultimate goal of this PA is the discovery, development, and exploratory clinical evaluation of new and effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of HIV disease and prevention of HIV sexual transmission. Such research is expected to yield long term therapeutic returns as well as identify and open new research directions. In line with this objective, the PA will support diverse and creative strategies of sound scientific rationale that are new or under-studied and provide a continuous spectrum of research opportunities from preclinical to pilot clinical studies. This comprehensive effort will be conducted by interdisciplinary research Groups. Examples of preclinical and clinical research supported under the IPCP include: 1. development of under-explored/new antiviral therapies that target viral and host proteins known to be critic 2. development of entities and strategies that target cells and tissues implicated in virus sequestration; 3. development of entities or strategies to render the immune 'environment of HIV-1 infected individuals receptive to reconstitution by hematopoietic stem cells or lymphoid cells/tissue; 4. translation of innovative therapeutic and immunotherapeutic strategies to multi-dimensional treatment regimens that address the many facets of HIV disease; 5. identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying HIV-associated CNS dysfunction and development of targeted therapeutics; 6. identification and development of effective inhibitors of sexual transmission. The involvement of the private sector is strongly encouraged because of this sector's unique infrastructure and capital resources, allowing rapid mobilization for the development of lead therapeutics. Preclinical Research The preclinical portion of the IPCP supports the discovery and development of a specific therapeutic approach or strategy in a concerted manner with obvious contribution by and need for each project and core to the overall Group objective and development plan. A successful preclinical Group should develop a new therapeutic strategy that can subsequently be translated to clinical evaluation. Preclinical Groups seeking to transition from preclinical to clinical research during the award period must detail the goals and milestones by which they will reach this point. These goals and milestones should include plans and timetable to obtain the required institutional and government approvals (IRB, FDA, RAC). These goals and milestones will be reviewed by the Scientific Peer Review Group (SPRG) and will subsequently be used to determine the successful completion of the preclinical development phase. Release of funds for clinical research will be contingent upon the documented successful completion of the proposed and peer-reviewed goals and milestones. Clinical Studies The clinical portion of the IPCP supports interdependent, iterative clinical/laboratory research designed to evaluate and optimize a clinical therapeutic approach. Relative to the preclinical portion of the IPCP, human subjects concerns and regulatory issues substantially increase under the clinical phase. These safety and clinical proof-of-concept studies of innovative therapeutic strategies may involve greater scientific risk than that practiced in larger clinical trials. A successful Group will develop and optimize a therapeutic strategy to a point at which it can be determined whether the strategy merits further clinical evaluation. The clinical study application must be based on a strategy in an advanced stage of preclinical development that is suitable for evaluation in a small number (6-12) of patients. The application should include (1) a detailed plan of the iterative clinical and laboratory research to be conducted to optimize the proposed strategy; (2) a timetable to be followed; (3) plans for the clinical studies including the clinical protocol; and (4) institutional and government approvals (IRB, FDA, RAC). SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Meetings All awardees are strongly encouraged to attend a scientific conference of IPCP investigators, organized by NIAID and held every 12-18 months in the Washington DC vicinity. Applicants should include requests for travel funds in the original applications specific for and restricted to the above meetings. No additional travel funds will be provided to attend other domestic or foreign meetings. Patent Coverage Since an application may include several institutions, including the private sector, complex patent situations may arise. To avoid delays related to intellectual property issues in implementing new therapies for HIV, each multi-project Group is required to provide a plan as part of the application, detailing (1) the approach, agreed to by all parties, to be used for obtaining patent coverage and for licensing, where appropriate; and (2) the procedures to be followed for the resolution of legal problems that potentially may develop. Attention is drawn to the reporting requirements of 35 U.S.C. Parts 200-212 and 37 CFR Part 401 or FAR 55.227-11. Instructions were also published in the NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS, Vol. 19, No. 23, June 22, 1990. Note that non-profit organizations (including universities) and small business firms retain the rights to any patent resulting from Government grants or cooperative agreements. It is also noted that a Presidential memorandum of February 18, 1983 extended to all business concerns, regardless of size, the first option to the ownership of rights to inventions as provided in P.L. 96-517. As a result of this memorandum, the relationships among industrial organizations and other participants are simplified, since all Group members can now be full partners in the research and in any inventions resulting therefrom. The specific patenting arrangements among the institutions may vary and could include joint patent ownership, exclusive licensing arrangements, etc. Applicants are encouraged to develop an arrangement that is most suitable for the Group's particular circumstances. The patent agreement among the institutions comprising the Group, signed and dated by the organizational officials authorized to enter into patent arrangements for each Group member and member institution, must be submitted with the application, and a copy submitted to Dr. Nava Sarver (address under INQUIRIES). If the Group wishes to place all inventions and discoveries resulting from these studies within the public domain, a letter to that effect must be submitted to Dr. Sarver in lieu of the patent agreement . The letter must be co-signed by the Principal Investigator, each of the Project Leaders, and each of the business officials representing the respective institutions. Federal regulation clause 37-CFR-401 and HHS Inventions regulations at 45 CFR Parts 6 and 8 require that NIH be informed of inventions and licensing occurring under NIH funded research. Invention and licensing reports must be submitted to the Extramural Invention Reports Office at (301) 435-1986. For awards including clinical studies Groups seeking to transition from preclinical to clinical studies during the award period must include a long-range development plan that details the preclinical, transitional, and clinical phases of the proposed studies and a budget appropriate to each phase. Funds to accommodate the potentially more costly clinical study should be budgeted in the application. The Group must articulate a set of objectives and milestones to be completed prior to the transition to clinical research and include the clinical site and clinical investigators to be involved. For purposes of peer review, the application must include a clinical protocol based on research findings available at the time of submission (although it is understood that the protocol may change as work progresses). All the above components - the development plan, objectives and milestones, clinical site and clinical investigators - will be essential elements of the initial review by the SPRG. The NIAID (NIMH) will review requests to transition to clinical research and will use outside expertise to review the revised clinical protocol and budget and to assist in determining whether the Group requesting transition is positioned to proceed to clinical studies. Release of funds for clinical research will be contingent on successful accomplishment of milestones and criteria stated in the original application, reviewed and approved by the SPRG, and include compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. To initiate clinical studies, an awardee must have IRB, FDA and RAC (if applicable) approvals. Funds for clinical studies will be withheld until the required approvals are obtained and copies provided to NIAID (Dr. Nava Sarver, address under INQUIRIES). Additional details for applications including a clinical component are listed under 'Special requirements', below. The Principal Investigator is responsible for: 1. assuming responsibility for developing protocols and monitoring study performance, participant recruitment and follow-up, interim data and safety monitoring. All proposed protocols will be submitted by the Principal Investigator to the NIAID (Dr. Nava Sarver, address below) for review for safety issues by the DAIDS Clinical Science Review Committee (CSRC). The Principal Investigator will be responsible for reporting recruitment, retention, and adverse events to DAIDS/NIAID. 2. establishing procedures to comply with FDA regulations for studies involving investigational agents and strategies and to comply with the requirements of 45 CFR Part 46 for the protection of human subjects. Terms of award for any human clinical trial component will be developed to ensure volunteer safety and monitoring of compliance with regulations and Good Clinical Practices. NIAID staff will provide guidance and technical advice on meeting FDA requirements for investigational substances. 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 sub-populations 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 policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). 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 the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 11., March 18, 1994. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) and will be accepted on the application deadlines of November 12, 1997, November 1998, and November 1999. Applications kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Division 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. Applications may also be obtained electronically via the WWW (http://www.nih.gov/grants/phs398/phs398.html). For purposes of identification and processing of the application, mark "YES" in item 2 on the face page and enter the PA number PAR-97-080 and the title "Novel HIV Therapies: Integrated Preclinical/Clinical Program". The signed, completed, typewritten original of the application (plus the Checklist) and three single-sided copies 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) At the same time, two single-sided copies of the application and five sets of appendices must be sent to Dr. Dianne Tingley at the address listed under INQUIRIES. APPLICANTS REQUESTING $500,000 OR MORE IN ANNUAL DIRECT COSTS. The NIH Policy Update on Acceptance for Review of Unsolicited Applications that Request More Than $500,000 Direct Cost for Any One Year applies to applications in response to this PA. The Policy Update was published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 25, No. 14, May 3, 1996, and became effective June 1, 1996. NIAID has policies that require pre-approval by the Institute before acceptance of Program Project applications and applications that request $500,000 or more in annual direct costs and guidelines for preparation of multi-project (including P01) research grant applications outlined in the NIAID Multiproject Instructions Brochure. Potential applicants must contact Dr. Sarver, at the address listed under INQUIRIES, to initiate clearance processes for acceptance of their applications and to obtain guidelines for the preparation of P01 applications. The NIAID Multiproject Instructions Brochure is also available via the WWW (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/tools/multibro.htm). CONCURRENT SUBMISSION OF AN R01 AND A COMPONENT PROJECT OF A P01 APPLICATION. Current NIH policy permits a component research project of a multi-project P01 grant application to be concurrently submitted as a traditional individual research project (R01) application. If, following review, both the multi-project P01 application and the R01 application are found to be in the fundable range, the investigator must relinquish the R01 and will not have the option to withdraw from the multi-project P01 grant. This is an NIH policy intended to preserve the scientific integrity of a multi-project grant, which may be seriously compromised if a strong component project(s) is removed >From the program. Investigators wishing to participate in a multi-project grant must be aware of this policy before making a commitment to the Principal Investigator and awarding institution. GCRC INSTITUTIONS 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 clinical research. If so, a letter of agreement from the GCRC Program Director must be included in the application material. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Division of Research Grants. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an NIAID ad hoc peer review Group convened in accordance with standard NIH review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written review and may undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit will be assigned a priority score and receive a second level review by the NIAID Council. Applications determined to be non-competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration, and the Principal Investigator and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. Review criteria are based on the objectives and goals of the IPCP. The SPRG will evaluate applications for impact, approach, and feasibility using the standard NIH review criteria , and additional review criteria specific to this initiative and specific to either preclinical or clinical studies, as follows: IMPACT: The extent to which the project, if successfully completed, will make an original and important contribution to biomedical science. Specifically: A. The scientific, technical or medical significance, and originality of the project. B. The likelihood that, if successfully executed, this research will open a new direction in the treatment of HIV infection ( e.g., the innovativeness and uniqueness of the proposed strategy), demonstrate a capacity to be reduced to clinical practice, or merit evaluation in clinical studies for safety and proof-of-concept. C. For previously funded preclinical Groups (NCDDG-HIV): evidence of significant progress in the previous award (e.g. design, formulation, or development of therapeutic entities/strategies that merit clinical evaluation) D. For previously funded clinical (SPIRAT) Groups: demonstrate that the concept proposed is new, substantially improved, or represents a new direction from that evaluated in the preceding funding period. APPROACH: the extent to which the conceptual framework, design (including selection of appropriate subject populations or animal models), methods, and analyses are properly developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the objectives of the project. Specifically: A. appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach, the development plan, and the methodology proposed to carry out the research, including laboratory capabilities (preclinical and/or clinical) in immunology, virology, and cell biology; assays to detect changes in parameters related to HIV infection based on state-of-the-art methods. B. scientific and technical merit of the approach as a whole, and the relationship and contribution of each project and core to the central focus of the overall program. C. cohesiveness, multi-disciplinary and multifaceted scope of the program and the coordination and interdependence of the individual projects and core(s); plans for effective intra-Group communication. D. For Groups focusing on preclinical research: choice of the therapeutic target or strategy, its contribution to the diversity of potential therapeutics, and the likelihood that the target/strategy can be developed during the award period. E. For Groups proposing clinical research: adequacy and validity of the proposed milestones for determining the readiness of the Group to transition to clinical research (if applicable); iterative nature of clinical/laboratory research plan to develop and optimize the proposed treatment strategy; protocol design (clinical and scientific), short and long term development plans, and contingency plans addressing the specific objectives set forth in the therapeutic strategy; and provisions to obtain the required institutional and regulatory approvals (IRB, FDA, RAC) to conduct the clinical study. FEASIBILITY: the likelihood that the proposed work can be accomplished by the investigators, given their documented experience and expertise, past progress, preliminary data, requested and available resources, institutional commitment, and (if appropriate) documented access to special reagents or technologies and adequate plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects. Specifically: A. leadership, scientific ability, and administrative competence of the PI for the development and management of a comprehensive research program. B. qualifications and experience of each Project Leader (PL) or Core Leader in relation to his/her proposed contribution to the program. C. the PI's and PLs' commitment to devote substantial time and effort to the program. [Due to the complexity and time required to maintain a well-coordinated and productive research effort, a minimum 20% (time) commitment by the PI and PLs is strongly suggested unless there are compelling arguments to the contrary.] D. the academic, clinical, and physical environment in which the research will be conducted; the potential for interaction with scientists from other departments and/or institutions in relevant disciplines. E. For Groups proposing clinical research: experience of the PI and PLs in the planning, design, and conduct of small clinical studies in HIV-infected patients; availability of a General Clinical Research (GCRC), Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), or other additional source of institutional support and/or statistical support; the infrastructure required for the conduct of safe and efficient clinical research; and short and long range plans that will result in the successful implementation of clinical studies during the award period. AWARD CRITERIA Funding decisions will be made on the basis of scientific and technical merit as determined by peer review, appropriate balance of the preclinical and early clinical studies portfolios, overall programmatic balance and relevance to the control of public health problems, and availability of funds. Schedule Application Receipt Date: Nov 12, 1997 Scientific Review Date: Feb/Mar 1998 Earliest Date of Award: Jun/Jul 1998 INQUIRIES Written and telephone inquiries concerning this PA are strongly encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcomed. Inquiries regarding programmatic issues may be directed to: Nava Sarver, Ph.D. NIAID, Division of AIDS Chief, Targeted Interventions Branch Solar Building, Room 2C01 Bethesda, MD 20892-7620 TELEPHONE: 301-496-8197 FAX: 301-402-3211 E-mail: ns18p@nih.gov Programmatic issues specific to CNS-related applications may be directed to: Dianne Rausch, Ph.D. NIMH, Office on AIDS 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10-75 Rockville, MD 20857 TELEPHONE; 301-443-6100 FAX: 301-443-9719 E-mail: dr89b@nih.gov Inquiries regarding review may be directed to: Dianne Tingley, Ph.D. NIAID, Division of Extramural Activities Scientific Review Program Solar Building, Room 4C07 Bethesda, MD 20892-7610 TELEPHONE: 301-496-2550 FAX: 301-402-2638 E-mail: dt15g@nih.gov Inquiries regarding fiscal matters may be directed to: Mollie Shea NIAID, Division of Extramural Activities Grants Management Branch Solar Building, Room 4B26 Bethesda, MD 20892-7610 TELEPHONE: 301-402-6576 FAX: 301-480-3780 E-mail: ms256g@nih.gov Diana S. Trunnell Assistant Chief, Grants Management Branch Parklawn Bldg, Room 7C-08 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 TELEPHONE: 301-443-2805 FAX: 301-443-6885 E-mail: diana_trunnell@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, No. 93.856 - Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research. 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 work place 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 routing 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 Thu Jul 31 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - PA-97-082 - V26(24) 07/25/97 Date: 31 Jul 1997 21:53:06 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 387 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5rrq3i$423@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net MANAGEMENT OF SYMPTOMS SECONDARY TO TREATMENT NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 24, July 25, 1997 PA NUMBER: PA-97-086 P.T. National Institute of Nursing Research National Cancer Institute National Institute of Mental Health PURPOSE The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) seek research applications concerning the clinical management of treatment-associated symptoms. The purpose of this initiative is to stimulate research that will lead to improved adherence to treatment regimens and better quality of life by the development and testing of strategies to decrease the negative impact of physical and psychosocial symptoms that are the secondary result of treatment or prevention regimens. 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 Program Announcement (PA), Management of Symptoms Secondary to Treatment, is related to all preventive services. 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 REQUIREMENTS Research applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, 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. Foreign institutions are not eligible for First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) (R29) awards. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The mechanisms of support will be the National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grants (R01) and FIRST awards (R29), Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. BACKGROUND Preventive and treatment regimens often cause uncomfortable, disabling, or even life-threatening secondary clinical problems. In some cases, effective management of such responses is necessary to permit individuals to undergo the appropriate intensity and duration of the regimen. For example, control of nausea and vomiting is essential in the management of many cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in order to administer sufficient therapy to cure or slow the progression of the disease. In other situations, such as with the use of some antibiotics, gastrointestinal disturbances may not be life-threatening but are sufficiently disruptive and annoying to cause individuals to decide not to take medications as prescribed. The results of such incomplete treatment may include the development of resistant pathogens, wasted health care resources, and inaccurate information about treatment efficacy. Simultaneous with research directed toward the elimination of side effects by the formulation of better therapies, research is needed to develop interventions to better manage side effects and reduce their negative impact on treatment completion and quality of life. The secondary symptoms of treatment regimens that affect adherence and quality of life are diverse. A few examples include mental status and behavioral changes associated with seratonin agonists, postural sway found with benzodiazepines, involuntary movements common with neuroleptic therapy, skin yellowing attributed to beta- carotene, bleeding associated with estrogen replacement therapy, and constipation noted with iron supplementation. The focus of this research initiative is on those situations in which secondary symptoms are disruptive but not life-threatening and where nurse- initiated interventions could contribute to reducing the distress, thereby increasing adherence and quality of life. Behavioral interventions have been demonstrated to reduce the impact of treatment induced symptoms. For example, systematic desensitization has been effective in reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. (1) Aerobic exercise has been demonstrated to attenuate adverse changes in mood states and anxiety associated with taking beta blockers. (2) The development and testing of interventions that may be used to reduce symptom frequency, severity, and duration is an important goal of this initiative. Symptom distress, a subjective evaluation of the impact of a symptom on function and quality of life, is also important. The same degree of a physical sensation or the same frequency or duration of an adverse event may cause different levels of distress in different individuals or in the same individual at different times. An important component of reducing secondary symptom distress may found in the interaction between the health care provider and the individual experiencing the symptom. Research is needed to better understand the effect of different counseling and coaching styles on individuals' self management abilities, such as the capacity to tolerate unpleasant experiences or the motivation to creatively modify daily routines to minimize the impact of annoying side effects. Interventions designed to enhance shared decision making between health care providers and patients could be evaluated to determine if they affect the subjective response to drug side effects and treatment adherence. OBJECTIVES Specific areas of interest include the following topics: o studies of the efficacy of nonpharmacologic or multi-modal management strategies to alleviate physical or psychological side effects of treatment regimens; o studies of the efficacy of strategies to reduce the distress associated with treatment side effects; o basic and clinical studies to identify the basis of treatment- related symptoms; o small-scale studies to develop and test instruments that are sensitive to the distress associated with secondary symptoms and patterns over time; o studies that demonstrate the impact of secondary symptoms on treatment adherence and quality of life; The National Institute of Mental Health interest in these studies is limited to those involving patients with HIV. Projects may be descriptive or experimental. With adequate justification of knowledge gaps, data may be collected that will enhance the development of clinical interventions. However, where possible, interventions which are designed to reduce the severity, frequency, duration or distress of secondary symptoms should be evaluated for efficacy under conditions that will permit comprehensive analysis of appropriate outcome measures. It is imperative that proposed interventions not compromise the effectiveness of the treatment regimen. Interventions should also have the potential for implementation into routine clinical practice. Because of the complex interaction of clinical symptoms and the associated subjective response, a multidisciplinary research approach is recommended. Expertise from health-related disciplines should be included as appropriate for both the target symptom and the clinical population. Applicants are encouraged to make use of ongoing clinical trials or other medical research efforts where feasible. Applications from institutions that participate in ongoing clinical trials or have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) may wish to identify these programs as a resource for conducting the proposed research. If so, a letter of agreement from the program director or the Principal Investigaor should be included with the application. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results >From the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (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. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) and will be accepted at the standard application deadlines as indicated in the application kit. Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the 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 title and number of the program announcement must be typed in Section 2 on the face page of the application. Applications for the FIRST Award (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. FIRST Award applications must follow "just-in-time" procedures as described in the NIH Guide, Volume 25, Number 10, March 29, 1996. The complete original application and five legible copies must be sent or delivered 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) REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines. Applications that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique. Applications will also undergo a process in which only those deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board, when applicable. Review Criteria for research grant applications: The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written review, comments on the following aspects of the application will be made in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in the assignment of the overall score: (1) Significance Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) Approach Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) Innovation Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) Investigator Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)? (5) Environment Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? In addition, the adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research will be reviewed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. The initial review group will also examine the provisions for the protection of human and animal subjects, the safety of the research environment, and conformance with the NIH Guidelines for the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research. AWARD CRITERIA Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved applications assigned to that institute or center. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of funds, and program priority. INQUIRIES Inquiries are encouraged. We welcome the opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants. Direct inquiries regarding NINR programmatic issues to: June R. Lunney, PhD, RN Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Nursing Research Building 45, Room 3AN-12 Bethesda, MD 20892-6300 Telephone: (301) 594-6908 FAX: (301) 480-8260 Email: JLunney@EP.NINR.NIH.GOV Direct inquiries regarding NCI programmatic issues to: Claudette G. Varricchio, DSN, RN, FAAN Division of Cancer Prevention and Control National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza North, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-8541 FAX: (301) 496-8667 Email: Varricci@dcpcepn.nci.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding NIMH programmatic issues to: Dianne Rausch, PhD Office on AIDS National Institute of Mental Health Parklawn Building, Room 10-75 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-6100 FAX: (301) 443-7274 Direct inquiries regarding NINR fiscal matters to: Jeff Carow Grants Management Officer National Institute of Nursing Research Building 45, Room 3AN-12 6300 Center Drive MSC 6301 Bethesda, MD 20892-6301 Telephone: (301) 594-6869 FAX: (301) 480-8260 Email: jcarow@ep.ninr.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding NCI fiscal matters to: Robert E. Hawkins, Jr. Grants Administration Branch National Cancer Institute Executive Plaza South, Room 243 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-7800 Ext. 213 FAX: (301) 496-8601 Email: HawkinsR@gab.nci.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding NIMH fiscal matters to: Diana S. Trunnell Assistant Chief, Grants Management Branch National Institute of Mental Health Parklawn Building, Room 7C-08 Rockville, MD 20857 Telephone: (301) 443-2805 FAX: (301) 443-6885 Email: Diana_Trunnell@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.361 (NINR), No. 93.399 (Cancer Control Research), and 93.242 (NIMH). 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. (1) Morrow GR: Behavioural factors influencing the development and expression of chemotherapy-induced side effects. Br J Cancer 1992; 66 (suppl XIX) S54-S61). (2) Head A; Kendall MJ; Ferner R; Eagles C: Acute effects of beta blockade and exercise on mood and anxiety. Br J Sports Med 1996 Sep;30(3): 238-42. From owner-sci-resources@net.bio.net Thu Jul 31 23:00:00 1997 Path: biosci!biosci!not-for-mail From: BIOSCI Administrator Newsgroups: bionet.sci-resources Subject: NIH GUIDE - PA-97-083 - V26(24) 07/25/97 Date: 31 Jul 1997 21:53:42 -0700 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 341 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Approved: biosci-help@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <5rrq4m$43n@net.bio.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: net.bio.net TUBERCULOSIS - BASIC BIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 24, July 25, 1997 PA NUMBER: PA-97-083 P.T. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute PURPOSE The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), invite applications focused on elucidating the basic biology, immunology and pathogenesis of mycobacteria, and host-mycobacterial interactions relevant to increasing and consolidating our fundamental understanding of tuberculosis. 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, "TUBERCULOSIS - BASIC BIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY AND PATHOGENESIS", is related to the priority areas of: Immunization and Infectious Disease and HIV Infection and AIDS. 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 organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Foreign institutions are not eligible for FIRST (R29). Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Traditional research project grant (R01) and FIRST award (R29) applications may be submitted in response to this program announcement. Applications for R01 grants may request up to five years of support; applications for R29 grants must request five years of support. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed research will be solely that of the applicant. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death throughout the world due to a single infectious agent (Mycobacterium tuberculosis or M.tb). In 1989 the U.S. Federal Government declared the goal of eliminating tuberculosis from the United States by the year 2010, with elimination defined as less than 0.1 cases per 100,000 population. It set an interim goal of 3.5 cases per 100,000 by the year 2000. CDC recently reported that in 1995 the US experienced 22.86 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000. Thus we remain far from even our interim goal. It appears evident that tuberculosis will not be eliminated from the US and the world without a more effective vaccine(s). The only currently available vaccine, BCG, has shown marked variability in its effectiveness against adult pulmonary tuberculosis, the major burden of disease. Furthermore, BCG is not recommended for general use in the United States and other countries with relatively low rates of endemic disease, because vaccination with BCG confounds surveillance efforts. Rational design of improved vaccines and other intervention strategies requires a broader and firmer base of fundamental knowledge regarding the biology of mycobacteria and their interactions with the host. Research Objectives and Scope NOTE: Three complementary Program Announcements are being issued: "The Latent State in Tuberculosis Infection"; "Tuberculosis - Basic Biology, Immunology and Pathogenesis"; and "Innovative Approaches to Investigating Human Tuberculosis". Applications which focus on understanding the latent state in tuberculosis infection and/or reactivation of tuberculosis should be submitted in response the PA "The Latent State in Tuberculosis Infection". Applications which focus on the use of model systems and or mycobacterial species other than M.tb to further understanding of any other aspect of tuberculosis should be submitted in response to the PA "Tuberculosis - Basic Biology, Immunology and Pathogenesis"; and applications which primarily focus on use of M.tb and/or human cells, tissues or study populations to study any aspect of human tuberculosis, per se, other than latency/reactivation should be submitted in response to the PA "Innovative Approaches to Investigating Human Tuberculosis". Acquiring the crucial information needed to develop improved intervention and therapeutic strategies for tuberculosis control requires a broad range of studies including, but not limited to: o developing improved tools for genetic manipulation of mycobacteria o determining the molecular basis of relevant pathogen/host cell interactions, including, but not limited to, very early events of infection, mechanisms of phagolysosomal evasion, and identification and isolation of virulence and invasion factors o elucidating the biology and biochemistry of mycobacterial genetic mechanisms and the signals that modulate these processes o characterizing mycobacterial physiology at the molecular and biochemical levels - including, but not limited to, roles of 'housekeeping' genes and their products, unique biochemical pathways, and nutrient transport mechanisms o defining the protective immune response and immunopathogenic mechanisms in mycobacterial infections, including the roles of mucosal immunity and responses directed at nonprotein as well as protein antigens o identifying and elucidating transport mechanisms for bacterial products, including possible translocation of mycobacterial antigens within host cells o developing methods to overcome technical challenges posed by slow-growing mycobacteria; this could include collaborations with bacterial physiologists experienced in molecular and biochemical investigations of other slow-growing organisms (e.g., Archaebacteria, Methanobacteria). These studies, while relevant ultimately to improving our understanding and knowledge of human tuberculosis, may employ model mycobacterial strains and animal systems, as appropriate. 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 of the purpose of the research. This policy results >From the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). 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 the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 11, March 18, 1994. Investigators may obtain copies from these sources or from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the grant application for PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) and will be accepted on the standard application deadlines as indicated in the application kit. Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Office of Extramural Outreach and Information, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone (301) 435-0714, email: asknih@odrockm1.nih.gov. For purposes of identification and processing, item 2 on the face page of the application must be marked "YES". The PA number and the PA title must also be typed in section 2. The completed, signed original and five legible, single-sided copies of the application and any appendices must be sent or delivered 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) R29 applications must include at least three sealed letters of reference attached to the face page of the original application. FIRST applications submitted without the required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete and will be returned without review. 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 the GCRC Program Director must be included in the application material. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Review Procedures Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines. Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the NIH Division of Research Grants. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by study sections of the Division of Research Grants, NIH, in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council. Review Criteria The five criteria to be used in the evaluation of grant applications are listed below. The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. The reviewers will comment on the following aspects of the application in their written critiques in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered by the reviewers in assigning the overall score weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have a major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. 1. Significance. Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? 2. Approach. Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses