NB: Concepts represent early planning stages for PAs, RFAs, or RFPs for Council 's input. Council approval does not guarantee that a concept will become an initiative.
If NIAID publishes an initiative from one of these concepts, we link to it below. For a full list of initiatives, go to NIAID Funding Opportunities.
Table of Contents
Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers
For the published initiative, see the December 7, 2006, Guide announcement.
Request for Applications
Contact:Gang Dong
Phone: 301/594-8153
Email: gdong@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: The program will support integrated basic and clinical research centers to conduct studies on the immunologic mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of asthma and allergic diseases. The overarching goal of the program is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of asthma and allergic diseases, and provide a rational foundation for the development of effective prevention strategies.
Description: Since its inception in 1971, the NIAID Asthma and
Allergic Disease Cooperative Research Centers (AADCRC) program has been
the cornerstone of NIAID's efforts to promote innovative, multidisciplinary
basic and clinical research on asthma and allergic diseases. The AADCRC
program sponsors basic and clinical studies of patients with asthma or
allergic diseases with an emphasis on immunological bases of the disease.
Specific areas of research will include:
- Innate immune system function in the pathogenesis, prevention, and
treatment of asthma and allergic diseases;
- Infections and immune responses to infections relevant to the development and exacerbations of asthma and allergic diseases;
- B- and T-cell function in asthma and allergic diseases, including the innate-adaptive immune system interface, regulation of responses, and modulation by immune based approaches;
- Translational research, from animal models or in vitro human tissues to humans, particularly focused on new immune-based therapies and vaccines for asthma and allergic diseases; and
- Environmental pollutants and allergens as risk factors in conjunction with genetic background for the development of asthma and allergic diseases.
Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children
For the published initiative, see the January
12, 2007, Guide announcement.
Request for Applications
Contact: Jonah Odim
Phone: 301/451-3138
Email: odimj@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: To support clinical trials with associated mechanistic
studies, as well as epidemiologic studies, in pediatric heart, lung,
kidney, liver, and/or small intestine transplantation. This initiative
is an expansion of RFA AI-02-004, "Cooperative Clinical Trials in Pediatric
Transplantation,'' which was limited to kidney transplantation.
Description: This initiative will support a consortium of clinical centers that will conduct clinical trials with associated mechanistic studies as well as epidemiologic studies in pediatric organ transplantation. The consortium will coordinate its activities with the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation Consortium.
National Swine Research and Resource Center
Request for Applications
Contact: Crystal Koh
Phone: 301/451-3137
Email: CKoh@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: To continue to co-sponsor the National Swine Research
and Resource Center (NSRRC) established by the National Center for Research
Resources in 2003 for depositing, maintaining, preserving, and
distributing swine models for studies of human diseases.
Description: The NSRRC will eliminate the requirement for individual laboratories to maintain and distribute swine strains thereby ensuring the highest-level quality and uniformity of genetic and microbiological monitoring. This facility will serve as a resource for:
- Depositing investigator-derived swine models of human diseases;
- Maintaining herds of these swine strains for distribution of animals, organs, tissues, and cells;
- Preserving, storing, and reconstituting embryos of the deposited strains;
- Establishing cell, antibody, and DNA banks for distribution to the scientific community;
- Advancing the state of animal care, e.g. the development and maintenance
of specific pathogen free herds; and
- Educating end users in the available technologies and methods for
swine research.
Data Coordinating Center for the Immune Tolerance Network
For the published initiative, see the July 20, 2007, solicitation, Statistical and Data Coordinating Center: NIAID Immune Tolerance Network and Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers .
Request for Proposals
Contact: Deborah Blyveis
Phone: 301/594-7211
Email: blyveisd@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: The Data Coordinating Center for the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) will provide statistical, data management, safety monitoring, medical writing, and administrative support for 25 to 30 ITN clinical and non-clinical studies. These studies will focus in the areas of asthma and allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and rejection of transplanted solid organs, tissues, and/or cells. Description: This
initiative will provide statistical, data management, and administrative
support for NIAID's Immune Tolerance Network (ITN).
- To develop a scientific agenda for clinical trials and mechanistic
studies of various approaches to tolerance induction;
- To develop, test, and validate assays to measure the induction,
maintenance, and loss of immune tolerance in humans;
- To design and conduct clinical trials at all phases to determine
the feasibility, safety, toxicity, and efficacy of tolerogenic
intervention strategies for multiple immune system diseases; and
- To design and conduct research to delineate the underlying mechanisms
of immune tolerance in conjunction with clinical trials undertaken
by the ITN as well as clinical trials sponsored by other Federal and
private sector organizations and companies.
Immune Mechanisms of Viral Control
For the published initiative, see the December
12, 2006, Guide announcement.
Request for Applications
Contact: Lynda Chiodetti
Phone: 301/496-6647
Email: lchiodetti@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: To establish a synergistic network of research teams
focused on basic immunological parameters of pandemic influenza infection
and vaccination, as well as other relevant viruses, leading to practical
approaches to prevent and treat pandemic influenza outbreaks, including
methods to a) induce tissue-specific immunity and b) control virus-induced
inflammation and immunopathology.
Description: This program will support single project cooperative agreement grants (U01) to establish a network comprised of synergistic research groups focused on elucidating basic immune mechanisms relevant to pandemic influenza infection, vaccine development, and/or the development of immunotherapeutics. Studies may include the analysis of other viruses in addition to influenza if such work serves as a model to understand the control of influenza. Studies that simply apply existing immunological tools to the study of influenza and/or other viruses will not be accepted.
Building on recent advances in basic understanding of innate immune regulation as well as B and T cell activation, network teams will define new immunological mechanisms relevant to the prevention and control of pandemic influenza, including:
- Regulation of regional immunity in the respiratory, gastrointestinal,
or nervous systems;
- Virus-induced inflammation and its control;
- Treatments for "cytokine storms" beyond steroids;
- Novel immune based therapies to treat influenza infections; and
- Tools for rapidly evaluating human T-cell, B-cell, and innate immune
responses.
Innate
Immune Receptors and Adjuvant Development
Broad Agency Announcement
Contact: Wanda Neal
Phone: 301/451-3685
Email: wneal@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: To advance to phase I clinical trials the best candidate
compounds that stimulate the innate immune response through Toll-Like
Receptors and demonstrate strong adjuvant properties in animal models.
These candidate compounds will be utilized as adjuvants in the development
of novel vaccines for human use against NIAID Category A, B, and C
pathogens. Knowledge gained from these studies will also likely benefit
non-biodefense related vaccine adjuvant development. The results
will bring new adjuvants for human use closer to FDA approval and to
human application.
Description: This program will support the pre-clinical regulatory
process and phase 1 clinical trials of previously identified lead candidate
compounds that stimulate an innate immune response to Category A, B,
or C pathogens through the activation of Toll-Like Receptors. These candidate
compounds should have already demonstrated effectiveness as adjuvants
in in vivo model systems. The goal of this program is to complete phase
1 clinical trials of new candidate adjuvants by the end of the five-year
funding cycle. It is anticipated that the first three years of the project
will be dedicated to supporting pre-clinical regulatory processes leading
to approval of an FDA Investigational New Drug, while the remaining two
years are expected to involve clinical trials. Accordingly, costs are
projected to increase for the clinical trial period.
Primary
Immunodeficiency Disease Consortium
For the published initiatives, see PAR-07-446 and PAR-07-447, Exploratory/Developmental Investigations on Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases.
Program Announcement Identifying Location of Peer Review (PAR)
Contact: Josiah Wedgwood
Phone: 301/496-7104
Email: JWedgwood@niaid.nih.gov
Objective: To establish a primary immunodeficiency disease consortium
to address emerging opportunities and accelerate research in the field,
develop and implement collaborations and sharing of resources, provide
mentoring for new investigators, maintain and expand the Primary Immunodeficiency
Diseases Registry, and maintain and expand the Primary Immunodeficiency
Diseases Repository.
Description: This project will renew the NIAID-funded Primary
Immunodeficiency Disease Consortium. The Consortium steering committee
is composed of experts in the field, provides overall leadership, and
establishes priorities for Consortium activities. Major functions of
the consortium include reviewing and funding pilot or small clinical
and pre-clinical research studies; providing education and mentoring
to new investigators (especially those in fellowship training programs)
as well as the broader scientific community; and assisting investigators
in locating individuals with specific primary immunodeficiency diseases
or gaining access to cell lines from these individuals. |
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