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Funding News - Applications Encouraged for Sarcoidosis Research

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The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) encourages grant applications for research on the cause and treatment of sarcoidosis.  This announcement is made together with 8 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

Sarcoidosis is a human immune-mediated disorder of granulomatous inflammation.  Although sarcoidosis was described originally through its skin manifestations, involvement of multiple organs and organ systems was soon recognized.  Critical organ involvement occurs in the eyes, heart, and nervous system in about 15 percent, 10 percent, and 5 percent of patients, respectively.

Examples of potential research topics include, but are not limited to, studies to:  investigate genetic factors that may contribute to differences in susceptibility of individuals; determine if any clinical, molecular, genetic, or other features of the skin lesions or skin presentation of sarcoidosis are predictive of serious internal organ involvement; examine why the granulomatous inflammation process in sarcoidosis attacks components of the peripheral and central nervous systems (CNS); investigate which endogenous cell types in the CNS contribute to granulomatous formation in the CNS; define innate immunity or other molecular signals from involvement of other affected organs in sarcoidosis that could predict involvement of the nervous system; define approaches for risk reduction, psychological coping, and management of complications and side effects of treatment; develop animal models for hepatic sarcoidosis that recapitulate the full spectrum of human disease for studies of etiologic mechanisms and translational studies; and identify molecular targets for novel non-cytotoxic therapies of liver sarcoidosis based on molecular studies of tissue from humans as well as through use of in vitro and/or animal models.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Michael Nunn, Program Director, Neural Environment Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2115, Bethesda, MD  20892; telephone:  301-496-1431; fax:  301-402-2060; e-mail:  mn52e@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this announcement, please visit the NIH web site at:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-123.html.

This content has been adapted from the original NINDS Notes publication. For the most up-to-date funding information, please visit the Funding Opportunities section of the NINDS web site.  For the most recent information on NINDS studies, please visit the NINDS Patient Recruitment web site.