[IMM Small Business SEP]

The Immunology Small Business Activities Special Emphasis Panel [IMM Small Business SEP – IMM (10)] reviews grant applications in the area of immunology for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Programs at NIH.  Applications that address basic and applied immunology, immunologic therapies, and diseases of immunologic origin are appropriate for review in the IMM Small Business SEP. The IMM Small Business SEP also reviews applications dealing with development of computer models of the immune system or of immunologic reactions.

Specific areas covered by the IMM Small Business SEP:

• Immunoassay reagents and development
  
  
• Antibody-specific reagents
  
  
• Cellular immune system-specific reagents
  
  
• Monoclonal antibody development
  
  
• Alternative production schemes for antibodies
  
  
• Immunology-based therapeutics
  
  
• Inhibitors of immune system interactions
  
  
• Innate immune system modulation
  
  
• Immunomodulation, suppression and enhancement
  
  
• Signal transduction pathways in immune cells
  
  
• The complement system
  
  
• Immuno-detection of infectious diseases
  
  
• Immunotherapy of infectious diseases
  
  
• Immuno-detection of autoimmune diseases
  
  
• Immunotherapy of autoimmune diseases
  
  
• Cytokine/lymphokine modulation
  
  
• Vaccines against microbial diseases
  
  
• Dendritic cell processing and modulation
  
  
• Animal models of immune disease(s)
  
  
• Immunology of transplantation; autologous,
  heterologous, xenogeneic
  
  
• Development of computer models of the immune system or immunologic reactions.

The IMM Small Business SEP has the following shared interests outside the IMM IRG:

• With the Infectious Diseases and Microbiology [IDM] IRG: Applications focusing of the pathogen should be referred to IDM. Applications focusing on the immune response to infection, immunotherapy of infection, or development of immunologic reagents for immunodiagnosis should be referred to IMM.
  
  
• With the Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG: Applications focusing of the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and drug therapeutics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should be referred to MOSS. Applications focusing on immunotherapy of RA and other autoimmune diseases should be referred to IMM.
  
  
• With the Oncological Sciences [ONC] IRG: Applications focusing on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and drug therapeutics of tumors and oncogenesis should be referred to ONC.  Applications focusing on the basic science of the immunotherapy of tumors should be referred to IMM. Those dealing with immunodiagnosis of tumors or immunotherapy at the translational or clinical levels should be referred to ONC.
  
  
• With the Respiratory Sciences [RES] IRG: Applications focusing on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and drug therapeutics of asthma and other lung-associated diseases should be referred to RES.  Applications focusing on the immunotherapy of asthma and other hyperreactive and inflammatory diseases should be referred to IMM.
  
  
• With the Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies [BST] IRG: Applications dealing with the design or manufacture of mechanical, fluidic or electronic instruments should be assigned to BST. Those dealing with adaptation or fabrication of immunologic assays to existing instrumentation should be assigned to the IMM Small Business SEP.
  
  
• With the AIDS and Related Research [AARR] IRG:   SBIR immunology applications which are AIDS related are to be assigned to the AARR IRG.