Biodefense Grants and Contracts:
FY2003 Awards
In fiscal year (FY) 2003, NIAID greatly expanded its biodefense research program in priority areas, launching new initiatives that target basic and applied research as well as research infrastructure. These initiatives have been categorized according to the following four areas:
- Research Resources—Initiatives to build biodefense research capacity and infrastructure
- Product Development—Initiatives to support all phases of development of a candidate product or platform technology, including development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
- Clinical Research—Initiatives to evaluate biodefense therapies, vaccines, and diagnostics
- Basic Research—Programs to investigate pathogen biology, host response, microbial genomic sequencing, and proteomics
Through these initiatives, the Institute awarded a number of grants and contracts to expand scientific research and development for biodefense. Details concerning specific initiatives and related award information may be found below.
Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (RCEs) and Planning Grants for RCEs (P-RCEs)
Objective: The RCEs will develop and maintain strong infrastructure and multifaceted research and development activities that will provide the scientific information and translational research capacity to make the next generation of therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics against the CDC Category A – C Agents with particular emphasis on Category A. The Planning Grants (P-RCEs) will support research program initiation and resource acquisition that could lead to the establishment of Regional Centers of Excellence.
Contact Info
RCE: Rona Hirschberg
E-mail: rhirschberg@niaid.nih.gov
P-RCE: Susan Garges
E-mail: sgarges@niaid.nih.gov
National Biocontainment Laboratories (NBLs) and Regional Biocontainment Laboratories (RBLs)
Objective: To support the design and construction of comprehensive BSL-3/4 laboratories as national resources for research and development for biodefense and emerging diseases.
Contact Info
Nancy Boyd
E-mail: nboyd@niaid.nih.gov
Construction Quality Management Support Services
Objective: To support NIAID in providing oversight for the planning, design, construction, commissioning, activation, occupancy, and closeout activities of the NBL and RBL construction projects.
Contact Info
Nancy Boyd
E-mail: nboyd@niaid.nih.gov
Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Program
Objective: To acquire, authenticate, store, and distribute state-of-the-art research and reference reagents to the scientific community and to provide current information to facilitate research and product development for biodefense and emerging infectious diseases.
Contact Info
Kenneth Cremer
E-mail: kcremer@niaid.nih.gov
In Vitro and Animal Models for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biodefense
Objective: To provide targeted screening of potential therapeutic and prevention modalities for emerging infectious agents and bioterrorism pathogens using in vitro, small animal, and non-human primate models to test safety and efficacy.
Contact Info
Judith Hewitt
E-mail: jhewitt@niaid.nih.gov
In Vitro Antiviral Screening Program
Objective: To facilitate the identification of antiviral agents with the potential for treatment of viral infections of public health importance, including those for newly emerging infections and those that are not a high priority for the pharmaceutical industry.
Contact Info
Christopher Tseng
E-mail: ctseng@niaid.nih.gov
Network for Large-Scale Sequencing of Microbial Genomes
Objective: To establish a state-of-the-art, high-throughput DNA sequencing center that can sequence genomes of microbes and invertebrate vectors of infectious diseases.
Contact Info
Maria Giovanni
E-mail: mgiovanni@niaid.nih.gov
Pathogen Functional Genomics Resource Center
Objective: To establish a centralized facility that will provide scientists with the resources and reagents necessary to conduct functional genomics research on human pathogens and invertebrate vectors. Resources will include microarrays, protein expression clones, microbial genotyping and bioinformatics services, and a repository for clone access and other reagents.
Contact Info
Maria Giovanni
E-mail: mgiovanni@niaid.nih.gov
Food- and Waterborne Diseases Integrated Research Network (FWDIRN)
Objective: To expand the capabilities of NIAID's current enteric pathogens research network to include multidisciplinary research on all food- and waterborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and protozoa) or toxins in order to facilitate the development and evaluation of products to rapidly identify, prevent, and treat food- and waterborne diseases that threaten public health. The network will include an Immunology Research Unit (IRU); Microbiology Research Units (MRUs); Zoonoses Research Units (ZRUs); and Clinical Research Units (CRUs). The Network will be supported by a Coordinating and Biostatistics Center (CoBC). One of the MRUs will emphasize therapies for botulism.
Contact Info
FWDIRN coordinator; ZRUs and CRUs: Leigh Sawyer
E-mail: lsawyer@niaid.nih.gov
Microbiology Research Unit and Botulism Research Center: Katherine Taylor
E-mail: kataylor@niaid.nih.gov
Immunology Research Unit: Lillian Van De Verg
E-mail: lvandeverg@niaid.nih.gov
Microbiology Research Unit: Clare Schmitt
E-mail: cschmitt@niaid.nih.gov
Coordinating and Biostatistics Center: Elaine Matzen
E-mail: ematzen@niaid.nih.gov
Respiratory Pathogens Research Network
Objective: To expand NIAID’s capacity for the development of new products for biodefense and emerging infectious diseases, including vaccines, adjuvants, and strategies to optimize the protective immune response. The network consists of a Viral Respiratory Pathogens Research Unit (VRPRU), a Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens Research Unit (BRPRU), and a Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens Reference Laboratory. These units work to develop a focused and coordinated basic and clinical human respiratory pathogens research program that conducts preclinical research activities and Phase I clinical trials. Research themes include understanding microbial pathogenesis and host/pathogen interactions and the identification of correlates of protection and genetic factors that may influence susceptibility to infection.
Contact Info
Viral Respiratory Pathogens Research Unit: Linda Lambert
E-mail: llambert@niaid.nih.gov
Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens Research Unit: Marianne Mann
E-mail: mamann@niaid.nih.gov
Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens Reference Laboratory: David Klein
E-mail: dklein@niaid.nih.gov
Pandemic Preparedness in Asia
Objective: To conduct surveillance of pandemic influenza and understand the molecular basis of transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses. This contract has been expanded to enhance NIAID's ability to rapidly detect, identify, and characterize emerging influenza viruses with pandemic potential and to develop vaccines against them. The expansion will allow the development of a complete set of reagents (antibodies, recombinant proteins, microarrays) that can be used to detect new strains and standardize vaccines, expand animal influenza surveillance activities, produce a library of high-growth reassortant vaccine candidates, and produce candidate vaccines against novel influenza viruses for clinical testing.
Contact Info
Linda Lambert
E-mail: llambert@niaid.nih.gov
Biodefense Partnerships: Vaccines, Adjuvants, Therapeutics, Diagnostics, and Resources
Objective: To facilitate collaborative partnerships between government, academia, and the private sector to develop novel biodefense products. NIAID has identified specific products for biodefense that are of the highest priority. This RFA supports the rapid development of these high-priority products.
Contact Info
PAR-03-025: Linda Lambert
E-mail: lclambert@niaid.nih.gov
PAR-02-026: Barbara Mulach
E-mail: bmulach@niaid.nih.gov
Cooperative Research for the Development of Vaccines, Adjuvants, Therapeutics, Immunotherapeutics, and Diagnostics for Biodefense
Objective: To support discovery/design and development of vaccines, therapeutics, adjuvants, and diagnostics for biodefense. This program will help translate research from the target identification stage through target validation to early product development.
Contact Info
Katherine Taylor
E-mail: kataylor@niaid.nih.gov
Production and Testing of Anthrax Recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) Vaccine
Objectives: To continue initial work on a promising vaccine concept, transitioning from pilot scale manufacturing to larger scale production of consistency lots. To continue to take this experimental vaccine strategy through several stages of development, including scaled manufacturing, testing for safety in laboratory and clinical trials, testing for efficacy in animals, and preparing and submitting all necessary Food and Drug Administration (FDA) applications.
Contact Info
Edwin Nuzum
E-mail: enuzum@niaid.nih.gov
NIAID Small Business Biodefense Program
Objective: To encourage Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) applications to develop therapeutics, vaccines, adjuvants/immunostimulants, diagnostics, and selected resources for biodefense.
Contact Info
Barbara Mulach
E-mail: bmulach@niaid.nih.gov
Development and Testing of a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) Vaccine
Objectives: To develop an MVA vaccine, assess protection and immunogenicity provided by MVA vaccines in appropriate animal models, conduct Phase I clinical trials to assess the safety and immunogenicity of MVA vaccine candidates, and develop a feasibility plan to manufacture and fill at least 30 million doses of MVA vaccine under current Good Manufacturing Processes (cGMP).
Contact Info
Gerald Kovacs
E-mail: gkovacs@niaid.nih.gov
Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense
Objective: To develop a better understanding of the human immune response to potential agents of bioterror, and to develop countermeasures such as vaccines and therapies against these agents. Five Cooperative Centers will be established to work synergistically to advance laboratory and clinical findings about the human immune system.
Contact Info
Helen Quill
E-mail: hquill@niaid.nih.gov
Clinical Trials for Antiviral Therapies
Objectives: To coordinate and conduct clinical trials for antiviral therapies for herpes virus infections, rare and/or emerging viral diseases such as West Nile Virus and SARS, and potential biologic threat agents. To coordinate and conduct clinical trials to assess the natural history of emerging viral diseases with the goal of identifying clinical endpoints that will be useful in the evaluation of future antiviral therapies.
Contact Info
Walla Dempsey
E-mail: wdempsey@niaid.nih.gov
Training and Career Development for Biodefense and Emerging Diseases
Objective: To ensure that an adequate cadre of well-trained and motivated investigators are available to pursue research and development objectives in biodefense and emerging diseases.
Contact Info
Susan Garges
E-mail: sgarges@niaid.nih.gov
Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Opportunities
Objective: To provide sufficient understanding of the mechanisms of pathogen/host interactions to facilitate the subsequent design and development of interventions.
Contact Info
Samuel Perdue
E-mail: sperdue@niaid.nih.gov
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