Dan Rotrosen, M.D.
Acting Director, DAIT
Dr. Rotrosen announced the following published research initiatives:
Announcements and Solicitations
- RFA-AI-98-001: Human Immunology Centers of Excellence
- RFA-AI-98-005: Asthma and Allergic Diseases Research Centers
- RFA-AI-98-006: Hyperaccelerated Award/Mechanisms in Immune Disease Trials
- RFA-AI-98-012: Cooperative Clinical Trial in Pediatric Renal Transplantation
- PA-98-034: The Pathogenesis of Chronic Sinusitis
- NIH-NIAID-DAIT-BAA-99-04: Application of Data on HLA and CD1 to the Improvement of Vaccines
In addition, to the above announcements/solicitations, the NIAID has joined other NIH Institutes and Centers in cosponsoring three FY 1998 research initiatives.
- PA-98-036: Opportunities for Research at Regional Primate Research Centers
- PA-98-040: Opportunities in AIDS Research Grant Program: Human Immunology
- RFA-HG-98-001: Methods for Discovering and Scoring Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
- Dr. Rotrosen also highlighted the following scientific activities:
Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines for Allergic Diseases: NIAID is collaborating with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and other professional allergy organizations, on developing evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, management and prevention of allergic diseases.
Secretary’s Asthma Initiative: NIAID is participating in a workgroup chaired by Dr. William Raub, Assistant Secretary for Science Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, DHHS. The working group is charged with identifying unmet needs and opportunities in asthma research, surveillance and public health practice, and with developing a planning document for asthma research. Other NIH institutes participating in this workgroup are NHLBI, NIA, NICHD, NIEHS, NINR, and other agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services.
NIAID Task Force on Immunology: Dr. Helen Quill, Chief, Basic Immunology Branch, convened the NIAID Task Force on Immunology in late 1996 to examine the current status of immunological research and to define the most promising directions for future research. Immunological topics were separated into chapters. The co-chairs for each chapter have spent the past year collating written contributions from a large number of scientists addressing a broad range of immunological areas. Distinguished experts in the field produced a written report, and the final report was discussed and ratified at a meeting of the co-chairs and Division staff on May 27, 1998.
Workshop on Basic Immunology for Vaccine Research: Dr. Charles Hackett, Chief, Molecular and Structural Immunology Section, Basic Immunology Branch, planned a workshop, to be held in Bethesda on June 9, 1998, with the goal of advancing vaccine development through basic immunology research.
A one-day working meeting will bring together basic and microbial immunologists, clinical vaccine researchers, and industrial vaccine developers to discuss workable approaches for increasing the role of basic immunology in the design and development of vaccines.
Vaccines for Prevention and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases: NIAID 50th Anniversary Symposium: As part of its 50th Anniversary Celebration, NIAID is sponsoring a meeting on "Vaccines for the Prevention and Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases" on June 8, 1998. The meeting is being held to address the science underlying the development of vaccines for autoimmune disease and the potential for their clinical application. Several institutes and offices have joined NIAID as cosponsors: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR), and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health. In addition, several non-federal organizations with an interest in this area are cosponsoring this event: the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International, the Lupus Foundation of America, the American Autoimmune-Related Diseases Association, the Arthritis Foundation, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Workshop on Prospects for Gene Therapy of Inherited Phagocyte Disorders: NIAID and the NIH Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) organized a workshop to discuss the prospects for gene therapy of inherited phagocyte disorders (a group of rare diseases which includes Chronic Granulomatous Disease, Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency, Chediak-Higashi Syndrome, and Interferon Gamma Receptor Deficiency). The workshop was held on May 28 and 29, 1998 in conjunction with the meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy.
Xenotransplantation: Xenotransplantation, the use of non-human organs, tissues or cells in humans, is a possible solution to the current severe shortage of human organs, tissues and cells for transplantation.
The Organization for Economic Cooperative Development (OECD)- New York Academy of Sciences meeting on xenotransplantation was held on February 18-20, 1998. This meeting brought together transplant and infectious disease scientists, public policy experts, ethicists and government officials to begin formulating international policy on clinical xenotransplantation.
The Many Faces of Immune Tolerance and Its Application to Transplantation and Autoimmunity
Ad hoc Council members and guests presented their current research efforts on this highly important topic. Moderator, Dr. Stephen Rose, Chief, Genetics and Transplantation Branch, introduced speakers and topics: Dr. Laurence Turka, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: The Role of T Cell Costimulatory Signals in Transplant Rejection and Related Immune Responses; Dr. Alan Krensky, Stanford University: HLA Derived Peptides in Transplant Tolerance; Dr. Terry Strom, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School: The Role of T Cell Growth Factors in the Acquisition of Peripheral Tolerance; and Dr. Martin Weigert, Princeton University: Receptor Editing in the Generation of Disease Associated Autoantibodies.
Concept Review
Dr. Rotrosen reported on the status of the Division's proposed FY 2000 Research Emphasis Areas, which were developed at the September 1997 open Subcommittee meeting. Building on the Subcommittee discussion, twelve FY 2000 research initiatives were proposed at the January 1998 NIAID Winter Program Review. Although these proposed initiatives were judged meritorious by the Subcommittee and the leadership of the Institute, Dr. Rotrosen pointed out that based on current budget projections, funding would not be available for all proposed initiatives and specific priorities could not be determined at this early stage. However, Subcommittee concurrence is being sought in order to allow the early development of research solicitations when fiscal planning information becomes available.
Cooperative Clinical Trial in Adult Kidney Transplantation: A one-year extension of the NIAID Cooperative Clinical Trial in Adult Kidney Transplantation to: (1) complete accrual in currently open protocols to generate clinically and statistically significant results; and (2) design and conduct pilot studies of the safety and potential efficacy of promising approaches to achieve immune tolerance in the transplant setting.
Cooperative Clinical Trial in Allergen Immunotherapy: This initiative involves the evaluation of approaches to modulate the human immune response for the treatment of human asthma and allergic diseases
Cooperative Clinical Trial of Immune Tolerance for Islet Transplantation: This initiative proposes to establish a program for cooperative clinical trials in islet transplantation.
Human Immunology Cooperative Study Group: This initiative proposes the establishment of a Human Immunology Cooperative Study (HICS) Group to serve as a central resource for critical studies of immunologic parameters in NIAID supported non-human primate studies and clinical trials of tolerogenic and immunomodulatory approaches to treat immune-mediated diseases.
Developmental/Exploratory Research on Immune Tolerance: An innovative research grants program is proposed to provide support for truly novel areas of antigen-specific immune tolerance research.
Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence: A cooperative program of integrated basic, pre-clinical, and clinical research focused on elucidation of the basic mechanisms of autoimmunity, self tolerance and /or immune modulation.
Innovative Research in Human Mucosal Immunity: This initiative seeks to increase basic research on the human mucosal immune system. Attracting new investigators to this area by requesting research projects that involve a high degree of innovation, risk and novelty, as well as a clear promise of helping to improve understanding of the human mucosal immune system.
Interdisciplinary Centers for Host Defense/Inflammation: This initiative would support multicomponent, multidisciplinary, cooperative agreements focused on the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of host defense/inflammation. This information will be used for the development, preclinical, and pilot testing of novel and innovative approaches for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Research Centers for Basic Immunology of Vaccines: These Centers would bring together basic immunologists, clinicians, and microbiologists to target specific human infectious diseases and address key problems in vaccine development by increasing understanding of the immunological mechanisms.
Prevention of Allergic Diseases and Asthma: This initiative proposes to use epidemiological and natural history studies to identify and assess allergen exposure and other environmental risk factors, from prenatal development to childhood, that may induce the onset of allergic diseases and asthma.
Foundation Colony for Mouse Breeding: This initiative proposes to continue support to import, re-derive and make available to the extramural community a number of unique gene knockout and transgenic mouse strains that serve as important models for the study of human disease.
Hyperaccelerated Award/Mechanisms in Immune Disease Trials: This initiative proposes to support investigator-initiated mechanistic studies in clinical trials of immunomodulatory interventions for immune system mediated diseases, including asthma and allergy, transplantation rejection, and autoimmune diseases.
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