Daniel Rotrosen, M.D.,
Acting Director, DAIT
Dr. Rotrosen announced the following scientific initiatives had recently been published in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts:
Announcements and Solicitations
- PA-97-073: Mucosal Immunity in Pathogenesis/Prevention of Human Disease
- PA-97-075: Direct vs Indirect Antigen Recognition in Allograft Survival
- PA-97-076: Immunological Aspects of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- PA-97-077: Minor Histocompatibility Antigens in GVHD and Graft Rejection
- PA-97-078: Inflammation in Asthma and Allergy
- PA-97-079: Innate Immunity
- PA-97-081: Basic and Clinical Research on Immune Tolerance
- RFA HL-97-010: Role of Respiratory Infection in Childhood Asthma (cosponsored by NIAID and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
Dr. Rotrosen related the following scientific activities:
Healthy Buildings Meeting . Healthy Buildings/Indoor Air Quality 97: Global Issues and Regional Solutions will be held on September 27- October 2, 1997. The purpose of the meeting is to foster interactions among building engineers and health scientists to evaluate adverse health effects. The meeting is organized by the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. It is co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Public Health Service, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the American Lung Association, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, and the International Council of Building Research, Studies and Documentation.
American Public Health Association (APHA) Meeting. NIAID is participating in the annual APHA meeting, in Indianapolis November, 1997 in a session entitled: Asthma-Are We Ready to Translate Science into Practice? NIAID will review the key risk factors associated with severe asthma in inner cities (such as cockroach allergen exposure and sensitization) and will discuss interventions to reduce asthma morbidity among children living in inner cities.
Asthma Workshops. NIAID is organizing workshops on asthma at both the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) meeting in Washington in March 1998, and at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) meeting in Chicago in May 1998. The theme of the AAAAI meeting will be "Asthma and the Environment," with topics ranging from a review of the effects on asthma of exposures to allergens and pollutants to discussions of interventions to reduce environmental exposure.
Workshop on Advancing Immunology Research through Technology. A workshop entitled "Advancing Immunology Research through Technology" has been organized by Dr. Vicki Seyfert, Chief of the Immunoregulation Section of the Basic Immunology Branch, and will be held in Washington, DC, on September 24, 1997. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum for basic immunologists to interact with prominent bioengineers and discuss innovations in technology that are applicable to immunology research.
U.S.- Japan Immunology Board. The 15th Annual Meeting of the U.S.-Japan Immunology Board will be held on October 9 and 10, 1997 on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. An open symposium of scientific presentations delivered by the Board members and invited intramural scientists has been planned.
Workshop on Systemic Vasculitis: Future Research Directions. NIAID and the NIH Office of Rare Diseases, (ORD) have organized a workshop on Systemic Vasculitides (a group of rare diseases thought to be caused by immune system mediated inflammation), to be held on September 15, 1997 at the NIH. The workshop will focus on the most exciting and fruitfu1 opportunities and approaches for evaluating the pathogenic mechanisms underlying this group of rare diseases.
Immunologic Tolerance for Immune System Mediated Diseases. NIAID and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) are sponsoring a symposium entitled Immunologic Tolerance for Immune System Mediated Diseases on December 8, 1997 at the NIH. This is the sixth annual symposium sponsored by NIAID and AAAAI. The purpose is to provide an update on the current status of this exciting and rapidly moving area for both researchers and clinicians.
Basic to Clinical Transitions in Autoimmunity Research. This meeting of the directors of the Program Projects in Autoimmunity and the Interdisciplinary Programs in Autoimmunity is to be held in Bethesda on September 29-30, 1997. The purpose of the meeting is to foster collaboration between the various programs, share exciting new information, and explore ways the NIAID can better meet the needs of investigators in moving basic research to clinical benefit. The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International is cosponsoring this meeting.
Novel Perspectives on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From Basic Research to Clinical
Applications. This scientific conference will provide a series of workshops to review basic scientific research and how this research applies to the clinical disease systemic lupus erythematosus. The conference is co-sponsored by NIAID, the S.L.E. Foundation, the Lupus Foundation of America, the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the Office for Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, will be held November 6-8, 1997 in the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD.
Bone Marrow Transplantation for the Treatment of Autoimmune Disease. This conference, sponsored by the University of Massachusetts, NIDDK, and NIAID, will bring together experts in basic immunology, various autoimmune diseases, and transplantation to understand the status of bone marrow transplantation for autoimmune diseases. This procedure is already in clinical practice throughout Europe and is starting to be performed in this country. The meeting will be held in Worcester, MA on November 14-15, 1997.
Presentation of FY 2000 Proposed Research Emphasis Areas
The following proposed research emphasis areas were discussed:
- Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence
- Prevention of Allergic Diseases and Asthma
- Supplement to Foundation Colony for Mouse Repository Contract
- Innovative Technology for Immunology Research
- Immune Modulation for Prevention and Treatment of Asthma and Allergic Diseases
- Centers for Basic Immunology of Vaccines
An engaging discussion was undertaken by the Division staff, Council members and Ad Hoc guest concerning the above proposed research emphasis areas. A final consensus was reached by all on each of the proposed research areas and will be presented to the Advisory Council in May for concept review.
Concept Review
The following eleven FY 1999 proposed research concepts were presented, discussed and approved.
Centers of Excellence in Immunology: This initiative is to provide support for basic research in human immunology at the genetic, biochemical, cellular and systemic levels, in order to facilitate translation of basic information into clinical approaches for the prevention or treatment of human conditions such as autoimmunity, allergy, infectious diseases, transplant rejection and inflammatory diseases.
Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence: The objective of this initiative is to support integrated centers of basic, pre-clinical and clinical research in autoimmunity, emphasizing novel approaches and state-of-the-art technology to increase our understanding of the basic mechanisms of autoimmunity and self tolerance and to translate that information to the clinical setting.
Mechanistic Studies in Clinical Trials for Immunologic Diseases: The emphasis of this initiative is to enhance understanding of the mechanisms of action of immunomodulatory interventions for immunologic diseases, delineate their effect both on the immune system and the pathologic process, and characterize immunologic surrogate markers of disease activity and therapeutic effect.
Asthma, Allergic and Immunologic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers: This initiative would promote innovative, multidisciplinary, and highly interactive disease-oriented basic and clinical research projects through continued supports of AAIDCRCs.
Cooperative Clinical Trial in Pediatric Transplantation: The objective of this initiative is to support prospective, multi-center, cooperative clinical trials in pediatric transplant recipients, including: (1) evaluation of new and innovative therapeutic approaches, including modifications in existing therapeutic approaches, to improve outcome; (2) research to enhance understanding of the basic mechanism(s) of the immune response to transplanted kidneys and/or livers in children, and (3) post-transplant immune monitoring to determine the immune status of the recipient, and the identification and characterization of surrogate markers that are predictive of rejection.
Orphan Molecule Production Facility: The objective is to produce and distribute immunologically-relevant molecules needed for preclinical studies and clinical trials to prevent or treat graft rejection.
Clinical Markers in Immunologic Diseases: The objective is to support the development of immunologic/laboratory markers for risk assessment, diagnosis, disease activity, and therapeutic benefit for immunologic diseases.
Application of HLA Data to Develop and Improve Vaccines: This initiative is to define the HLA determinants that influence the nature and magnitude of the immune response to vaccination and to use this information to develop new or improve existing peptide-based vaccines.
The Pathogenesis of Chronic Sinusitis: The purpose of this research is to investigate the mechanisms of inflammation in chronic sinusitis and to develop new strategies to prevent and/or treat this disease.
The Immune Response to Transplants of Cells and Tissues of the Nervous System: The objective of this research is to support basic, pre-clinical (including animal models) and clinical research to enhance the engraftment and the function of transplants of cells and tissues of the nervous system.
Clinical Trials for Immunologic Diseases: This division wide initiative objective is to enhance understanding of the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of immunomodulatory interventions for immunologic diseases which are not being evaluated by industry and which may provide improved methods of treatment and prevention as well as insights into the pathogenesis of disease.
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