Funding News - Applications on Biomarkers for Diabetic Microvascular Complications Requested

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the National Eye Institute (NEI) request applications for research to develop and validate biomarkers for microvascular complications of diabetes.* The purpose of this request for applications (RFA) is to invite basic and clinical research applications to develop biochemical, cellular, physiological, or genetic surrogate endpoints that can be used to predict risk, aid in early diagnosis, and assess progression of the microvascular complications of diabetes. The overall goal of this RFA is to develop biomarkers that could be used as diagnostic tools for patients, or as outcome measures used in clinical trials to test new therapeutic agents. Areas of potential research interest include studies to: identify and validate new biomarkers of early signs of retinopathy, nephropathy, or neuropathy, and that identify patients at risk for the development of these conditions; develop non-invasive measures of oxygenation or blood flow in relevant tissues; identify and validate new diagnostic tools that can be used to more sensitively monitor progression of retinopathy, nephropathy, or neuropathy, including studies to assess the correlation between non-invasive markers of disease and pathological progression; clarify the predictive value of existing biomarkers or surrogate endpoints; and identify biomarkers that could be useful in predicting susceptibility to or development of multiple microvascular complications. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: February 14, 2002. For more information potential applicants should contact Dr. Paul Nichols, Program Director, Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2118, Bethesda, MD, 20892; telephone: (301) 496-9964; fax: (301) 401-2060; e-mail: pn13w@nih.gov. *For a more detailed description of this RFA, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DK-02-016.html.