Funding News - Applications for Research on Mechanisms in Immunomodulation Trials Requested

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) request applications for research studies on mechanisms in immunomodulation trials.

The objective of this request for applications (RFA) is to support mechanistic research studies in clinical trials of immunomodulatory interventions for immune system-mediated diseases, including asthma and allergy, graft failure in solid organ and stem cell transplantation, and autoimmune diseases.

Examples of potential areas of research include: quantitation of disease-related, autoreactive, or alloreactive lymphocytes using methods such as MHC/peptide tetramers, chimeric antibodies, or very early activation antigens; analysis of autoreactive or alloreactive cells by PCR for expression of genes implicated in immunity or inflammation, or by FACS for cell surface markers that identify functions; assessment of reagents that can identify newly recognized populations of regulatory T cells which appear to be altered in autoimmune disease; identification and evaluation of cytokine and cytokine receptor polymorphisms and analysis for genetic linkage to disease; use of high throughput technologies to identify and evaluate genes activated in disease sites; identification of useful surrogate markers by correlation of the above parameters with disease activity and/or response to intervention; comparison of samples from peripheral blood with those from sites of disease; and assessment of the presence of molecular evidence of potential causative environmental agents.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: Applications will be accepted monthly, on the 9th of each month.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. A.P. Kerza-Kwiatecki, Neural Environment Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2115, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: (301) 496-1431; fax: (301) 402-2060; e-mail: ak45w@nih.gov.

For a more detailed description of this RFA, please visit the web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-01-001.html.