Funding News - NINDS Notes - March 2004

Applications for Basic and Translational Research on Emotion Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) invites grant applications for basic and translational research on emotion. This announcement is made together with 6 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

The study of emotion includes investigations of overt behaviors (such as aggression or withdrawal), interpersonal relationships, communication and decision making, and environmental circumstances and experiences that shape and elicit emotions. Research on emotion can also include the study of licit and illicit psychoactive substances that alter moods, and conversely, the study of how emotional and mood states can predispose to, or modulate the effects of, pain or alcohol and psychoactive substances.

Potential areas of research interest include: the relationships among behavioral, physiological, and neural aspects of emotion; the basic mechanisms by which emotions are acquired or otherwise shaped by the physiological and social contexts in which they occur; the continuities across, and distinctions among, the phenomena of emotion, mood, temperament, and emotional trait and disorder; how attention, memory, and perceived threat act to sustain or interrupt emotional states; the continuities and discontinuities between normal emotional processes and those seen in psychopathology, developmental disorders, risky behaviors including alcohol or drug abuse, or other developmental problems; the extent to which behavioral, physiological, and neural measures of emotion identify individuals at risk for suicidal, violent, or self-injurious behavior, or alcohol/drug abuse, within the context of preventive interventions; how individuals can be trained to best identify and regulate emotions and moods that may represent a possible risk for relapse of physical or mental illness; the biological and experiential sources of individual differences in emotional reactivity and regulation throughout development; how emotions get attached to attitudes, stereotypes, and identity; the determinants, age-specific characteristics, and consequences of emotional attachments across the lifespan; and how cultural and socialization processes influence the experience and expression of emotion.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Emmeline Edwards, Program Director, Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2109, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-9964; fax: 301-402-2060; e-mail: ee48r@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-169.html.

Applications for Bioengineering Research Partnerships Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) invites applications for bioengineering research partnerships (BRPs) for basic, applied, and translational multidisciplinary research that addresses important biological or medical research problems. This announcement is made together with 15 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

Bioengineering integrates physical, engineering, and computational science principles for the study of biology, medicine, behavior, or health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge from the molecular to the organ systems level, and develops innovative biologicals, materials, processes, implants, devices, and informatics approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, for patient rehabilitation, and for improving health. A BRP is a multidisciplinary research team that applies an integrative, systems approach to develop knowledge and/or methods to prevent, detect, diagnose, or treat disease or to understand health and behavior.

Applications for a BRP should focus on an area of basic, applied, translational, behavioral, or clinical research in bioengineering that supports the missions of the participating NIH institutes and centers, and where progress is likely to make a significant contribution to improving human health.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Naomi Kleitman, Program Director, Repair and Plasticity Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2204, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-1447; fax: 301-480-1080; e-mail: nk85q@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-023.html.

Research on Diet Composition and Energy Balance Encouraged

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) encourages grant applications for research on the role of diet composition in energy balance. This announcement is made together with 8 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

Obesity is associated with numerous serious and chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and certain forms of cancer. Although an imbalance in energy consumption and expenditure is required to promote inappropriate weight gain, the relative contributions of each to the burgeoning obesity epidemic remain in dispute. An important gap in knowledge concerns the role of diet composition in energy balance.

Potential areas of research interest include: the impact of diets varying in levels of protein, carbohydrate, fat, phytochemicals, or ethanol on appetite, food selection and intake, and energy expenditure; the effect of diets differing in glycemic index, dietary variety, food volume, or nutrient density on appetite, caloric intake, nutrient absorption, weight, metabolomic profiles, and body composition both short- and long-term; the impact of diet composition on neuroendocrine, gastrointestinal, and other factors that may impact energy balance; the impact of diets differing in macronutrient composition on psychological/behavioral function, bone, renal function, cardiovascular disease, and cancer risk; the impact of food components such as conjugated linoleic acid or calcium on energy balance, body composition, and disease risk; genomic and epigenomic factors underlying individual or population differences in response to diet composition that relate to chronic disease prevention; brain imaging studies in humans and non-human primates to assess positron emission tomography, functional magnetic resonance, or cerebral blood flow imaging responses to specific dietary constituents; and life-stage, racial/ethnic, and gender-related factors underlying response to diet composition, including studies in children, adolescents, and adults of various ages.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Merrill M. Mitler, Program Director, Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2116, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-9964; fax: 301-402-2060; e-mail: mm777k@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-033.html.

Applications for ELSI Regular Research Program Encouraged

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) encourages grant applications for research to anticipate, analyze, and address the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of the discovery and use of new information and technologies from human genetic and genomic research. This announcement is made together with 8 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

The publication of an accurate, comprehensive sequence of the human genome in April 2003 marked the completion of the international human genome project. The biomedical research community is now interpreting this fundamental source of knowledge about human biology and developing new approaches for applying genomic technologies and information to improving human health throughout the lifespan. In the next few years, people will have to seriously consider numerous ethical, legal, and social questions raised by the availability and use of this information, and then formulate and implement policies to address many of them. Proactive and sustained efforts will be needed to ensure that the potential benefits of these new technologies are maximized and potential harms minimized.

Examples of research areas of interest include: intellectual property issues surrounding access to and use of genetic information; ethical, legal, and social factors that influence the translation of genetic information to improved human health; issues surrounding the conduct of genetic research; issues surrounding the use of genetic information and technologies in non-health care settings; the impact of genomics on concepts of race, ethnicity, kinship, and individual and group identity; the implications, for both individuals and society, of uncovering genomic contributions to “normal” human traits and behaviors; and how different individuals, cultures, and religious traditions view the ethical boundaries for the uses of genomics.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Robert Finkelstein, Program Director, Neurogenetics Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2143, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-5745; fax: 301-402-1501; e-mail: rf45c@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-050.html.

Research on the Interactions Between Stem Cells and the Microenvironment In Vivo Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) invite grant applications for research on the interactions between stem cells and the microenvironment in vivo.*

Unlike organs such as the skin and the gut that self-renew throughout life, the nervous system in adult mammals is restricted in its ability to replace neurons and glia that have been lost through injury, disease, alcohol and drug abuse, or even advancing age. Stem cell research offers enormous potential for treating many congenital, developmental, psychiatric, or degenerative diseases of the nervous system for which there are no treatments or cures.

Potential areas of research interest include: identification, localization, and comparison of known or novel cues within the developing, adult, and aging nervous system that influence the mitotic potential, cell cycle, and differentiation of stem and progenitor cells along specific lineages; characterization of the cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic signaling pathways and components involved in transducing the action of local cues on stem and progenitor cells in vivo; investigation of the causal relationship between site-specific changes of endogenous cues resulting from injury, disease, exposure to alcohol, drugs of treatment or abuse, and any resulting alterations of stem cell activity; evaluation of the effects of external factors such as stress, exercise, or enriched versus impoverished living conditions on the microenvironment within the host organism, and how these changes in the microenvironment influence the behavior of stem cells at different periods throughout the lifespan of the organism; investigation of local cellular interactions that determine and maintain the structural and functional integration of progenitor cells into the host nervous system and existing circuitry; and development of assays facilitating the discovery of novel endogenous signals that modulate stem cell behavior and fate, as well as signals generated by stem cells that regulate components of the local host tissue.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Arlene Y. Chiu, Program Director, Repair and Plasticity Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2207, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-1447; fax: 301-480-1080; e-mail: ac207q@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-03-172.html.

Applications for National Centers for Neurofibromatosis Research Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) invite grant applications to establish national centers for neurofibromatosis research.*

The goal of neurofibromatosis (NF) research is to develop more effective therapies for patients with these disorders. NF centers are intended to provide an interdisciplinary, interactive environment that will accelerate research progress and permit studies that could not be done as effectively in individual laboratories.

Potential areas of research include: molecular and cell biological studies of NF1, NF2, or schwannomatosis that will be accelerated by the centralized availability of research and clinical expertise, patient DNA and tissues, or other resources; investigation of the pathogenesis of neurofibromas, gliomas, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, skeletal and cardiovascular abnormalities, learning disabilities, and other manifestations of NF; high-throughput preclinical screening of candidate NF therapeutics; development of improved cell and animal models for preclinical screening; genotype-phenotype studies of NF patients; identification of NF modifier genes and analysis of their effects on patient phenotype; natural history studies, particularly those that will guide therapeutic interventions or establish a baseline for future clinical trials; phase I or II clinical trials of potential therapeutic interventions for NF; and development of improved and standardized methods for assessing outcome in NF clinical trials and clinical research.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Robert Finkelstein, Program Director, Neurogenetics Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2143, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-5745; fax: 301-402-1501; e-mail: rf45c@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-04-018.html.

Research on the Neurobiology of Persistent Pain Mediated by the Trigeminal Nerve Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) encourage grant applications for research on the neurobiology of persistent pain mediated by the trigeminal nerve.*

Chronic pain is a debilitating condition that adversely affects the lives of millions of people. A diverse group of disorders arises from trauma, pathology, structural or degenerative changes, and, sometimes, unknown causes that affect the deep tissues of the head and face and often lead to severe, chronic pain. Chronic pain mediated by the trigeminal nerve complex is a predominant feature of conditions such as migraine disorder, trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular disorders, and dry eye syndrome.

Potential areas of research include studies to: develop model systems that appropriately mimic the clinical features of syndromes associated with deep tissue pain in the head and neck region in order to provide optimal tools for basic and clinical studies; characterize the immune and inflammatory mechanisms in the pathophysiology of craniofacial/deep tissue persistent pain through determination of the role of glial cells and cytokine release in central and peripheral pain pathways, and clinical assessment of relevant findings; discover mechanisms of plasticity at the neurochemical, molecular, and cellular levels, which contribute to abnormal pain responses and persistent pain associated with disorders of tissues innervated by the trigeminal nerve; identify the factors that contribute to the high level of co-morbidity of craniofacial with musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and pelvic pain disorders through exploration of the central integration and processing of afferent input from craniofacial structures with that from non-craniofacial structures; determine factors that underlie gender, age, and ethnic variations in pain experience of craniofacial disorders in order to provide more appropriate and individualized pain management for these groups; determine the usefulness of exercise in pain management through clinical trials; and develop and test novel mechanism-based therapies for improved management of chronic pain associated with craniofacial disorders through appropriate clinical trials.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Linda Porter, Program Director, Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2113, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-9964; fax: 301-402-2060; e-mail: lp216a@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-03-173.html.

Neurotechnology Research, Development, and Enhancement Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) encourages grant applications to research and develop novel tools and approaches to study the development, structure, and function of the brain. Also encouraged are applications to significantly enhance existing technologies that are important to understanding the brain or behavior. This announcement is made together with 7 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

In biomedicine, new tools and approaches often make possible quantum advances in research on health and disease, and, sometimes, shift the manner in which such research is undertaken and results interpreted. Conversely, the complexity of living systems represents interesting challenges to researchers, providing ample opportunity for testing and expanding the limits of their science and technology.

Examples of hardware, software, and wetware that would be considered appropriate under this program announcement include: microfluidic systems for in vivo spatial and temporal controlled delivery of neurotransmitters and other biomolecules; proteome analysis arrays, proteome data storage, and analysis of proteome data from the nervous system; genetic approaches to study structure or function of neural circuits in animal models; tools for real-time analysis of neurophysiological events; genetic approaches to manipulate or monitor synaptic activity; amplifiers that are small and light enough to be worn by mice for recording neural activity from many neurons; tools, technologies, and algorithms for neuroprosthesis development; non-invasive optical imaging instruments; technologies to facilitate high throughput analysis of behavior; telemetry devices small and light enough to be worn by mice for transmitting data during behavior; software to translate neuroimaging data from one data format into another; and computational approaches to analyze video data.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Daofen Chen, Program Director, Channels, Synapses and Circuits Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2131, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-1917; fax: 301-402-1501; e-mail: dc342b@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-006.html.

Applications for NIH Clinical Trial Planning Grants Encouraged

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) encourages applications for clinical trial planning grants. This announcement is made together with 7 other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).*

The purpose of the NIH Clinical Trial Planning Grant (R34) is to provide support for the development of a phase III clinical trial, including the establishment of the research team, the development of tools for data management and oversight of the research, the definition of recruitment strategies, and the finalization of the protocol and other essential elements of the study included in a manual of operations/procedures. The clinical trial planning grant is not designed for collecting preliminary data or conducting pilot studies to support the rationale for a clinical trial.

An NIH-defined phase III clinical trial is a broadly based prospective clinical investigation, usually involving several hundred or more human subjects, for the purpose of evaluating an experimental intervention in comparison with a standard or control intervention or comparing two or more existing treatments. Often, the aim of such an investigation is to provide a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care.

Activities supported by the R34 grant may include, but are not limited to: developing or finalizing the manual of operations; finalizing plans for addressing federal and NIH gender/minority inclusion and human subjects protection requirements; establishing collaborative arrangements; instituting means to assure standardization of procedures across sites and among staff; developing tools needed for data collection and management; developing or finalizing safety and monitoring plans; and developing plans for training that may be required to carry out the proposed trial, including, for example, training of data collectors and individuals who will carry out the planned intervention.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Scott Janis, Program Analyst, Clinical Trials Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2210, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-594-0211; fax: 301-480-1080; e-mail: sj51t@nih.gov.

*For a full list of supporting NIH components and a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-008.html.

Applications for Preliminary Investigations Leading to Optimal Clinical Trials Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) seeks grant applications for preliminary investigations leading to optimal clinical trials to treat or prevent neurological disease.*

The objective of this program announcement is to enhance the quality of clinical research to evaluate the interventions for the treatment or prevention of neurological disease. Research proposals should directly address how the preliminary study will advance the design of a subsequent definitive clinical trial for efficacy.

Potential areas of research interest include studies to: optimize the intervention strategy (e.g., dose, duration, frequency of dosing); investigate dose-concentration, dose-response, or concentration-response relationships contributing to optimal dosage selection for definitive trials; assess the appropriate delivery system or parameter settings of an electronic device or surgical technique; assess the safety and tolerability at various doses or concentrations of a specific intervention; evaluate whether an intervention produces sufficient evidence of short-term activity (e.g., biomarker activity) in humans as to justify an efficacy trial; select the best of two or more potential interventions or dosing regimens to evaluate in a subsequent definitive trial, based on tolerability or evidence of biological activity; and identify inclusion and exclusion criteria to be applied in the phase III clinical trial.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. John Marler, Associate Director for Clinical Trials, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2216, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-9135; fax: 301-480-1080; e-mail: jm137f@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-03-174.html.

Applications for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invite applications for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (Kirschstein-NRSA).*

Kirschstein-NRSAs are for promising individuals with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in their scientific mission areas. These awards will provide predoctoral training support for doctoral candidates who have successfully completed their comprehensive examinations or the equivalent by the time of award and will be performing dissertation research and training.

Applicants should provide evidence of potential for a productive research career based upon the quality of previous research training and academic record. Also, applicants must propose a dissertation research project and training program which falls into a research area within the scientific mission of the NINDS, or one of the other supporting NIH components: NIAAA, NIBIB, NIDCD, NIDA, or NIMH.

For more information, potential applicants should contact the Office of Training and Career Development, Division of Extramural Research, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2154, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-4188; fax: 301-402-4370.

*For a more detailed description of this program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-032.html.

Applications for High Throughput Molecular Screening Assay Development Requested

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) requests grant applications for research on high throughput molecular screening assay development.

This request for applications (RFA) is an NIH Roadmap Initiative. The NIH Roadmap is an innovative approach to accelerate fundamental discovery and translate that knowledge into effective prevention strategies and new treatments. All NIH institutes and centers participate in Roadmap Initiatives.*

High throughput molecular screening is the automated, simultaneous testing of thousands of distinct chemical compounds in models of biological mechanisms or disease. The goal of this RFA is to initiate a continuously evolving stream of scientifically and technologically outstanding assays that can be automated and used for screening at the molecular libraries screening centers. It is open to all areas of biological and biomedical research, with the goal of providing new ways to explore the functions of major components of the cell.

This RFA will support the development of innovative assays for use in both basic research and therapeutics development programs, with an emphasis on novelty of approach to biology or disease. Appropriate assays might include but are not limited to: biochemical or cell-based assays of activity or interaction involving proteins and/or other biological molecules; assays of cellular or molecular phenotypes; assays using model organisms such as yeast or C. elegans; assays involving mutant proteins associated with disease; and modulation of expression of genes of interest, including effects on transcription, translation, or RNA splicing.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: March 26, 2004.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Jill Heemskerk, Program Director, Technology Development Cluster, Molecular Library Assays, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2229, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-1779; fax: 301-402-1501; e-mail: assays@mail.nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this RFA, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-012.html. For more information on the NIH Roadmap, please visit the website at: http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/.

Applications for 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 of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) invite grant applications for clinical trials of immunomodulatory interventions for immune system mediated diseases, and preventive and therapeutic vaccines for non-HIV/AIDS infectious diseases.*

The mechanisms underlying immunologic interventions are poorly understood even in cases where efficacy has been shown. In addition, clinical trials supported by industry and other sources, including NIH, often do not include studies of underlying mechanisms. High priority should be given to the inclusion of patients and the use of patient samples from clinical trials in immunologic diseases for studies of the basic underlying mechanisms of therapeutic effect, immunologic function, and disease pathogenesis.

Potential areas of research interest include: quantitation of disease-related, autoreactive, or alloreactive lymphocytes using methods such as MHC/peptide tetramers, chimeric antibodies, or very early activation antigens; 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; immune mechanisms of vaccines; 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 or vaccine; comparison of immune parameters from samples of peripheral blood with those from sites of disease; and assessment for the presence of molecular evidence of potential causative environmental agents.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: Applications will be accepted monthly on the 9th of each month. The last receipt date will be June 9, 2004.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Ursula Utz, Program Director, Neural Environment Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2134, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-1431; fax: 301-480-2424; e-mail: uu1p@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this request for applications, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-04-001.html.

Applications for Mechanisms of Orofacial Pain Research Requested

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) request grant applications for research using genomic and proteomic approaches to identify molecular mechanisms involved in orofacial pain disorders in order to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders.*

Chronic pain affects a large percentage of the population. Orofacial pain is reported by more than 20 percent of the population and is one of the most common reasons for visits to a physician. A number of orofacial disorders such as temporomandibular joint disorders, dental pain, and trigeminal neuralgia are associated with chronic pain. The pathophysiology of these disorders is poorly understood. Thus, there is a need to examine pain at all levels of basic and clinical research.

Potential areas of research interest include studies to: elucidate genes, proteins, and protein modifications involved in the transition from acute to chronic pain using genomic and proteomic approaches; examine the changes in gene and protein expression in trigeminal ganglion, spinal cord, brain stem, and cortex in chronic pain states; characterize changes in protein expression in the neuronal hyperexcitatory state found in chronic pain and the process involved in the induction of hyperexcitability at peripheral nociceptors, spinal cord, ascending pain tracts, and in the brain; identify functional protein networks involved in transducing; elucidate the roles of central and peripheral neuronal plasticity in mediating the onset of chronic pain in craniofacial regions; determine the differences in the molecular mechanisms leading to chronic pain caused by inflammatory or neuropathic injury; establish new model systems that better mimic clinical features of orofacial pain disorders; identify cortical brain areas important in orofacial pain processing through the use of neuroimaging; and elucidate the role of estrogen in the pathophysiology of pain, including the influence of estrogen on neurotrophic growth factor expression.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: May 14, 2004.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Linda Porter, Program Director, Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience Cluster, NINDS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2113, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: 301-496-9964; fax: 301-402-2060; e-mail: lp216a@nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this request for applications, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DE-05-004.html.

Applications for Meetings and Networks for Methodological Development in Interdisciplinary Research Requested

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) requests grant applications for meetings or networks to develop methodologies that will facilitate interdisciplinary health research among behavioral or social scientists and investigators in the biomedical, mathematical/computational or physical sciences, and/or engineering.

This request for applications (RFA) is an NIH Roadmap Initiative. The NIH Roadmap is an innovative approach to accelerate fundamental discovery and translate that knowledge into effective prevention strategies and new treatments. All NIH institutes and centers participate in Roadmap Initiatives.*

The purpose of this RFA is to stimulate the development of methods and measures in the behavioral or social sciences in order to more fully integrate the scientific approaches and advances in these disciplines into interdisciplinary research designed to solve complex health problems.

Examples of scientific meetings or networks for methodological development in interdisciplinary research might include, but are not limited to: gatherings of clinicians, behavioral science researchers, information technology specialists, psychometricians, regulators, and patient advocates to discuss how computer-based technology influences both patient-provider communication and decision-making and researcher knowledge; meetings of geneticists, behavioral researchers, and statisticians to develop methods for the analysis of gene-social environment interactions that influence physiological variables and health; and networks of demographers, ecologists, biologists, and geographic information systems experts to develop methods of examining how population processes and health interact with changes in the natural environment.

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: April 26, 2004.

For more information, potential applicants should contact Dr. Deborah H. Olster, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH, One Center Drive, Room 256, Bethesda, MD 20892-1146; telephone: (301) 451-4286; fax: (301) 402-1150; e-mail: olsterd@od.nih.gov; or Dr. Audie A. Atienza, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Boulevard, EPN 4074A, Bethesda, MD 20892-7335; telephone: (301) 402-8426; fax: (301) 480-2087; e-mail: atienzaa@mail.nih.gov.

*For a more detailed description of this RFA, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-014.html. For more information on the NIH Roadmap, please visit the website at: http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/.

NINDS Seeks Persons with Parkinson’s Disease

Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) seek persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) for research studies. These studies (protocols #02-N-0105 and #03-N-0116) include transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain, and transcranial direct current electrical stimulation (mild electrical stimulation through the scalp). The investigators plan to see if stimulation of certain areas of the brain, along with the patient’s current medications, will improve movement, balance, and walking. The studies will last approximately four weeks, and include eight stimulation sessions. Each session will last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.

Eligible participants must be 40 to 80 years of age, have Parkinson’s disease, and be taking an L-DOPA medication such as Sinemet.

Persons who have metal implants in their body, other significant medical or psychiatric illness, or a history of seizures are not eligible.

The studies will take place at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD. Compensation is provided to all participants. All study-related expenses will be paid by the NIH. There is no cost for participation or for any tests associated with the research.

For more information, with no obligation to participate, please contact Dr. Mikhail Lomarev at (301) 496-0937; fax (301) 480-2286; e-mail: LomarevM@ninds.nih.gov; or Elaine Considine, RN, at (301) 435-8518.