FYI from the NHLBI Index
May 2004: Vol. 5, Issue 1
Research and Resources
NHLBI Funds Pediatric Heart Disease Clinical Centers
- Asthma Exacerbations: Biology and Disease Progression
- Biological Basis of Hutchinson-Gilford Syndrome: Relationship to Mutations in the Lamin A/C Gene and to Other Known Laminopathies
- Chemical Screens for New Inducers of Fetal Hemoglobin (SBIR/STTR)
- Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children
- Exploratory and Developmental Research Grants for Investigations in Rare Diseases (R21)
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Clinical Research Network
- NHLBI Programs of Excellence in Nanotechnology
- Pathogenesis and Treatment of Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases
- Pulmonary Complications of Sickle Cell Disease
- Sleep Disturbance in Parkinson's Disease and Parkinson-like Conditions
- Specialized Centers of Clinically Oriented Research (SCCOR) in Hemostatic and Thrombotic Diseases
- SCCOR in Transfusion Biology and Medicine
NHLBI Funds Pediatric Heart Disease Clinical Centers
The
NHLBI recently awarded $68 million to fund four clinical centers to accelerate
research on heart development and treatment of pediatric heart disease. The
research is part of the Specialized Centers of Clinically Oriented Research
program, which is designed to stimulate multidisciplinary collaborations so
that basic research advances can be rapidly translated to clinical care.
Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality, with cardiovascular malformations, which are present in about one percent of live births, being the largest contributors to deaths from birth defects.
The Centers will encourage experts, including pediatric cardiologists, cardiovascular
surgeons, immunologists, geneticists, pediatric clinicians, molecular biologists,
cell biologists, and statisticians, to combine their talents to conduct state-of-the-art
research addressing a central pediatric cardiovascular theme. The Centers will
be located in Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati.
Spotlight on Our Web Site
The
Garfield Star Sleeper Campaign has teamed up with Time for Kids to help
children learn about the importance of getting at least nine hours of sleep
each night. Time for Kids is a subsidiary of Time, Inc. that provides materials
for use in classrooms.
During National Sleep Awareness Week, March 29-April 4, nearly 30,000 third grade teachers received a teacher's guide and "Be a Star Sleeper" magazines for their approximately 750,000 students. Download a free copy of the materials.
NHLBI Research Initiatives
From time to time, the NHLBI invites investigators to submit grant applications or contract proposals for specific research programs. We are currently soliciting applications for the programs described below. For a full details of these and other research initiatives, visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/inits/index.htm or the Web page that is linked each initiative number.
Asthma Exacerbations: Biology and Disease Progression
- Initiative Number: RFA-HL-04-029
- Applications due: June 18, 2004
- Objective: To explore the underlying pathobiology and mechanisms of resolution of exacerbations, and their impact on lung function, physiology, and disease state.
Biological Basis of Hutchinson-Gilford Syndrome: Relationship to Mutations in the Lamin A/C Gene and to Other Known Laminopathies
- Initiative Number: PA-03-069
- Applications are accepted for February 1, June 1, and October 1 deadlines each year.
- Objective: To understand how mutations in the gene for lamin A/C affect nuclear structure, thus leading to both dysfunction of the nuclear envelope, and depending on the mutation, Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome.
Chemical Screens for New Inducers of Fetal Hemoglobin (SBIR/STTR)
- Initiative Number: PA-03-049
- Applications due: April 1, August 1, and December 1
- Objective: To develop drugs that increase fetal hemoglobin levels for the treatment of beta-chain hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell disease and Cooley's anemia (beta-thalassemia).
Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children
- Initiative Number: PA-03-159
- Applications are accepted for February 1, June 1, and October 1 deadlines each year.
- Objective: To support research related to sociocultural, environmental, and behavioral mechanisms as well as biological/technological factors that improve self-management and quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic diseases.
Exploratory and Developmental Research Grants for Investigations in Rare Diseases (R21)
- Initiative Number: PA-03-171
- Applications are accepted for February 1, June 1, and October 1 deadlines each year.
- Objective: To encourage new approaches to understanding, treating, and preventing rare diseases in the areas of heart, lung, and blood disease and sleep disorders.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Clinical Research Network
- Initiative Number: RFA-HL-04-021
- Applications due: June 21, 2004
- Objective: To establish a clinical research network and data coordinating center to conduct multiple treatment trials on patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
NHLBI Programs of Excellence in Nanotechnology
- Initiative Number: RFA-HL-04-020
- Applications due: July 21, 2004
- Objective: To develop and apply nanotechnology and nanoscience solutions to the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematopoietic, and sleep disorders through the establishment of multidisciplinary teams.
Pathogenesis and Treatment of Lymphedema and Lymphatic Diseases
- Initiative Number: PA-04-071
- Applications are accepted for February 1, June 1, and October 1 deadlines each year.
- Objectives: to stimulate research on the biology of the lymphatic system, to characterize the pathophysiologic mechanisms that cause the disease, to develop new methods for quantitating and imaging lymph flow, to discover new therapeutic interventions, and to determine the safety and efficacy of complementary and alternative therapies.
Pulmonary Complications of Sickle Cell Disease
- Initiative Number: RFA-HL-04-015
- Applications due: May 24, 2004
- Objective: To stimulate translational research on the pulmonary complications of sickle cell disease.
Sleep Disturbance in Parkinson's Disease and Parkinson-like Conditions
- Initiative Number: PAS-03-131
- Applications are accepted for February 1, June 1, and October 1 deadlines each year.
- Objective: To stimulate research on sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's related neurological conditions, and on associated sleep disorders such as Restless Legs Syndrome and sleep-disordered breathing.
Specialized Centers of Clinically Oriented Research (SCCOR) in Hemostatic and Thrombotic Diseases
- Initiative Number: RFA-04-016
- Applications due: September 21, 2004
- Objective: To foster multidisciplinary research that enables basic science findings to be more rapidly applied to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders.
SCCOR in Transfusion Biology and Medicine
- Initiative Number: RFA-HL-04-018
- Applications due: September 21, 2004
- Objectives: To support the development and application of new knowledge essential for improved safety, efficacy, and availability of blood, blood components, and plasma derivatives, and to transfer these findings into clinical evaluation and application.
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