Funding News - Research on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Incidence of Diabetes Complications Sought

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Eye Institute (NEI), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invite grant applications for research studies to understand racial/ethnic disparities in the development of the micro- and macrovascular complications of diabetes.*

Racial and ethnic groups differ considerably in the frequency of diabetes in their populations. Microvascular complications of diabetes such as nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy are a major problem among Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian and Pacific Islanders. In contrast, racial and ethnic minorities with diabetes often have lower rates of macrovascular disease including cardiovascular disease and stroke than Caucasians. The reasons for these differences are not well understood.

Potential areas of research interest include studies to: determine the rates of micro- and macrovascular diabetic complications in appropriate representative samples of contemporary populations; identify genes which might affect the development and progression of micro- and macrovascular complications in different populations; determine whether there are differences in metabolism, insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure, beta cell function, and body composition that might influence glycemic control and risk of complications in different populations; compare the contribution of glycemia versus other risk factors in the development of micro- and macrovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and study how treatment of these factors may influence rates of development of complications in different racial/ethnic groups; investigate environmental factors, such as medical care, behavior and lifestyle, and socioeconomic status, that may contribute to risk for development and progression of complications; and determine whether different pathophysiological mechanisms or risk factors are operative among subgroups within racial/ethnic minorities.

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 program announcement, please visit the NIH web site at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-165.html.