Funding Opportunities for the Recovery Act: Topic-specific Opportunities - NICHD Information on Research to Address the Heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)
President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act or ARRA) on February 17, 2009. This unprecedented effort aims to stimulate our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and address multiple challenges so our country can thrive.
The NIH has released the following series of Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), supported by funds from the Recovery Act, soliciting applications for two-year research projects to address the heterogeneity of ASDs.
The NIH intends to commit approximately $60 million to these FOAs, funding between 40 grants and 50 grants, contingent on the number and quality of applications and the availability of funds. Additional information about the Recovery Act FOAs and related NIH opportunities is available through the Office of Extramural Research at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery.
Areas of Scientific Priority for NICHD
The ASD FOAs aim to address knowledge gaps outlined in the NIH Strategic Plan for ASD Research, which was created with the input of the scientific community, as well as from advocates and advocacy organizations, including parents, providers, and individuals with ASDs.
Within these topic areas, the NICHD places priority on using Recovery Act funds for ASD projects in the following scientific areas:
- Studies attempting to develop brief, easily administered, diagnostic tools for use in large-scale investigations
- Studies attempting to validate efficient and sensitive diagnostic tools in diverse populations, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and older age groups
- Studies attempting to improve the sensitivity and specificity of screening instruments for use in community settings (i.e., in the general population)
- Research to validate screening tools in diverse populations
- Biomarkers/Biological Signatures
- Research to establish biomarkers or biosignatures for treatment response and adverse effects (e.g., pharmacogenetic markers)
- Research to identify biomarkers or biosignatures associated with clinical phenotypes (e.g., individuals who experience a regression at some point during development, individuals who appear to have improved significantly in their functioning and symptom expression) or intermediate phenotypes
- Research focusing on developing a reliable method of identifying individuals with ASD and mitochondrial dysfunction
- Immune and Central Nervous Systems Interactions
- Studies characterizing the proximal and long-term consequences of intrauterine and systemic inflammation, including the effects of sub-clinical maternal illness, on neurobiological functions relevant to ASD
- Studies examining combined immune and genetic risk factors in the brain circuitry alterations that have been established as contributing to ASD functional deficits
- Characterize the developmental and/or long-term consequences of metabolic and/or mitochondrial dysfunction on neurobiological functions relevant to ASD
- Research exploring relationships between environmental exposures and epigenetic alterations in ASD
- Studies examining defects in the epigenome including changes in DNA methylation (global or localized), incorrect histone modification or altered chromatin structure in ASD
- Studies using systems biology to identify molecular elements, pathways and circuits involved in the molecular pathophysiology of ASD
- Examination and functional characterization of candidate genes thought to confer risk for the development of ASD
- Examination and functional characterization of environmentally relevant genes that may confer risk for the development of ASD
- The identification and/or functional characterization of rare nuclear and mitochondrial genetic variants that have a large effect on the ASD phenotype
- Novel approaches in bioinformatics and statistics to integrate and analyze data across all levels of analysis, including methods to integrate environmental exposures with genetic and genomic data
- Environmental Risk Factors
- Studies using banked maternal, paternal and/or infant biospecimens collected during preconception, pregnancy, or early postnatal life that can be linked to clinical outcomes in the offspring for analysis of ASD risk from early exposures
- Behavioral Model Development
- Other signs/symptoms associated with ASD, such as failure to meet developmental milestones, sleep disturbances, anxiety, aggression, and other comorbid symptoms
- Models for Understanding Neurobiological Mechanisms
- Use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from neurotypical and ASD populations to identify the fundamental molecular and cellular differences and developmental processes, potential biomarkers, and novel treatment targets for ASD
- Comparison of models of ASD with other models of related neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., single-gene disorders, such as Rett syndrome, Fragile X, or Tuberous Sclerosis, or identified rare variants with large effect in the ASD population) to promote the identification and examination of common molecular pathways or neurocircuits
- Application of novel, multimodal imaging techniques for longitudinal studies in utero and throughout the lifespan in models with relevance to ASD
- Development and application of models for understanding the joint contribution of environmental exposures and genetic variation to ASD
- Pre-Clinical Treatment Development: Targeted Therapeutics
- Development, validation, and implementation of assays that permit the preliminary screening of candidate compounds, including biochemical and cellular assays, modified model organisms, and electrophysiological or behavioral systems that reflect core deficits in ASD
- Development, validation, and implementation of in vivo (mammalian, non-mammalian) and cell/tissue models that permit further evaluation of potential efficacy and safety of promising interventions for ASD; examples include behavior models and/or model systems (i.e., genetic, chemical, other manipulations) that recapitulate critical features of ASD, particularly social deficits and repetitive behaviors, or underlying pathogenic mechanisms
- Characterization of candidate therapeutics for pharmacokinetic properties and safety profiles in relevant assays of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET)
- Treatment and Intervention
- Adaptation of evidence-based interventions to reduce or ameliorate symptoms and improve adaptive functioning in older children, adolescents, and adults with ASD
- Interventions for infants and toddlers with early signs of ASD
- Multi-site randomized controlled trials of comprehensive early interventions addressing core symptoms, family functioning, and community involvement
- Integration/Implementation of pharmacogenomics approaches in the design and conduct of clinical trials for ASD
- Development of validated outcome measures for use in randomized controlled trials of treatments and interventions for ASD
- Studies to develop interventions for sibling of people with ASD and other high-risk populations with the goal of reducing risk of recurrence
- Studies to test the effectiveness of services to facilitate and support comprehensive medical care for individuals with ASD, including preventive care and treatment of acute illnesses, management of sleep dysfunction, coexisting challenging behaviors or psychiatric conditions, and associated medical problems
Funding Priorities for NICHD
The NIH is seeking applications for multiple mechanisms (R01s, R21s, and R34/Collaborative R34s) to support research addressing the heterogeneity of ASDs. This program is supported by funds provided to the NIH under the Recovery Act. The purpose of the Recovery Act is to stimulate the American economy through job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, and other means.
- The total number of grants funded is contingent upon the submission of a sufficient number of scientifically meritorious applications.
- The size of an application will vary in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed research. Although the financial plans of the NICHD and other participating NIH Institutes and Centers provide support for this program, the level of final awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds.
- The total project period for an application submitted in response to the R01 RFA may not exceed two years.
- Applications that are complete and responsive to these FOAs will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is leading the NIH on this initiative.
Key Dates
- Application Due Date: May 12, 2009
- Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2009
- For additional dates, please refer to the RFAs (links provided above).
Contacts
If you have a question about a scientific topic related to ASDs, contact:
Alice Kau, Ph.D.
Health Scientist Administrator,
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch
Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine, NICHD
National Institutes of Health
Phone: (301) 496-1383
E-mail: kaua@mail.nih.gov
For information about the FOAs, contact:
Eugene Hayunga, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Extramural Policy
Office of the Director, NICHD
National Institutes of Health
Phone: (301) 435-6856
E-mail: ehayunga@mail.nih.gov
For financial or grants management questions, contact:
Bryan S. Clark, M.B.A
Chief Grants Management Officer
Grants Management Branch, Office of the Director, NICHD
National Institutes of Health
Phone: (301) 435-6975
E-mail: clarkb1@mail.nih.gov
