BASIC AND PRECLINICAL RESEARCH ON COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM)
RELEASE DATE: July 2, 2002
PA NUMBER: PA-02-124 (This PA has been reissued, see PA-05-141)
EXPIRATION DATE: July 15, 2005
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
(http://nccam.nih.gov)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
(http://nci.nih.gov)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
(http://www.nigms.nih.gov/)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)
THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose of the PA
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism(s) of Support
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE OF THIS PA
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
invites research grant applications to help stimulate the amount and elevate
the quality of basic, mechanistic, and preclinical research in all domains of
CAM in order to provide a stronger foundation for ongoing and planned
clinical studies. The NCCAM desires to encourage the most rigorous CAM and
conventional researchers to focus on the opportunities in CAM research, and
to employ the most current and emerging technologies to strengthen the
biomedical research knowledge bases needed to elevate clinical practice. The
National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institute of General Medical
Sciences (NIGMS), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) share
programmatic interests in some areas of CAM research with the NCCAM. The
NCCAM, NCI, NIGMS, and NIMH areas of interest are described under INQUIRIES.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The NCCAM is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing
practices in the context of exacting science. The NCCAM desires to encourage
the most rigorous CAM and conventional researchers to focus on the
opportunities in CAM research, and to employ the most current and emerging
technologies. Chemists, physicists, psychologists, neuroscientists,
endocrinologists, immunologists, geneticists, pharmacologists, and others in
relevant fields of inquiry who are interested in applying their expertise and
powerful contemporary technologies to help advance the science of CAM are
encouraged to apply.
In order to strengthen the biomedical research knowledge bases needed to
inform CAM clinical practice, more basic, mechanistic, and preclinical
research is needed across the broad spectrum of biomedical science underlying
CAM practices. These practices may be grouped in five major domains:
alternative medical systems, mind-body interventions, biologically based
treatments, manipulative and body-based methods, and energy therapies, with
some overlap across categories (NCCAM"s Five-Year Strategic Plan can be
accessed at http://nccam.nih.gov/about/plans/healthdisparities/appendices.htm
,see especially Appendix I). The individual systems and treatments within each
category of CAM are numerous, so the following examples are presented to
demonstrate the broad range of research contemplated by this initiative, and are
not meant to be exclusive:
---Immunomodulatory mechanisms underlying CAM therapeutics, such as basic and
animal model studies aimed at determining whether and what changes are
induced in immune response pathways by CAM therapeutics, and whether any such
changes might be relevant to resolving a disorder or preventing one
---Neurophysiological, neuroendocrinological, and biochemical pathways in
massage therapy, including studies utilizing animal models, and
instrumentation-based approaches including imaging
---Mechanistic studies of biologically-based treatments, herbs, nutritional
supplements, or natural products for enhancing cognitive function in brain
disorders
---Chemical and physical reactions during the dilution process and the
principles of biophysics associated with homeopathy, for example, studies
using detailed and sensitive physical measurements of water to determine
whether it is altered in any measurable and reproducible way by the process
of ultrahigh dilution employed in the preparation of some homeopathic
remedies
---Mechanisms underlying the biochemical and/or neurophysiological causes of
spinal dysfunction, and investigations of the therapeutic pathways being
impacted by manual therapies such as spinal manipulation and mobilization as
performed in chiropractic or osteopathic practices
---Studies on the rationales for the use of complex products from a single
plant species and studies to evaluate the mechanisms of action and to help
establish the biomedical bases for the belief in the therapeutic efficacy of
using multiple plant species simultaneously
---Basic biological mechanisms and processes underlying acupuncture,
including investigations using animal models, and studies employing imaging
---Identification and properties of the energies underlying therapies such as
Qi gong, Reiki, distant healing, acupuncture, and other therapeutic
modalities involving bioenergies, especially new biophysical approaches
involving instrumentation
---Mechanisms of action of Saw Palmetto, PC-SPES, Pygeum africanum and other
complex botanicals on the male reproductive tract, and of black cohosh, red
clover, and other complex botanicals on the female tract: The studies are
expected to focus on the cellular, molecular, endocrinological and metabolic
changes induced in vitro, in animal models, and inhuman subjects treated with
these botanicals
---Interactions between CAM and conventional therapeutic modalities,
including but not limited to those of complex botanicals with pharmaceutical
drugs
Summary
This initiative is designed to focus the attention and efforts of CAM and
conventional researchers towards more basic, mechanistic, and preclinical
research on CAM.
MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT
This PA will use the NIH R01, R21 and R15 award mechanisms. As an applicant,
you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the
proposed project. The total project period for an application submitted in
response to this PA may not exceed 5 years for R01, 2 years for R21, or 3
years for R15 grants. The guidelines for R21 applications may differ between
NIH Institutes and Centers. The URLs listed below provide guidance for the
participating Institutes" R21 programs.
NCCAM: http://nccam.nih.gov/research/instructions/r21/index.htm
NCI: http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/extra/pa/mechanism/r21.htm
NIGMS: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/funding/grntmech.html#explor
NIMH: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-073.html
Potential applicants should contact the programmatic representatives listed
under INQUIRIES for additional guidance on all award mechanisms.
This PA uses just-in-time concepts. It also uses the modular as well as the
non-modular budgeting formats (see
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm). Specifically, if
you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000
or less, use the modular format. Otherwise follow the instructions for non-
modular research grant applications.
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS
You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the
following characteristics:
o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
and laboratories
o Units of State and local governments
o Eligible agencies of the Federal government
o Domestic or foreign
o Faith-based organizations
The NIH has published Program Guidelines for Academic Research Enhancement
Awards (AREA, R15 grants) which include a list of schools/components that are
inelegible for this Program, see
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm for details.
INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry
out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to
develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial
and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always
encouraged to apply for NIH programs.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
We encourage your inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity
answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into two
areas: scientific/research and financial or grants management issues:
o Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to:
NATIONAL CENTER FOR COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (NCCAM)
The NCCAM areas of interest are broad, and include five major domains of CAM
research: alternative medical systems, mind-body interventions, biologically
based treatments, manipulative and body-based methods, and energy therapies
The NCCAM"s programs in natural products research have arisen from a unique
perspective. Practitioners of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
believe that the polypharmacy of complex natural products has advantages over
single-ingredient drugs by providing greater therapeutic benefit and less
overall toxicity. In pursuit of its mission, the NCCAM supports research to
determine safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action of complex natural
products. NCCAM will support research characterizing single constituents
extracted from complex natural products if the purpose is to identify and
standardize whole products, compare the actions of single constituents with
the complex product, or identify the mechanisms of action for the whole
product. NCCAM will not accept applications to isolate the active
constituents of complex natural products for the express purpose of
developing these constituents as discrete drugs. Funding support for
applications to develop active constituents as drugs may be available from
other Institutes and Centers at NIH.
Shan Wong, Ph.D.
Program Officer
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Two Democracy Plaza, Suite 401
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Phone: 301-496-7498
Fax: 301-480-3621
E-mail: shanw@mail.nih.gov
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE (NCI)
The National Cancer Institute is interested in basic, mechanistic, and
preclinical research as it relates to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment
of cancer as well as management of cancer symptoms and side effects due to
conventional cancer treatment. Areas of interest include interactions
between conventional cancer treatment and CAM modalities.
Wendy B. Smith, Ph.D.
Program Director
Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Blvd, EPN
Suite #102, MSC 7302
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7302
Telephone: 301-435-7980
FAX: 301-480-0075
Email: smithwe@mail.nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES (NIGMS)
NIGMS areas of interest include structure identification and chemistry of
natural products in herbals, mechanisms underlying interactive
biological/pharmacological effects of multiple components within a single
herbal or a mixture of herbals, metabolism of herbal and natural products by
drug metabolizing enzymes, herbal-drug interactions resulting from effects on
drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters, biological mechanisms underlying
anesthetic effects of herbals, natural products, or acupuncture, and
biological mechanisms underlying the placebo effect.
Michael E. Rogers, Ph.D.
Director, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological
Chemistry Division
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Rm. 2As.49c, Natcher Building
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Telephone: 301-594-3827
FAX: 301-480-2802
Email: RogersM@nigms.nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH)
The NIMH is interested in research on the identification and testing of
promising biologically-based interventions, herbs, nutritional supplements,
and natural products for the treatment of mental disorders and the
enhancement of cognitive function in depression and schizophrenia.
Linda Brady, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7185
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 443-5288
FAX: (301) 402-4740
Email: lb@helix.nih.gov
o Direct your questions about NCCAM financial or grants management matters
to:
Marc Pitts, M.B.A.
Grants Management Specialist
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Two Democracy Plaza, Suite 401
6707 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-5475
Telephone: (301) 594-9095
Fax: (301) 480-3621
Email: pittsm@mail.nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application
instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive
format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714,
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
APPLICATION RECEIPT DATES: Applications submitted in response to this program
announcement will be accepted at the standard application deadlines, which
are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm. Application
deadlines are also indicated in the PHS 398 application kit.
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODULAR GRANT APPLICATIONS: Applications requesting
up to $250,000 per year in direct costs must be submitted in a modular grant
format. The modular grant format simplifies the preparation of the budget in
these applications by limiting the level of budgetary detail. Applicants
request direct costs in $25,000 modules. Section C of the research grant
application instructions for the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step
guidance for preparing modular grants. Additional information on modular
grants is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm.
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATIONS REQUESTING $500,000 OR MORE PER YEAR:
Applications requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs for any year must
include a cover letter identifying the NIH staff member within one of NIH
institutes or centers who has agreed to accept assignment of the application.
Applicants requesting more than $500,000 must carry out the following steps:
1) Contact the IC program staff at least 6 weeks before submitting the
application, i.e., as you are developing plans for the study,
2) Obtain agreement from the IC staff that the IC will accept your
application for consideration for award, and,
3) Identify, in a cover letter sent with the application, the staff member
and IC who agreed to accept assignment of the application.
This policy applies to all investigator-initiated new (type 1), competing
continuation (type 2), competing supplement, or any amended or revised
version of these grant application types. Additional information on this
policy is available in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, October 19,
2001 at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-004.html.
SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of
the application, including the checklist, and five signed photocopies in one
package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by or mailed on or
before the receipt dates described at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm.
The CSR will not accept any application in response to this PA that is
essentially the same as one currently pending initial review unless the
applicant withdraws the pending application. The CSR will not accept any
application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does
not preclude the submission of a substantial revision of an application
already reviewed, but such application must include an Introduction
addressing the previous critique.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Applications submitted for this PA will be assigned on the basis of
established PHS referral guidelines. An appropriate scientific review group
convened in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures
(http://www.csr.nih.gov/refrev.htm) will evaluate applications for scientific
and technical merit.
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
o Receive a written critique
o Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have
the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under
review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o Receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council
or board
REVIEW CRITERIA
The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of
biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In
the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following
aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood that the
proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these
goals:
o Significance
o Approach
o Innovation
o Investigator
o Environment
The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria
in assigning your application"s overall score, weighting them as appropriate
for each application. Your application does not need to be strong in all
categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus
deserve a high priority score. For example, you may propose to carry out
important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move
a field forward.
(1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does your study address an important problem? If the aims
of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge?
What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that
drive this field?
(2) APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses
adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the
project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative
tactics?
(3) INNOVATION: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or
methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project challenge
existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
(4) INVESTIGATOR: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out
this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the
principal investigator and to that of other researchers (if any)?
(5) ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which your work will be
done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments
take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ
useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional
support?
ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, your
application will also be reviewed with respect to the following:
PROTECTIONS: The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals, or
the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project
proposed in the application.
INCLUSION: The adequacy of plans to include subjects from both genders, all
racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and children as appropriate for the
scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of
subjects will also be evaluated. (See Inclusion Criteria included in the
section on Federal Citations, below)
BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period
of support in relation to the proposed research.
AWARD CRITERIA
Applications submitted in response to a PA will compete for available funds
with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in
making funding decisions:
o Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review
o Availability of funds
o Relevance to program priorities
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
MONITORING PLAN AND DATA SAFETY AND MONITORING BOARD: Research components
involving Phase I and II clinical trials must include provisions for
assessment of patient eligibility and status, rigorous data management,
quality assurance, and auditing procedures. In addition, it is NIH policy
that all clinical trials require data and safety monitoring, with the method
and degree of monitoring being commensurate with the risks (NIH Policy for
Data Safety and Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 12,
1998:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html.
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH: It is the policy of
the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations
must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a
clear and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is
inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the
research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section
492B of Public Law 103-43).
All investigators proposing clinical research should read the AMENDMENT "NIH
Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical
Research - Amended, October, 2001," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts on October 9, 2001
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html), a complete
copy of the updated Guidelines are available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical
research, updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB
standards, clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical
trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398, and updated roles and
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a)
all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of
plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by
sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable,
and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting
analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group
differences.
INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of
21) must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported
by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include
them. This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for
receipt dates after October 1, 1998.
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the
"NIH Policy and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in
research involving human subjects that is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm.
REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS: NIH
policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for
all investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human
subjects. You will find this policy announcement in the NIH Guide for Grants
and Contracts Announcement, dated June 5, 2000, at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS (hESC): Criteria for federal funding of research
on hESCs can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/stem_cells.htm and at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only
research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem
Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (see http://escr.nih.gov).
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the official NIH
identifier(s)for the hESC line(s)to be used in the proposed research.
Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without
review.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to
provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a
project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2)
cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action
that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed
through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope
of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public
archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include
information about this in the budget justification section of the
application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure
informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the
potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES: All applications and proposals
for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations.
Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet addresses (URLs)
should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because
reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Furthermore,
we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they
directly access an Internet site.
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy
People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This PA
is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may
obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS: This program is described in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.213 and 93.242, and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. Awards are made under authorization of Sections 301
and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and
administered under NIH grants policies described at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal Regulations
42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free
workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition,
Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in
certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early
childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of
the American people.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-015.html.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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