INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE ORAL HEALTH RESEARCH PLANNING GRANT Release Date: March 4, 1999 RFA: DE-99-002 P.T. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Letter of Intent Receipt Date: May 1, 1999 Application Receipt Date: June 16, 1999 THIS RFA USES THE MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS. THIS RFA INCLUDES DETAILED MODIFICATIONS TO STANDARD APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED WHEN PREPARING AN APPLICATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFA. PURPOSE The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) will provide grant support for planning and protocol development of biomedical, epidemiological and behavioral studies in priority international research areas as identified in the Institute's Strategic Plan and facilitated by the Office of International Health (OIH), in consultation with the international research community. The purpose of this initiative is to bring together international researchers through collaborative partnerships that conduct research according to common protocols. The planning grant is intended to provide support for the development of a refined study design, organizational plan, detailed protocol criteria, and budget, for implementation of cross-national studies whose rationale and basic design are considered scientifically meritorious. After these are completed, planning grant awardees may submit applications to conduct the full-scale study, in collaboration with international funding partners. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This RFA is related to the priority area of oral health. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No.017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and nonprofit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government, as well as foreign academic, scientific organizations and institutions. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. Applicants must demonstrate linkages for international collaborative efforts with institutions in other industrialized and/or developing nations as may be appropriate to address the scientific question. Applicant institutions that have a General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) funded by the NIH National Center for Research Resources may wish to identify the GCRC as a resource for conducting the proposed research. If so, a letter of agreement from either the GCRC Program Director or Principal Investigator should be included with the application. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The mechanism of support will be the exploratory/developmental (R21) research grant. This mechanism provides short-duration support for preliminary studies of a highly speculative nature which are expected to yield, with this time frame, sufficient information to form a basis for a rigorous series of further investigations. Applicants may request up to $75,000 in direct costs per year for each of two years. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. Specific application instructions have been modified to reflect the "MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION AND AWARD" process, which has been adopted by the NIH (see the NIH Guide, December 15, 1998). For this RFA, funds must be requested in $25,000 direct cost modules. A maximum of three modules can be requested for each of 2 years. A feature of the modular grant is that no escalation is provided for future years, and all anticipated expenses for all years of the project must be included within the number of modules being requested. Only limited budget information is required and any budget adjustments made by the Initial Review Group will be in modules of $25,000. More detailed information about modular grant applications, including a sample budget narrative justification pages and a sample biographical sketch, is available via the Internet at url: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm. FUNDS AVAILABLE The estimated total costs (direct plus indirect) available for the first year of support for awards under this RFA will be $720,000. The NIDCR plans to support or contribute to the support of approximately six grants in response to this RFA in Fiscal Year 2000. Grant awards will be contingent on the receipt of high quality applications and the availability of funds. Usual PHS policies governing grants administration and management will apply. Funding beyond the first and subsequent years of the grant will be contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding years and the availability of funds. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Health issues know no geographic boundaries. Oral conditions affect populations around the globe. Some of these conditions are more prevalent in certain countries or regions, while others are found in virtually all countries, but to varying degrees. There are many research topics that require international collaboration to properly address the many questions. For example, there are many areas of research that, because of limited access to patient populations within any single country, can only be conducted by international teams of scientists. Similarly, there are areas of research where progress would be enhanced with the addition of international collaborations. The purpose of this initiative is to bring together international researchers through collaborative partnerships that conduct research according to common protocols. In pursuing new scientific opportunities, the NIDCR recently outlined its Strategic Plan, which focuses on and reorganizes its work into the following areas of research: o Inherited Diseases and Disorders The objective of this scientific program is to promote research that will advance our understanding of the underlying causes of craniofacial dysmorphologies such as ectodermal dysplasia, enamel dysplasia, cleft lip and palate, and osteogenesis imperfecta. These genetic malformations are estimated to occur in about five percent of the entire U.S. population, but prevalence is even higher within some groups in the U.S. and internationally. International collaboration in relevant areas such as genetic research, epidemiology, genetic registries, and treatment modalities can help speed progress toward the goal of improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention by combining scientific talents from different countries to focus on selected populations at high risk. An international approach that includes all disciplines relevant to craniofacial anomalies will dramatically enhance the possibility of resolving the many complex issues surrounding these malformations. o Infectious Diseases and Immunity This program encourages and supports basic, applied and developmental research in four broadly based scientific areas that will provide the basis for rapid development of knowledge of the etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of oral infectious diseases such as periodontitis, dental caries, and oral candidiasis, and other infectious diseases which affect the oral and craniofacial complex such as HIV/AIDS, noma, and leishmaniasis. Although some of these emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases are rare in many of the industrialized parts of the world, they are quite prevalent in some developing countries, and are increasing rapidly in areas of poverty, malnutrition, and poor sanitary conditions. International collaboration can help to bring together researchers and resources to study these infectious diseases, and help to shed light on the epidemiology, the disease process and the role of the immune system. Important areas of research might include factors contributing to microbial virulence, colonization and transmission; sequence analysis of the genome of oral microorganisms; molecular and cellular pathogenesis; and, host response and inflammation and the use of novel immunizing strategies, and other prevention interventions. o Neoplastic Diseases This scientific program encompasses basic and applied research related to the prevention, etiology, early detection, progression, metastasis and treatment of oral cancer. The continuing poor prognosis for patients with oral cancers and the extreme disfigurement caused both by these malignancies and the treatments currently utilized to combat them emphasize the importance of multifaceted and innovative approaches to research in this area. A significant cause of mortality and poor quality of life, oral cancer is especially prevalent in Asian countries, parts of Europe, and the United States. Fortunately, the international community has numerous centers of expertise from which to draw for important collaborative studies. International collaboration can provide new perspectives in all aspects of the disease, from the clarification of risk factors to the control of these risk factors, early detection, pain management, the provision of effective treatment, and ultimately the prevention of disease. o Chronic and Disabling Diseases This multifaceted scientific program addresses research involving the chronic disabling diseases associated with the oral/craniofacial complex such as osteoporosis and related bone disorders, temporomandibular joint disorders, neuropathies and neurodegenerative diseases including those involving oral sensory and motor function, and autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. Other research areas include studies aimed at elucidating the relationship between diseases of the oral/craniofacial complex and other systemic diseases (e.g., periodontitis in relation to diabetes, oral pathogens and cardiovascular disease, and oral pathogens and low birthweight infants). o Biomaterials, Biomimetics and Tissue Engineering This scientific program supports and encourages basic, clinical and applied research in the areas of biomimetics, tissue engineering and biomaterials in order to enhance the development of natural and synthetic materials used for the repair, regeneration, restoration and reconstruction of oral and craniofacial tissues and organs. The biomimetics aspect of the portfolio focuses on interdisciplinary materials science research that combines information from the study of biological structures and their function with physics, mathematics, chemistry and engineering, with the goal to develop novel materials (e.g., adhesives, new filling materials, temporomandibular joints). International coordination and networking is required for developing promising materials in the laboratory, conducting biologic assessment, and implementing clinical trials. o Behavior, Health Promotion and Environment This scientific program encourages and supports research aimed at assessing the interactive role of socio-environmental, behavioral, genetic and biomedical factors in oral/craniofacial diseases and conditions. Oral health promotion and disease prevention are keys to meeting public health objectives and enhancing clinical and biomedical interventions related to oral health. Removing inequalities in oral health is a prominent component of the U.S. Healthy People 2000 goals. International collaborative research is vital to understanding differences in health status among subgroups in a population resident in various settings, as well as the impact of various national systems of oral health care and education on oral health outcomes. Other topics for international research include traditional health beliefs and practices, systems of health care financing, and targeted community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs. Applications under this RFA must contain research planning proposals which fit within these strategic areas. Further information about these research topics may be obtained from NIDCR's Extramural Research website at http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/extramural/sciprog.htm. In each of these priority areas, a broad-based coalition of scientific talent is envisioned to encompass research needs in areas from molecular biology to the translational patient-oriented, epidemiological, behavioral, social and related health promotion sciences as may be appropriate for the research questions involved. The product of these research planning grants would be the enhanced or new infrastructure needed to enable submission of full-scale studies in the given subject area. These applications could then be submitted as investigator-initiated projects to the US government and/or any other potential collaborating funding agency, institution or foundation. These subsequent applications also will be peer-reviewed according to standard NIH procedures. Applicants should note that NIDCR funding of a planning grant does not imply a commitment by NIDCR to fund the proposed full-scale study Applicants for research planning grants may request funds for activities such as but not limited to: o Travel expenses of individuals from multiple sites to planning meetings for the project. o Preliminary studies to guide selection of and/or refine research agenda, questions, and hypotheses o Analyses of existing data needed for refinement of study design and protocols o Preparation of detailed protocols. These protocols must be included in the Final Report for this award. The planning grant proposal should describe: o The scientific rationale for choice of the research question which would require international collaboration. o The need for international collaboration. o The principal hypotheses to be tested, and the rationale for doing so. o The organizational approach and timetable to be followed in building an international coalition, defining the research agenda and developing a specific international collaborative research protocol. o The participants in the planning process, their roles in the development of the plan, and their experience in related studies. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided 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 research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March 18, 1994, which is available via the WWW. at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of NIH 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 was published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the following URL address: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by May 1, 1999, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, mailing address, FAX, email address and telephone number of the Principal Investigator and the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions and departments, and the number and title of this RFA and . Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains is helpful in estimating the potential review workload and avoiding conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to: Dr. H. George Hausch Division of Extramural Research National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Building 45 (Natcher), Room 4AN-38D Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) is to be used in applying for these grants. Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/710-0267, email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Application forms are also available on the NIH World Wide Web at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS o FACE PAGE: Items 7a and 7b should be completed, indicating Direct Costs (in $25,000 increments) and Total Costs [Modular Total Direct plus Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs] for the initial budget period. Items 8a and 8b should be completed indicating the Direct and Total Costs for the entire proposed period of support. o DETAILED BUDGET FOR THE INITIAL BUDGET PERIOD - Do not complete Form Page 4 of the PHS 398. It is not required and will not be accepted with the application. o BUDGET FOR THE ENTIRE PROPOSED PERIOD OF SUPPORT - Do not complete the categorical budget table on Form Page 5 of the PHS 398. It is not required and will not be accepted with the application. o NARRATIVE BUDGET JUSTIFICATION - Use a Modular Grant Budget Narrative page. (See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm for sample pages.) At the top of the page, enter the total direct costs requested for each year. o Under Personnel, list key project personnel, including their names, percent of effort, and roles on the project. No individual salary information should be provided. For Consortium/Contractual costs, provide an estimate of total costs (direct plus facilities and administrative) for each year, each rounded to the nearest $1,000. List the individuals/organizations with whom consortium or contractual arrangements have been made, the percent effort of key personnel, and the role on the project. The total cost for a consortium/contractual arrangement is included in the overall requested modular direct cost amount. Provide an additional narrative budget justification for any variation in the number of modules requested. o BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH - The Biographical Sketch provides information used by reviewers in the assessment of each individual's qualifications for a specific role in the proposed project, as well as to evaluate the overall qualifications of the research team. A biographical sketch is required for all key personnel, following the instructions below. No more than three pages may be used for each person. A sample biographical sketch may be viewed at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm - Complete the educational block at the top of the form page; - List current position(s) and then previous positions; - List selected peer-reviewed publications, with full citations; - Provide information, including overall goals and responsibilities, on research projects ongoing or completed during the last three years. o OTHER SUPPORT - Form Page 7. This form must be completed for applications in response to this RFA to allow awards to be negotiated and made on or before April 2000. o CHECKLIST - This page should be completed and submitted with the application. If the F&A rate agreement has been established, indicate the type of agreement and the date. It is important to identify all exclusions that were used in the calculation of the F&A costs for the initial budget period and all future budget years. The applicant should provide the name and phone number of the individual to contact concerning fiscal and administrative issues if additional information is necessary following the initial review. Applications not conforming to these guidelines will be considered unresponsive to this RFA and will be returned without further review. The RFA label available in the application form PHS 398 must be affixed to the bottom of the face page. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed, exact, single-sided 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) At the time of submission, two additional exact copies of the application must also be sent to: Dr. H. George Hausch Division of Extramural Research National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Institutes of Health Building 45 (Natcher), Room 4AN-38D Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Applications must be received by June 16, 1999. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned without review. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) and responsiveness by the NIDCR. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by a special emphasis panel convened by the Scientific Review Section, Division of Extramural Research, NIDCR. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Council. Review Criteria The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological and behavioral systems, improve the prevention, diagnosis and control of disease, and enhance health. The reviewers will comment on the following aspects of the application in their written critiques in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered by the reviewers in assigning the overall score weighting them as appropriate for each application. Note that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have a major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. Significance. Does this proposal address an important U.S or international problem? If the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? To what degree does the proposed collaboration present opportunities for furthering research through the use of unusual talents, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries? Approach. Are the conceptual framework, design and methods adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? Does the applicant propose concepts and strategies sensitive and appropriate to the potential research partners internationally? Innovation. Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or method? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? Investigators. Are the investigators appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers partners? Environment. Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed collaborative arrangements take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment? Is there evidence of collaborative institutional support? The initial review group will also examine: the appropriateness of proposed project budget and duration; the adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their subgroups, and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research and plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects; the provisions for the protection of human and animal subjects; and the safety of the research environment. Schedule Letter of Intent Receipt Date: May 1, 1999 Application Receipt Date: June 16, 1999 Scientific Review Date: October 1999 Advisory Council Date: January 2000 Earliest Award Date: April 2000 AWARD CRITERIA The earliest anticipated date of award is April 2000. Applicants should be aware that, in addition to scientific merit, program priorities and program balance, the total cost of the proposed project and the availability of funds will be considered by the NIDCR staff and the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council in making funding recommendations. In addition, the NIDCR values complementary funding from other public and private sources including foundations and industrial concerns. In circumstances in which applications have similar scientific merit, but vary in cost-competitiveness, the NIDCR is likely to select the more cost-competitive application for funding. INQUIRIES Written, email and telephone inquiries are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Dr. Judy Small Craniofacial Anomalies and Injuries Branch National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2425 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Judy.Small@nih.gov Dr. Dennis Mangan Infectious Diseases Branch National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2421 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Dennis.Mangan@nih.gov Dr. Ann Sandberg Neoplastic Diseases Branch National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2419 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Ann.Sandberg@nih.gov Dr. Eleni Kousvelari Biomaterials and Biomimetics and Tissue Engineering Branch National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2427 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Eleni.Kousvelari@nih.gov Dr. Ken Gruber Chronic Diseases Branch National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-4836 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Ken.Gruber@nih.gov Dr. Norman Braveman Clinical, Behavioral and Health Promotion National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24 Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2089 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: Norman.Braveman@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Mr. Martin Rubinstein Office of Grants Management National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, Room 4AN-44A Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-4800 FAX: (301) 480-8301 Email: Martin.Rubinstein@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Nos. 93.866 and 93.846. Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99- 158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-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.
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