EXPLORATORY/DEVELOPMENTAL GRANTS IN SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE Release Date: September 6, 2001 RFA: RFA-MH-02-004 National Institute of Mental Health (http://www.nimh.nih.gov) National Institute on Aging (http://www.nih.gov/nia) National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (http://www.nichd.nih.gov) Letter of Intent Receipt Date: December 11, 2001 Application Receipt Date: January 11, 2002 THIS RFA USES "MODULAR GRANT" AND "JUST-IN-TIME" CONCEPTS. MODULAR INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE USED FOR RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS REQUESTING LESS THAN $250,000 PER YEAR IN ALL YEARS. MODULAR BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED IN SECTION C OF THE PHS 398 (REVISION 5/2001) AVAILABLE AT http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html. PURPOSE Under this Request for Applications (RFA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Aging (NIA), and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) invite applications examining the neural processes involved in social behavior within the framework of the exploratory/developmental granting mechanism. The intent of this RFA is to act as a catalyst for a newly emerging area of interdisciplinary research merging social/personality/affective psychology with neuroscience in order to elucidate fundamental mechanisms of social behavior. Recognizing that the development of a new field, especially one that spans disciplinary boundaries, takes time, this RFA is meant to foster new collaborations and pilot work. The intent is to develop a body of data upon which future competitive applications may be built, with the ultimate goal of understanding how the brain performs its social functions. The research must be driven by a social behavioral research question (or set of questions) that is framed at the behavioral level (e.g., social cognition, social development, social interaction, social aspects of emotion and personality) and makes connections with neural level processes. New technologies in studying the human brain are beginning to make it possible to engage in a systematic examination of the neural circuits and mechanisms involved in social cognitive and affective information processing, and social behavior, thereby facilitating the development of theories about the underlying processes. Ultimately, this knowledge will contribute to the understanding of the biobehavioral processes involved in social behaviors related to normal development and mental health, and in disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, various personality disorders, learning disabilities, Parkinson’s disease, and age-related dementias. 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 RFA, Exploratory/Developmental Grants In Social Neuroscience, 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/. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and non- profit organizations, public and private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Principal Investigators. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Exploratory/ Developmental Grant (R21) award mechanism. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant. Funding under this developmental RFA will be up to a maximum of $125,000 direct costs per year for up to two years. For those applications that include a subcontractual/consortium arrangement, direct costs of up to $150,000 per year may be requested to allow for F&A costs on those consortium arrangements. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Awards are not renewable and supplements are not allowed. The anticipated award date is July 1, 2002. The R21 mechanism is designed to encourage innovative new research directions and exploration of the use of approaches and concepts new to a particular substantive area. As such, it encourages newcomers to a field and also high- risk, high-impact hypotheses, and expects much less preliminary data than other funding mechanisms. Applications submitted under this mechanism should be innovative and novel, whether breaking new ground or extending previous discoveries towards new directions and applications. Nevertheless, applicants should make clear that the proposed research is scientifically sound, that the qualifications of the investigators are appropriate, and that resources available to the investigators are adequate. Please note that the Research Plan is limited to 15 pages. Appendix material is limited to 3 items. Specific application instructions have been modified to reflect "MODULAR GRANT" and "JUST-IN-TIME" streamlining efforts that have been adopted by the NIH. Complete and detailed instructions and information on Modular Grant applications have been incorporated into the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001). Additional information on Modular Grants can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm. FUNDS AVAILABLE The participating Institutes plan to commit approximately $2.3 million in FY 2002 (with NIMH contributing $1.5 million) to fund 11 13 new grants in response to the RFA. An applicant may request a project period of up to 2 years and a budget for direct costs of up to $125,000 per year or $150,000 per year if the application involves a subcontract (to allow for F&A costs on consortium arrangements, as noted above). Because the nature and scope of the research proposed may vary, it is anticipated that the size of each award will vary also. Although the financial plans of the Institutes provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Although neuroscientific methods have already contributed to major advances in research on basic cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and learning, we still have little understanding of the neural basis of social cognition and behavior. Much still needs to be done to explicate the specific pathways by which social behavioral processes and experiences influence and are influenced by brain function. Applying the concepts and tools of neuroscience (e.g., brain imaging, lesion methods, neurodegenerative diseases, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), computational modeling) can help shed new light on areas of inquiry in social psychological processes, such as: attitude change, stereotyping, person perception, social decision making, empathy and interpersonal relationships, as well as self-perception, self-regulation, and emotion-regulation. Likewise, social and developmental behavioral research has a repertoire of sophisticated paradigms for subtle manipulations of affect, attention, or motivation that offer considerable promise for linking cognitive neuroscience investigations with social behaviors. Importantly, understanding the neural basis of social psychological processes also can contribute to the advancement of knowledge regarding the development of these processes across the life span. Furthermore, this knowledge may elucidate personality processes and inform strategies and methods for personality assessment. At a clinical level, understanding the neural processes and development of social cognition will inform the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of personality (e.g., borderline) and other disorders marked by problems in social cognition (e.g., autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and age-related dementias). This RFA is intended to signal a long-term commitment to social neuroscience research and thus to increase the number and quality of researchers in this area. While some researchers and research teams have already embarked on this novel enterprise and are making good initial progress, it is clear that developing this new area of research that crosses disciplinary boundaries is very difficult. The purpose of this RFA is to facilitate appropriate collaborations, and to aid in the acquisition of resources and equipment in the service of developing a neuroscientific approach to social behavior. In addition to addressing the needs of researchers already doing work focusing on the neural processes involved in social behavior, this RFA is also meant to attract outstanding investigators who have not been part of the social neuroscience field. The RFA is intended to support the research of investigators at all stages of their career and at varying stages of their work in this new area. The exploratory/developmental mechanism allows for the development of new paradigms, methods, collaborations, and the accumulation of pilot data, so that researchers can demonstrate and document the feasibility of these approaches for future work. General Characteristics of Responsive Applications Only applications that integrate neurobiological and behavioral approaches involving social processes will be considered responsive to this RFA. Moreover, the focus of the research questions must be on the behavioral aspects of social processes or interpersonal interaction. Basic neuroscience research that does not have an overriding emphasis on behavioral and social processes and research questions is not appropriate for this RFA. Furthermore, this RFA seeks to foster novel and innovative work that is still in its relatively initial stages of development. Accordingly, its intent is to support work that has not yet amassed substantial preliminary data. Applications that aim to increase knowledge in long-term ongoing and well- established areas of social neuroscience work (e.g., brain imaging of face perception, language development studies) will not be considered. Although applications can be from single investigators, collaborations are encouraged, particularly between behavioral scientists and neuroscientists. Investigators need not demonstrate any history of prior collaboration, as long as they can delineate factors that will facilitate success of the collaboration. Collaborations between different departments or institutions (including those at other geographic locations) are acceptable. However, the applicants must demonstrate how communication will occur across these boundaries, so that fully developed collaborative research partnerships can transpire. The project must include plans for research apprenticeships. These should include opportunities for at least one apprentice (graduate student, post-doc, or early career investigator) to be trained on the theories and methods of both social behavioral research and neurobiological approaches, as they relate to the interdisciplinary overlap of the specific social neuroscience topic of the project. Since the duration and total amount of support provided under this mechanism are limited, it is not expected that substantial research projects will be funded in entirety from this support. Instead, support for pilot projects of limited scope, or funding of substantive expansions of ongoing projects (so long as they can demonstrate innovation and novelty) would be appropriate. As part of the developmental activity, the project may include new innovative and high-risk pilot projects (including pilot studies in high-risk clinical populations) that are expected to open up new areas of inquiry for future work. The goal of this RFA is to support the development of an initial data base and to foster significant potential for conducting research integrating neurobiological and psychological approaches to social behavior. It is expected that the PI will have a substantial investment in developing work in this area with the goal of future R01 (or other NIH mechanism) applications. Accordingly, the application should clearly describe the scope and goals of intended future work. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact one of the NIH program staff listed at the end of this document with any questions regarding the responsiveness of their proposed project to the goals of this RFA. Research Scope Applications in response to this RFA need to combine neurobiological with behavioral psychological approaches with the goal of understanding social behavior. Areas of behavioral science that are relevant include social cognition (e.g., controlled and automatic information-processing, social perception and attention, stereotyping, attributions, expectancies), social decision making, social emotions (e.g., experienced and expressed emotions, emotional traits, empathy), theory of mind, social behavior associated with personality processes and individual differences (e.g., extraversion, agreeableness, public and private self-consciousness, self-monitoring), social processes in motivation (e.g., approach and avoidance, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation), social influences and processes, self-regulation and self- control, attitudes and persuasion, verbal and nonverbal communication, interpersonal interaction and social relationships (including social conflict and aggression). Neuroscience approaches that are relevant include examinations of neural systems, structures, circuits, or processes that can be used to develop theories regarding any of the above mentioned social behavioral processes. Techniques may include brain imaging (e.g., fMRI, PET, SPECT), psychophysiological methods (e.g., EEG, MEG), neurochemical or lesion methods, transcranial magnetic stimulation, neuroendocrine methods, neuropsychological methods (e.g., investigating processes in memory disorders and neurodegenerative diseases), and computational modeling. Developmental approaches to understanding any of the social behavioral processes are also a major concern. In addition to human studies, research with animal models is appropriate, as are mathematical and computational modeling approaches. Studies with clinical populations aimed at understanding social dysfunction associated with certain diseases (e.g., autism, schizophrenia, various personality disorders, psychopathology, Williams syndrome, Parkinson s, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias) are appropriate, if they offer promise of providing insights into the normative operations of social neurobehavioral processes. Neurochemical and genetic examinations of neural aspects of social cognition and behavior are also under the auspices of this RFA. The focus of this RFA is specifically on social behavioral and interpersonal interaction. Accordingly, basic cognitive processes (e.g., attention, learning and memory) and basic emotional processes (e.g., positive and negative affectivity, mood) are only appropriate if examined in the context of serving social behavior. Likewise, studies on basic language processes (e.g., language production and comprehension) that do not have an overriding emphasis on social communication and behavior are not appropriate. Basic neuroscience research that is not directly focused on understanding social behavioral processes is also not appropriate. Finally, applications with a genetic component are acceptable, if the focus is on understanding the genetic effects on neural mechanisms involved in social behavior, or on behavioral influences on gene expression. Example Research Topics The following are examples of broad research topics that might be the focus of this Social Neuroscience RFA. The list is not meant to be comprehensive, nor are the examples meant to be exclusive of other topics. o Research aimed at understanding whether the information-processing demands made by social cognition are different from those made by non-social cognition. Questions about the domain-specificity of social cognition vs. its overlap with emotion, or communication. o Research identifying common and distinct neural systems (and the development of those systems across the lifespan) specialized for processing a variety of social-cognitive inference and evaluation tasks and behaviors, e.g., automatic categorization and evaluation of social entities, distinguishing conscious and intentional processing, attention, and explicit memory from implicit or automatic processing. o Studies on implicit and explicit social learning and social learning across development, e.g., imitation, use of social attention cues, attitude formation and change, etc. o Research aimed at understanding both self- and other-perception (including their development), e.g., the neural processes involved in expressing and conveying one’s emotional states to others vs. those involved in perspective taking, is perspective taking achieved via theory of mind or via empathy (i.e., by simulations of how the other might feel)? o Studies linking existing knowledge about different neural pathways for approach and avoidance and for positive and negative emotions to social behavior and self-regulation and their development from infancy onward. Questions regarding interactions of brain regions (e.g., the prefrontal cortex inhibiting the amygdala) in self-regulation and self-control. o Research aimed at furthering our understanding of personality structure and change in a social context, e.g., by understanding the neural bases for social behavior associated with temperamental personality dimensions such as extraversion or neuroticism, or by applying connectionist or other forms of computational modeling to understand distinctive interpersonal behaviors that are characteristic of certain personality dimensions/disorders. o Research studying developmental aspects of social neuroscience across the life span (including aging), e.g., understanding when children learn about social concepts and how they process this information at a neural level, or examining the neural mechanisms that underlie how older adults access and use specific types of social information. Questions regarding whether these mechanisms change during different stages of development. o Studies investigating the neurobiological pathways that mediate the effects of social interaction on morbidity and mortality in older adults. o Research using animal models of social behavior to inform processes such as affiliation, social structure, dominance, as well as critical periods for social bonding. o Studies examining neurochemical processes mediating social cognition, such as the effect of oxytocin or endogenous opiates on neural substrates of social bonding, separation anxiety and social play, or the effect of serotonin on neural substrates of social status, dominance and aggression. o Studies translating results and principles from social neuroscience studies of normal populations to research on the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of mental disorders, including autism, mood and personality disorders, social phobia, and schizophrenia. o Studies examining social behavioral aspects of brain diseases such as Parkinson s, Huntington s, and age-related dementias in order to answer basic questions about the involvement of the brain (e.g., basal ganglia, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, limbic system) in social interaction. o Studies examining the influence of contextual or cultural processes on neural processes and resultant social behavior, e.g., are distinctive cultural identities represented differently at the neural level in a way that explains associated differences in social behavior? 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 sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification are 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 research involving human subjects should read the UPDATED "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on August 2, 2000 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html), a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm. The revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols to 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) all investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences. 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: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html. Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. 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. This policy announcement is found in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts Announcement dated June 5, 2000, at the following website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html. 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. Reviewers are cautioned that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site. 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 RFA 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. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA to which the application is responding. 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 allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review. The letter of intent is to be sent Dr. Carolyn Morf at the address listed under INQUIRIES by the letter of intent receipt date listed. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact one of the NIH program staff listed at the end of this document with any questions regarding the responsiveness of their proposed project to the goals of this RFA. The PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html are to be used in applying for these grants. This version of the PHS 398 is available in an interactive, searchable PDF format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone 301/710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. There are special application instructions for this RFA: The Research Plan is limited to 15 pages. Appendix material is limited to 3 items. As part of the description, applicants must identify briefly how this application relates to the purpose of the R21 mechanism as stated in this RFA. Special attention should be paid to explaining how the work proposed in the application is innovative and novel. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODULAR GRANT APPLICATIONS The modular grant concept establishes specific modules in which direct costs may be requested as well as a maximum level for requested budgets. Only limited budgetary information is required under this approach. The just-in- time concept allows applicants to submit certain information only when there is a possibility for an award. It is anticipated that these changes will reduce the administrative burden for the applicants, reviewers and NIH staff. The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html is to be used in applying for these grants, with modular budget instructions beginning on page 13 of the application instructions. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Type the RFA number on the label. 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. The RFA label is also available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three 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) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be sent to: Jean G. Noronha, Ph.D. Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6154, MSC 9609 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663 Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service) Applications must be received by the application receipt date listed in the heading of this RFA. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application in response to this RFA 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 substantial revisions of applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by program staff of the participating institutes. 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 an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIMH in accordance with the review criteria stated below. 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 the applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the National Advisory Councils of the participating institutes. 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 the application 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 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 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. (1) Significance: Does this study address an important 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? (2) Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project and the Exploratory/Developmental Mechanism (R21)? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? Does the applicant establish both the novelty and potential impact of the project? To what degree will support of the proposed developmental activities help develop an initial data base and significant potential for successfully conducting research examining neurobiological processes involved in social behavior in the future? (3) Innovation: Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? Special emphasis will be placed on the level of integration between neurobiological and psychological approaches to develop promising theories and paradigms towards understanding neural processes involved in social behavior. Within these approaches priority is given to high innovation, be it in new lines of research, or novel extensions of ongoing work in new directions. Less emphasis will be placed on detailed protocols or methods. (4) Investigator: Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is there adequate and appropriate expertise for both the neurobiological and the behavioral aspects of the proposal - either by the principal investigator him- or herself, or among other members of the research team? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers (if any)? The inclusion of outstanding investigators who have not previously directly engaged in social neuroscience research is encouraged, as long as the joint expertise among the research team is appropriate to the aims of the project. (5) Environment: Does the scientific environment in which the 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? Does the project include plans for at least one research apprenticeship? In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all applications will also be reviewed with respect to the following: o The adequacy of plans to include both genders, minorities and their subgroups, and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. o The reasonableness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the proposed research. o 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. Schedule Letter of Intent Receipt Date: December 11, 2001 Application Receipt Date: January 11, 2002 Scientific Review Date: March/April 2002 Advisory Council Review: May 2002 Earliest Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2002 AWARD CRITERIA Award criteria that will be used to make award decisions include: o scientific merit (as determined by peer review) o availability of funds o programmatic priorities INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or answer questions from potential applicants is available. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Carolyn C. Morf, Ph.D. Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7216, MSC 9651 Bethesda, MD 20892-9651 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) Telephone: (301) 443-3942 FAX: (301) 443-9876 Email: cmorf@mail.nih.gov Daniel B. Berch, Ph.D. Behavioral and Social Research Program National Institute on Aging 7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 533 Bethesda, MD 20892-9205 Telephone: (301) 594-5942 FAX: (301) 402-0051 Email: Berchd@nia.nih.gov Lisa Freund, Ph.D. Child Development and Behavior Branch National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 4B05D, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) Telephone: (301) 435-6879 FAX: (301) 480-7773 Email: freundl@mail.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Carol J. Robinson Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6115, MSC 9605 Bethesda, MD 20892-9605 Telephone: (301) 443-3858 FAX: (301) 443-6885 Email: crobinso@mail.nih.gov Linda Whipp Grants and Contracts Management Office National Institute on Aging 7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2N212 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-1472 FAX: (301) 402-3672 Email: whippl@nia.nih.gov Mary Daley Grants Management Branch National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 8A07D, MSC 7510 Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 Telephone: (301) 496-1305 FAX: (301) 402-0915 Email: daleym@mail.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Nos. 93.242 (NIMH), 93.866 (NIA), 93.865 (NICHD). 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 and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. 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 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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