Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA GM-91-02 - V20(26) 07/05/91
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 05 Jul 91 08:49 EST

Hi Paul:
This is the second part of the NIH Guide for this week.
Please post this one to the NIH Listserver as:
RFAGM-91-02.910705.
Please let me know when they have been posted so I can let
everyone know they are ready.
Thanks for your help.  I hope you had a good Fourth.
                      Mary Broaddus
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID RFA GM9102 GM-91-02 P1O1 *****************************************
 
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY AS APPLIED TO THE PROBLEM OF TARGETED DRUG DESIGN,
WITH POTENTIAL APPLICABILITY TO THE TREATMENT OF AIDS
 
RFA:  GM-91-02
 
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715008, 0755025, 0790015
 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
 
Application Receipt Date:  March 18, 1992
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces its interest in
receiving applications to apply modern techniques of molecular structure
determination and analysis for the purpose of developing new approaches
to drug design, with potential applicability to the treatment of HIV
infection and AIDS.  However, innovative approaches to the problem of
drug design using other appropriate systems will be welcomed.
 
BACKGROUND
 
In 1987, the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
initiated a program to support groups interested in developing the area
of structure-based drug design with specific emphasis on the use of
AIDS-related systems.  The structures of several proteins, such as the
HIV protease, RNaseH, and the CD4 receptor have now been determined, and
more will soon become available.  Using these structures, and supported
by both the NIGMS and other funding programs, efforts are now under way
in many laboratories to design rational drugs effective in the treatment
of HIV infection and AIDS.  At NIH, structural biology studies are
primarily supported by NIGMS; drug design utilizing protein structural
information is supported by both the NIGMS and the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
 
Notwithstanding the advances that have been made, the number of proteins
with structures determined to high resolution is quite small and the
limiting step in the process of drug design remains the lack of
generalizable, efficient, and reproducible approaches for the use of
macromolecular structures.  Consequently, we would like to encourage
applications from any research groups with an interest in developing the
concepts and methodologies of structure-based drug design.  The intent
of this program remains the development of drugs for the treatment of
HIV infection and AIDS.  However, because basic research on targeted
drug design will be broadly applicable and information gained will be
relevant to the design of AIDS drugs, any macromolecular targets that
will facilitate the development of these approaches will be acceptable.
 
Broadly, the research goals are to stimulate the organization of
multidisciplinary groups centered around studies related to structural
biology in order to develop approaches to targeted drug design.  The
central disciplines are those such as, for example, X-ray
crystallography, NMR, and theoretical chemistry as related to molecular
modelling.  To be effective, these must be aided and, to some degree,
guided by modern research in molecular biology and pharmacology.
 
Other promising anti-viral strategies are supported by the National
Cooperative Drug Discovery Group (NCDDG) program administered by the
NIAID.  The NCDDG program supports research directed toward discovery
and development of drugs for the treatment of HIV infection and the
opportunistic pathogens associated with HIV infection and AIDS.  While
the NCDDG program supports a limited number of structure-based drug
design studies, the program is of broad scope with respect to the
diversity of strategies explored to thwart HIV replication and related
opportunistic pathogens.
 
ELIGIBILITY
 
Non-profit and for-profit institutions are eligible to apply.  Foreign
institutions are not eligible to apply.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
The mechanism of support will be the program project grant (PO1).  It is
expected that three or more investigators, all pursuing independent but
interrelated projects, will be involved.  One scientist must be
designated by the applicant institution as Principal Investigator and
must bear the responsibility for the scientific and fiscal management of
the program project grant.  Most of the collaborating scientists should
be independent investigators.  For example, the support of one senior
investigator and several postdoctoral and research-associate level
scientists is not appropriate as a program project application.
Equipment and other core resources necessary for the accomplishment of
the objectives of the program project grant may be requested.
 
Informal interaction and exchange of information between all groups in
the program is expected.  All awardees are expected to participate in a
yearly conference.
 
This Request for Applications (RFA) is a one-time solicitation.  It
represents both a request for competing renewals from programs funded in
the original RFA and an opportunity for new groups to apply, based on a
broadening of the goals to include any studies that could relate to the
problem of structure-based drug design.
 
It is anticipated that six to ten applications will be funded.  This
support level is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of
applications of high scientific merit.  The total project period for
applications submitted in response to the present RFA may not exceed
five years.  The anticipated award date will be September 1, 1992.
Although this program is provided for in the financial plans of the
NIGMS, the award of grants pursuant to this RFA is also contingent upon
the availability of funds for this purpose.
 
The NIGMS places a limit of $3.5 million in direct costs over five years
on all program project grants.  Amounts over this limit may be awarded
for items such as major pieces of equipment, requirements for extensive
organic synthesis, or other exceptional needs.  Such exceptions should
be discussed with the staff contact person, Dr. Marvin Cassman, at the
address and telephone number listed below.
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES
 
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by NIGMS staff for
completeness and responsiveness.  Incomplete or non-responsive
applications will be returned to the applicant.  The criteria for
completeness are those commonly used for research grant applications.
Those applications that are complete and responsive will be evaluated in
accordance with the criteria stated below for scientific/technical merit
by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIGMS.  Applications
may be subjected to a triage by a peer review group to determine their
scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to
this RFA.  The NIH will administratively withdraw from competition those
applications judged to be noncompetitive and notify the applicant and
institutional business official.  Those applications judged to be
competitive will undergo further scientific merit review.
 
REVIEW CRITERIA
 
Review criteria for RFA's are generally the same as for individual
research grants.  In particular, the following aspects will be stressed:
 
  o  Quality and originality of the proposed research projects, and
     qualifications of the individual project leaders;
 
  o  Involvement of investigators having expertise in the appropriate
     scientific disciplines to provide the breadth needed for an
     integrated program;
 
  o  Evidence of collaboration and interaction among all the groups
     named in the application; and
 
  o  Experience and competence of the Principal Investigator in
     directing and overseeing a broad program of the type proposed.
 
Although the use of proteins or nucleic acids from AIDS-related systems
is not required, they will be of particular interest to this program.
The applicability of the approaches proposed to the goal of developing
drugs to combat HIV infection and AIDS must be clearly described.
Collaborations to accomplish this goal will be strongly encouraged as
the programs evolve.
 
METHOD OF APPLYING
 
The research grant application form PHS 398 (revised 10/88) must be used
in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most
institutional business offices; from the Office of Grant Inquiries,
Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Westwood
Building, Room 449, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892; and from the NIGMS
program administrator named below.
 
The RFA label available in the 10/88 revision of 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 your application such that
it may not reach the review committee in time for review.  In addition,
the title of the application and the RFA number must be typed on line 2
of the face page of the application form.
 
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the
Checklist, and four signed, exact photocopies, in one package to:
 
DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must
also be sent to:
 
Helen Sunshine, Ph.D.
Office of Review Activities
Westwood Bldg, Room 9A18
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7585
 
Applications must be received by March 18, 1992.  If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant.
 
If the application submitted in response to this RFA is substantially
similar to a grant application already submitted to the NIH for review
but has not yet been reviewed, the applicant will be asked to withdraw
either the pending application or the new one.  Simultaneous submission
of identical applications will not be allowed nor will essentially
identical applications be reviewed by different review committees.
Therefore, an application cannot be submitted in response to this RFA
that is essentially identical to one that has already been 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.
 
INQUIRIES
 
Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged and
should be directed to:
 
Marvin Cassman, Ph.D.
Westwood Building, Room 922
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-0186
 
For fiscal and administrative matters, contact:
 
Ms. Ann Calure
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
Westwood building, Room 953
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7746
 
SCHEDULE
 
Application Receipt Date:  March 18, 1992
Initial Review:  June 1992
Secondary Review:  September 1992
Anticipated Award Date:  September 1992
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
No. 93.821.  Grants will be awarded under the authority of the Public
Health Service Act, Title III, Section 301, (Public Law 78-410, as
amended; 42 USC 241) and administered under PHS grants policies and
Federal Regulations at 42 CFR Part 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.