Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense

The summary for the Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Institutes of Health, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) invites applications from single institutions or consortia of institutions to increase the number of Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense originally established by NIAID in fiscal year 2003. The long-term goal of this program is the translation of research using animal models of immunity into clinical applications in humans. The immediate purpose is to support basic and translational research, and create the stable, flexible, centralized infrastructure needed to promote and coordinate multidisciplinary research in human immunology as it relates to defense against agents of bioterrorism and emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases. The program is milestone-based, and includes the flexibility to quickly redirect or replace research projects during the funding period. Funding beyond the first year will be contingent upon satisfactory progress in meeting negotiated milestones. The Cooperative Agreement mechanism (U19) will be used to support the development of multi-investigator teams with a scope of activities not possible with other funding mechanisms. Both basic and applied research topics are considered responsive. Although clinical research is the focus of this RFA, clinical trials are not allowed. For NIH definitions of clinical research and clinical trials, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/section_3.html#a_definitions. Each Center application will include six components: (1) an Overview section that summarizes the plans for the Center and the synergy to be attained by this multi-project, multidisciplinary approach; (2) a Research Project Component, to include a minimum of three Research Projects focused on understanding and/or modifying human immune response and regulation in the context of NIAID Category A, B, or C pathogens or their products (see list at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/bandc_priority.htm); note that clinical trials, HIV research, and behavioral research will not be supported by this program; (3) a Technical Development Component to generate new or greatly improved assays, reagents, and technologies to advance more rapid and more definitive analyses of human immune responses; (4) a Core Facilities Component to support the Research Project and/or Technical Development Components by providing standard, existing assays, reagents, and/or technologies; note that an Administrative Core Facility is required within this Component; (5) a Pilot Project Component to foster innovative research on NIAID Category A-C pathogens; and (6) an Education Component focused on short term training in the technical or theoretical aspects of human immunology research and biodefense. Synergistic interaction is a key feature of this program. Each Center will provide unique and complementary strengths in terms of technical potential and specific areas of immunological investigation, and all Centers will share responsibility for program development and resource coordination via a single Centers Steering Committee. This Committee was established with the award of Center grants in fiscal year 2003, and it will be expanded in fiscal year 2004 to include representatives from the new Centers awarded under this announcement.