Grants>Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases

Call for Applications: American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation for Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials that Address Clinical Aspects of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation is soliciting applications for investigator-initiated clinical trials that address clinical aspects of rheumatoid arthritis. Outcomes from these grants should lead to new insights into the treatment of RA. All applications must be relevant to the purpose and goals of the Within Our Reach campaign. It is expected that these clinical trials will include prospective studies designed to answer questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, e.g., investigational drugs or investigational medical devices, or new ways of using known treatments relevant to RA. It is hoped that these trials will determine whether new biomedical or behavioral interventions are safe, efficacious, and effective.

For purposes of this program, the term ‘clinical trial’ refers to a broadly based prospective clinical investigation involving a large number of human subjects for the purpose of evaluating an experimental intervention in comparison with a standard or control intervention or comparing two or more existing treatments. The aim of such investigation is to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care. The definition includes pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for disease prevention, prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy. Community- and other population-based intervention trials also are included.

The proposed trials must be hypothesis-driven, milestone-defined, related to the research mission of the Within Our Reach campaign and considered high priority by the Foundation. Investigators are encouraged to visit the REF website for additional information about the campaign.

The total number of trials funded will depend upon the number and quality of the applications received; however it is anticipated that a maximum of two trials will be funded. The trials will be funded for three years at up to $1,000,000 per year, including eight percent indirect costs.

Previous recipients of Within Our Reach grants may apply. Individuals at the NIH and CDC are not eligible to apply as Principal Investigators for either type of grant, but may serve as part of the research team. These individuals may not receive funds from this program, and must obtain appropriate internal clearances and include documentation of such in the application.

Please visit the website at http://www.rheumatology.org/ref/awards/WOR.asp for more information and to download the full Request for Proposals. All applicants must submit a letter of intent via the online submission form no later than March 1, 2012. Applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2012.

Alliance for Lupus Research 2012 Grant Application Announcment

The Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR) is pleased to announce that the applications for the ALR’s Functional Genomics and Molecular Genetic Pathways in SLE grants are now available online.

Research Grants: Approved grant applications will be eligible to receive a 2-year award for up to $350,000 USD (up to $175,000 USD per year for two years). Research grants must provide evidence of preliminary data.

Pilot Grants: Approved grant applications will be eligible to receive a 1-year award for up to $75,000 USD. Pilot grants are for projects that are not supported by preliminary data. Guidelines for application and submission are also available on the websites listed above.

Deadlines associated with this grant program are as follows:

Grant Applications: Due to ALR by February 15, 2012

Applications submitted should focus on two principal areas: (1) functional validation to determine which candidate genes/variants identified in human lupus have an authentic role in the disease and (2) detailed elucidation of the molecular pathways modulated by these candidate genes/variants identified in human lupus.

There are public resources available to facilitate functional validation of genes/variants involved in lupus. ALR encourages investigators to take advantage of all of these resources. All proposals submitted must be based on information in the public domain.

Responsive applications will propose research to elucidate the functional implications of the genetic variants identified in human lupus studies. Lupus-associated genes studied in animal models that are not among those also identified in human studies are not appropriate topics for this grant mechanism.

ALR will focus support on:

Human Studies: Functional validation studies could use human DNA samples from phenotypically well-characterized individuals to correlate a gene variant with a particular phenotype. Such human studies are particularly encouraged.

Genetic Models: Established genetic models as well as emerging genetic models can be used to look at in vivo gene/variant function.

RNA interference: RNAi depletion of candidate genes in cells, tissues or whole organisms can be used to identify phenotypes.

Imaging strategies: Imaging of cell trafficking in vivo might be useful in characterizing the impact of lupus-associated gene variants on immune responses or inflammation.

Systems-level approaches: Bioinformatic resources (i.e., interactome, gene expression, proteomic, metabolomic, and anatomical databases) can be mined to generate testable hypotheses concerning the function of candidate genes and groups of genes.

Cellular or circuit-level approaches: Studies might compare gene/variant functional consequences at the cellular and circuit levels, especially with respect to a drug challenge.

Epigenetics: Functional validations of epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation in the context of lupus, including potential maternal and paternal imprinting or X chromosome inactivation, are of interest.

Comparison of wild type and gene variant functions: The molecular alteration associated with a gene variant frequently does not reveal whether the function of a particular gene is increased, decreased, or leads to unexpected functional consequences. Approaches using in vivo transgenes, in vitro biochemical assays, or other validation methods that can address these issues will help to identify the most promising molecular targets for therapeutic interventions.

Identification of functionally significant sequences in disease-associated genomic regions: While some genomic regions show strong statistical association with a diagnosis of SLE, in many cases the specific sequences responsible for the association have not yet been identified. Deep sequencing approaches can be used to define the specific regulatory or coding sequences responsible for the association with SLE and their impact on cell function.

Application Requirements

Applications are open to investigators working at established research institutions (both for profit and not-for profit) as well as investigators at state health agencies, the FDA, VA and at intramural divisions of NIH. Applications may be submitted by investigators working anywhere in the world. Non-U.S. applicants whose projects involve human subjects must work at institutions that have human subjects committees that operate in a substantially similar manner to a U.S. Institutional Review Board.

If you have any questions or require any additional information regarding the application process, please contact Diomaris Gonzalez, Assistant Director of Research Administration at (212) 218-2840; 1-800-867-1743 or at research.admin@lupusresearch.org.

American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation/Arthritis Foundation Career Development Bridge Funding Award

Cycle III Applications due: 5/1/2012

The REF and the Arthritis Foundation have partnered to create the ACR REF/AF Career Development Bridge Funding Award to help foster investigators in the early stages of their career as they prepare their NIH K08/K23 application resubmissions. Our intent is to provide up to one-year of bridge funding to support these promising applicants as they resubmit their applications. We believe this support will provide the encouragement—and the protected time—they need to succeed in obtaining their K awards, and ultimately, to become independent researchers.

Amount of Award
The REF will provide total support up to $75,000 in direct costs. The amount of the award can be divided between salary and fringe benefits and/or research costs up to a maximum of $25,000. Fringe benefits may not exceed 30%. The total salary requested must be based on a full-time, 12 month faculty appointment requiring the candidate to devote a minimum of 75% of full-time professional effort to conducting research with the remaining effort being devoted to activities related to the development of a successful research career. The REF does not allow indirect costs to the institution.

For more information about this award, please contact the REF office by e-mail or by phone at (404) 633-3777.