RFA-HL-09-004

 Overview Information

Department of Health and Human Services

Participating Organizations:
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)

Components of Participating Organizations:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov)

Title: NHLBI Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium Research Hubs (U01)

Announcement Type: New

Request For Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-HL-09-004

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s):
93.837, 98.838, 93.839

Key Dates:

• Release Date: January 30, 2009
• Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): April 1, 2009
• Application Receipt Date (s): May 1, 2009
• Peer Review Date: July-August, 2009
• Council Review Date: August 2009
• Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2009
• Additional Information To Be Available Date (URL Activation Date): January 12, 2009
• Expiration Date: May 2, 2009

Due Dates for E.O. 12372: Not Applicable

Executive Summary:

• Purpose. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invites applications to participate in the NHLBI Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium.  The goal of the Consortium is to identify and characterize progenitor cell lineages, to direct the differentiation of stem and progenitor cells to desired cell fates, and to develop new strategies to address the unique challenges presented by the transplantation of these cells.  The Consortium will assemble clusters of synergistic research projects, each with a multi-disciplinary team of Principal Investigators, to establish virtual Research Hubs focused on progenitor cell biology.  The Consortium will also contain core research support facilities and skills development components.
• Research Hub applications must consist of a cluster of two to four synergistic applications, each of which must derive from a separate R03 application funded through RFA-HL-08-012. One of the applications must be designated the Lead PI/PD application.     
• Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the Research Project Cooperative Agreement (U01) mechanism of support.
• Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. The NHLBI intends to commit approximately $10 million total costs for FY2009.  The total amount to be awarded for the Consortium will be a maximum of $70 million total costs for the seven-year project period.  It is anticipated that 6 Research Hub awards will be made through this FOA.  Additional funds will be available through a separate FOA to fund an Administrative Coordinating Center, cores and pilot projects to be administered by the ACC (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-09-005.html). 
• Budget and Project Period.  The total project period for an application submitted in response to this FOA is 7 years.  Maximum allowable direct costs are $750,000 per year for each U01 application in the Hub.
• Eligible Institutions/Organizations. Institutions/organizations listed in Section III, 1.A. are eligible to apply.
• Eligible Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs).  TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THIS FOA, PDs/PIs MUST HAVE BEEN PART OF AN R03 AWARD IN RESPONSE TO FOA HL-08-012 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-08-012.html), AND MUST ALSO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE DECEMBER 15, 2008, GRANTEES MEETING IN BETHESDA, MARYLAND.  Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support.  Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.          
• Number of Applications. Applicants may submit only one application as PI/PD; participation in additional applications as co-investigator is permitted provided they are scientifically distinct.  Only one Lead PI /PD application, and only two U01 applications in total, may be derived from any R03 application (i.e. one Lead PI/PD application and one non-Lead, or two non-Lead PI/PD applications Applicants to this FOA may not be part of an application to the Consortium Administrative Coordinating Center (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-09-005.html).
• Resubmissions.  Resubmission applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.
• Renewals. Renewal applications are not permitted in response to this FOA.  
• Special Date(s). This FOA uses non-standard due dates. See Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates.
• Additional information to be available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/inits/faq-progenitor.htm
• Application Materials. See Section IV.1 for application materials.
• Hearing Impaired.  Telecommunications for the hearing impaired are available at: TTY 301-451-5936.