Cardiovascular, Lung, and Blood Immunobiology in Health and Disease.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invites research grant applications to conduct studies on the immunobiology of health and disease in the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and blood systems. The intent of this request for applications is to stimulate research that will increase fundamental knowledge of the cellular and molecular components and mechanisms and signaling processes that regulate the immune system in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and blood tissues, and that are important in healthy tissue maintenance, damaged tissue repair, and disease pathogenesis. Optional letters of intent are due 1 March 2001, with applications due 29 March 2001.

This request for applications is intended to solicit applications to investigate components, molecular mechanisms, and signaling processes that are involved in and regulate the immune and inflammatory systems, and that are important in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or blood disease pathogenesis or maintaining healthy tissue in these systems. Multidisciplinary studies that bring together investigators with expertise in immunology, inflammation, and molecular and cellular biology with investigators with expertise in the cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic system are encouraged, as are those that address basic areas that have the potential to lead to development of new treatments. Additional information is available on the Internet at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/ rfa-files/RFA-HL-01-003.html.

The NHLBI intends to commit approximately $5.6 million in FY 2001 to fund 15-17 new grants in response to this request. An applicant may request a project period of up to four years and a budget for direct costs of up to $250,000 per year or 10 modules of $25,000 each. Because the nature and scope of the research proposed may vary, it is anticipated that the size of each award will also vary. The anticipated award date is 30 September 2001.

Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign for-profit and nonprofit organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government, and eligible agencies of the federal government. Awards to foreign institutions will be made only for research of very unusual merit, need, and promise, and in accordance with PHS policy governing such awards.

Contact: Deborah Beebe, Chief, Review Branch, NHLBI, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 7178, MSC 7924, Bethesda, MD 20892-7924 USA, 301-435-0270, fax: [phone], e-mail: beebed@nhlbi. nih.gov. Refererence: RFA HL-01-003