Reannouncement: NEI Administrative Supplements to Support DNA Microarray Facilities.

On 30 November 1999, the National Eye Institute announced a program to help institutions establish DNA microarray facilities. The NEI is now reannouncing the availability of administrative supplements to NEI-funded research projects and MERIT awards. This announcement provides a second receipt date for such applications and adds a fifth review criterion. This is a one-time announcement, with requests to be submitted by 15 February 2001.

This program is issued in response to recommendations from the recent NEI Functional Genomics Workshop. Information on the workshop is found at http://www.nei.nih.gov. In addition, information regarding NEI programmatic interest in functional genomics is available in NEI's publication Vision Research, A National Plan: 1999-2003, located at http://www.nei.nih.gov/publications/plan/plan.htm.

Proposed facilities must be designed to support the application of state-of-the-art microarray technologies to innovative vision research, and must serve a minimum of five NEI-funded research projects. Requests are limited to the purchase of equipment, supplies, and technical personnel critical to the DNA microarray facility. Appropriate equipment for which support may be requested includes, but is not limited to, DNA arrayers and readers, robotic equipment for automation, and, with strong justification, computers for informatics. Since these administrative supplements are intended to assist institutions, it is expected that the applicant institutions will support personnel, equipment, and supplies associated with the establishment and operation of the facility.

Institutions that have already received an NEI administrative supplement to support DNA microarray facilities may not reapply. Revisions of unfunded applications will be accepted. All requests must meet the following criteria: 1) the project period of the grant to be supplemented must have at least two years remaining at the time of award, and 2) the work proposed must be within the scope of the research originally recommended by peer review for the grant to be supplemented. Applicants may request up to two years of support; the requested budget may not exceed $350,000 total costs over two years. The NEI will give highest priority to requests in which the applicant provides the following: 1) a description of five NEI-funded R01 and/or R37 research projects that will benefit from the presence of a microarray facility, including how the array technology will enhance ongoing research projects within the scope of the originally proposed specific aims; 2) documentation of strong institutional commitment to support the microarray facility, including continued support for the facility and the technology after the time period of the supplement; 3) a detailed budget and justification; 4) a detailed description of the administration and management of the DNA microarray facility; and 5) a detailed description of bioinformatics support and strategies for data management and interpretation.

Additional application information is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/ NOT-EY-01-001.html. Awards will be determined on the basis of scientific merit, program relevance, and availability of funds, with an expected award date of 1 May 2001. Inquiries concerning this notice are strongly encouraged.

Contact: Ellen S. Liberman, Director, Lens and Cataract and Glaucoma Programs, NEI, Executive Plaza South, Suite 350, 6120 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7164, Bethesda, MD 20892-7164 USA, 301496-0484, fax: [phone], e-mail: ellenliberman@ nei.nih.gov. Reference: EY-01-001