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NHLBI is seeking research centers for $12 million study of the genetics of Alpha-1 and sarcoidosis
WASHINGTON — The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting applications from research centers to conduct state-of-the-art genomic, microbiomics and phenotypic studies of two serious and understudied conditions that affect the lungs: Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AAT) and sarcoidosis.
The NHLBI is seeking applicants for the Genomic Research in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and Sarcoidosis (GRADS) program, which will assemble a multidisciplinary team of investigators. The GRADS program will include multiple Clinical Centers and one Genomics and Informatics Center (GIC).
The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) solicits applications for the GIC and runs in parallel with a separate FOA that solicits applications for the Clinical Centers (see RFA-HL-12-013).
This program will require multidisciplinary research collaboration among genomic and microbiome scientists, bioinformaticians, and clinicians with expertise in these diseases.
Following award of the grants, a Steering Committee of all the Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) involved with the project will be organized by the GIC to develop the study-wide protocols and monitor study operations. The GIC will be responsible for arranging meetings and conference calls, and preparing, and implementing a web-based system to coordinate the Clinical Centers.
Collectively the GRADS Clinical Centers will create a program-wide cohort of approximately 400 AAT and approximately 200 sarcoidosis subjects and controls. Up to 8 Clinical Centers will be funded, each led by one or more investigators with expertise in AAT, sarcoidosis, pulmonary medicine, immunology, genomics or cell biology.
