NIAMS Update - January 22, 2009

January 22, 2009

The NIAMS Update is a monthly digest published for those interested in the latest scientific news and resources on diseases of the bones, joints, muscles, and skin. We encourage further dissemination of this resource.

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Melanie M. Martinez, M.P.A. Public Liaison Officer niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov

Trish Reynolds, R.N., M.S. Media Liaison niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov

Janet S. Austin, Ph.D. Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov

When the Weather Gets Cold
Winter Health Problems
Bright blue skies, blankets of snow, crisp days, and cozy nights by a crackling fire. For many people, winter is a welcome time of year. But for people with certain diseases like arthritis, it can be a pain-literally. While cold weather doesn’t cause arthritis or most other conditions that get worse when temperatures drop, it can cause problems for people who have them. If you’ve got one of these conditions, here’s what you need to know to survive winter’s chill.
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NIH Begins New Process to Report Detailed Funding Information
On January 15, 2009, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) made public the results of a new process for providing detailed funding information for 215 major areas of research. The Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization (RCDC) process uses standard category definitions, knowledge management principles, and computerized tools to categorize research projects. The RCDC process was initiated at the request of Congress to provide consistent and transparent NIH research funding information. Categorized projects funded in FY 2008 can be found in the “Estimates of Funding for Various Diseases, Conditions, and Research Areas” table. You can also find more information about RCDC on the “Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool,” including links to frequently asked questions (FAQs), an animation of the categorization process, and reasons funding levels might change.
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NIAMS Makes the First BIRT Awards
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) has made the first Building Interdisciplinary Research Teams (BIRT) awards. The BIRT awards are designed to promote collaborations among groups of investigators in disciplines that have not traditionally interacted. The awards will allow the investigators to pursue clear scientific opportunities in areas of their shared interest and of relevance to NIAMS. These awards are supplements to provide up to 1 year of research support to active NIAMS R01 grants.
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Overview of Roundtable Discussions for FY 2010-2014 Long Range Plan
In 2008, NIAMS began developing a new long-range plan for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to provide a broad outline of opportunities and needs related to the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and, ultimately, prevention of diseases within the Institute’s mission areas. As part of this process, NIAMS hosted a series of roundtable discussions to get input and guidance from the scientific community about areas of research to include in the new plan. The roundtables were organized around five tissue- and disease-specific themes:

Discussion at each roundtable expanded on the feedback compiled by its participants, as well as that which members of the larger community submitted via a Web-based “Request for Comments.” Brief summaries are available through the links above.

Winter 2008 Issue of IRPartners Available
We are pleased to bring you the Winter 2008 issue of IRPartners, a newsletter for patients of the Intramural Research Program (IRP), NIAMS.
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Twelve Early-Career NIH Researchers Receive Prestigious Award
Twelve NIH-supported researchers have been awarded the Nation’s highest honor for scientists at the outset of their professional careers. Ten NIH grantees and two intramural NIH scientists were selected by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to receive the prestigious 2007 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). They were honored in a ceremony at the White House with President George W. Bush on Friday, December 19, 2008. James C. Iatridis of the University of Vermont, a NIAMS-supported PECASE, was one of the 12 recognized for his research on engineering for the prevention of intervertebral disc degeneration.
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Thirty-eight Percent of Adults and 12 Percent of Children Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Approximately 38 percent of adults in the United States aged 18 years and over and nearly 12 percent of U.S. children aged 17 and under use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a new nationwide Government survey. This survey marks the first time questions were included on children’s use of CAM, which is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products—such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and acupuncture—that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine.
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NIH MedlinePlus Magazine: Skin Health and Skin Diseases—Care for Conditions from Acne to Wrinkles
Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? It is, in terms of both weight—between 6 and 9 pounds—and surface area—about 2 square yards. Your skin separates the inside of your body from the outside world. It protects you from bacteria and viruses and regulates your body temperature. See pages 23 to 26 of the Fall 2008 issue for more information.
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NIH Public Bulletin
Read about the latest public events, activities, and health information resources from NIH in the latest issue of the NIH Public Bulletin.
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The next NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting will be held February 3, 2009, in Building 31, 6th floor C Wing, Conference Room 10, NIH Campus.

The following new fact sheet is now available on the NIAMS Web site. It is part of our easy-to-read "Fast Facts" series of publications for the public.
What Is Raynaud’s Phenomenon?

NIH Roadmap Initiative Announcements

New Methodologies for Natural Products Chemistry (R01)
(RFA-RM-09-005)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: April 17, 2009
Application Receipt Date: May 14, 2009
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Notice of Change in Council Review Date for RFA-RM-08-003: Pilot Scale Libraries (PSL) for High Throughput Screening (P41)
(NOT-RM-09-005)
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Notice of Correction to Application Instructions for: PAR-09-012 “2009 NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (X02)”
(NOT-RM-09-006)
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Notice of Correction to Application Instructions for: PAR-09-013 “2009 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (X02)”
(NOT-RM-09-007)
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Other Research Announcements

NIAMS Small Grant Program For New Investigators (R03)
(PAR-09-031)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt/Submission Date: Multiple dates, see announcement
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NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)
(PA-09-036)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
PA-09-037)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (K25)
PA-09-039)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)
(PA-09-040)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08)
(PA-09-042)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
(PA-09-043)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: See announcement
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement
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Enhancing Peer Review: NIH Announces Updated Implementation Timeline
(NOT-OD-09-023)
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Enhancing Peer Review: NIH Announces New Scoring Procedures for Evaluation of Research Applications Received for Potential FY2010 Funding
(NOT-OD-09-024)
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Enhancing Peer Review: NIH Announces Enhanced Review Criteria for Evaluation of Research Applications Received for Potential FY2010 Funding
(NOT-OD-09-025)
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NIH Announces the Availability of Adobe-Based Grant Application Forms
(NOT-OD-09-026)
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The NIH Center for Scientific Review Updates the Descriptions of its Chartered Review Panels
(NOT-OD-09-027)
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Impact of NIH Transition to Adobe Forms on Appointed Members of NIH Chartered Study Sections
(NOT-OD-09-028)
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Transition of Individual Career Development (K) Applications to Electronic Submission (Grants.gov): New Business Processes and Other Information
(NOT-OD-09-029)
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Clarification of NOT-OD-08-014 and NOT-OD-08-023 Regarding Registration in ClinicalTrials.gov
(NOT-OD-09-030)
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NIH Implements New Registration Process for Reviewer Reimbursement for Participation in NIH Peer Review Meetings
(NOT-OD-09-033)
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Early Stage Investigator Policies: Requesting an Extension of the ESI Period
(NOT-OD-09-034)
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