NIAMS Update - February 25, 2010

February 25, 2010

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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Office of Communications and Public Liaison
niamsinfo@mail.nih.gov

Janet S. Austin, Ph.D.
Director

Melanie M. Martinez, M.P.A.
Public Liaison Officer

Trish Reynolds, R.N., M.S.
Media Liaison

NIAMS Announces Release of New Fiscal Year 2010-2014 Long-Range Plan
NIAMS is pleased to announce the release of its new Fiscal Year 2010-2014 Long-Range Plan. The goal was to provide a document that would help propel research progress by informing the Institute’s priority setting process, while enabling NIAMS to adapt to the rapidly changing biomedical and behavioral science landscapes.

While the plan highlights a variety of research needs and opportunities, the Institute’s dedication to supporting investigator-initiated research will remain one of our highest priorities. Scientific ideas created and presented by the extramural community are vital to the advancement of biomedical research and improved public health.

Although it was not possible to include references to every disease or condition within our broad mission, the Fiscal Year 2010-2014 Long-Range Plan covers numerous research areas, including five disease- and tissue-specific topics and four cross-cutting topics.

Finally, we extend our gratitude to those who contributed to the plan. We received extensive input throughout the development process from members of both the scientific and lay communities concerned with the programs of NIAMS. We now encourage you to share the plan with your colleagues to facilitate the dissemination of this valuable resource.

Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, NIAMS

NIAMS FY 2009 Budget Detail Now Available
The Institute often receives questions about the budget. While many of these questions are focused on success rates and paylines, there is also much interest in the Institute’s other funding categories. Since final data for Fiscal Year 2009 are now available, it seemed an opportune time to provide more in-depth information about both success rates and how NIAMS spends its annual appropriation. As always, you are invited to visit the NIAMS Web site, where current and historical data are available as well as our latest funding plan. Additional information is also available from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research and Office of Budget Web sites.

Please note the data in the following tables do not include funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

NIH and NIAMS Recovery Act Investment Reports
The NIH Recovery Act Investment Reports are now available with a listing of 166 topics in biomedical research – investments in new knowledge – that were made possible by ARRA. While these investment reports describe work being supported through approximately 2,000 ARRA grants, this is only a subset of the more than 12,000 grants that have been awarded through ARRA.

The NIAMS investment reports represent highlights of exciting science related to bones, joints, muscles, and skin funded through ARRA. These include:

NIAMS will continue to feature these and other topics as the ARRA portfolio is reviewed.

NIH Awards $18.3 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
To remain competitive in our 21st-century global economy, the nation must foster new opportunities, approaches, and technologies in math and science education. This begins with a coordinated effort to bolster science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.) education nationwide, starting at the earliest stages in education. Developing a more diverse and academically prepared workforce of individuals in S.T.E.M. disciplines will benefit all aspects of scientific and medical research and care.

NIH Seeks Public Comment on a Technical Revision to the NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research
NIH is requesting public comment on a revision to the definition of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in the “National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research” (Guidelines). The change is being proposed because NIH recently learned that there are scientifically important sources of hESCs that may otherwise meet the strict ethical requirements of the Guidelines, but do not meet the precise definition of hESCs in the current Guidelines. For more information, please visit the Federal Register Public Inspection Web page. Written comments on the proposed change must be received by NIH on or before March 23, 2010 in order to be considered.

Scientists Discover Critical Protein that Links Bone Formation and Resorption
Scientists supported by NIAMS have discovered how a protein called transforming growth factor-1 (TGF–1) links bone formation with bone resorption, two processes that must work in concert to remodel healthy bone. Their findings were published in the July 2009 issue of Nature Medicine.

Intracellular Receptors Play a Role in Lupus and May Hold Clues to Treatment
Researchers supported by NIAMS have found new evidence concerning the role of the body’s innate immune system in lupus. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could eventually lead to ways to block the components of the immune system that initiate or perpetuate the disease.

New Gene Discovered for Recessive Form of Brittle Bone Disease
Researchers at NIH and other institutions have discovered the third in a sequence of genes that accounts for previously unexplained forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic condition that weakens bones, results in frequent fractures and is sometimes fatal.

NIAMS' O'Shea Receives Arthritis Foundation Award
NIAMS Scientific Director John O’Shea was awarded the Arthritis Foundation’s 2009 Lee C. Howley, Sr., Prize for his continued research contributions in the treatment and control of rheumatic diseases. The Howley Prize is given each year in recognition of researchers whose contributions during the previous five years have represented a significant advance in the understanding, treatment, or prevention of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The Arthritis Foundation recognized O’Shea for his work on cytokine signal transduction and the elucidation of the roles of Janus kinases (Jaks) and STAT family transcription factors in immune cell development and differentiation.

NIAMS Roundtable Discussions: 2009 Summaries Available
In 2009, NIAMS hosted a series of roundtables to solicit input that would help inform the Institute as to the clinical trials that it will undertake. The discussions helped to identify both current clinical challenges and pathways by which NIAMS could solicit input from communities as to needs and opportunities in the future. This guidance will assist the Institute in its support for investigator-initiated trials, which the Institute anticipates will continue to constitute the bulk of its clinical trial portfolio.

NIH Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series
NIH’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS) offers weekly lectures every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Building 10, NIH Campus. Renowned scientists from around the globe present research on a variety of topics. The lectures are Continuing Medical Education-certified lectures, open to the public and available live via Webcast.

Upcoming lectures:

March 3, 2010
Dr. Susan Taylor
“Dynamics of PKA Signaling”

March 10, 2010
Dr. Jeffrey Ravetch
“The Paradox of Immunity”

March 17, 2010
Dr. Carol Barnes
“Memory and the Aging Brain”

Special Thursday Lecture
March 18, 2010
Dr. Julio Montaner
“Closing the Implementation Gap to Stop HIV/AIDS”

March 24, 2010
Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo
“Role of Regulatory T Cells in Tolerance: Implication in Human Diseases”

February Shorttakes
NIAMS Shorttakes is a compilation of news from the Institute that is published three times a year in conjunction with NIAMS Advisory Council meetings.

NIH Research Matters
NIH Research Matters is a review of NIH research from the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of the Director, NIH.

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.

NIH News in Health
Read practical health information in NIH News in Health, which is reviewed by NIH’s medical experts and is based on research conducted either by NIH’s own scientists or by our grantees at universities and medical schools around the country.


	Keeping Bones Strong and Healthy: Let’s Talk about Osteoporosis Our bones are alive. We might not think of them that way � but to keep themselves strong and usable, our bones are always changing.

New Publication

What Is Reactive Arthritis?
This fact sheet is for people who have reactive arthritis, as well as for their family members, friends, and others who want to find out more about this disease. The fact sheet describes what causes reactive arthritis, who gets it, and the symptoms. It also describes how reactive arthritis is diagnosed and treated. Highlights of current research are included. If you have further questions after reading this fact sheet, you may wish to discuss them with your doctor.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

ARRA OS: Recovery Act 2009: Accelerating Adoption of Comparative Effectiveness Research Results by Providers and Patients (R18)
(RFA-AE-10-001)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt Date: March 11, 2010

FY2010 Recovery Act Funding Announcements: Clarification on Page Limitations for Bibliography and References Cited Section
(NOT-OD-10-051)

UPDATE TO RFA-OD-10-001: ARRAOS Recovery Act Limited Competition: Behavioral Economics for Nudging the Implementation of Comparative Effectiveness Research: Clinical Trials (RC4) - Announcement of Additional Funds Availability and Increased Allowable Total Costs
(NOT-OD-10-053)

Clarification of NOT-OD-10-034: Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Transfer Technology Research Grants (R43/R44 and R41/R42) through the NIH Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network (OppNet)
(NOT-OD-10-054)

Notice of Limited Competition Availability of Recovery Act Funds for NCMHD Competitive Revision Applications to Support Comparative Effectiveness Research for Eliminating Disparities (CERED)
(NOT-MD-10-002)

NIH Roadmap Initiative Announcements

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (U54)
(RFA-RM-10-001)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: September 14, 2010
Application Receipt Date: October 14, 2010

NIAMS Research Announcements

Centers of Research Translation (P50)
(RFA-AR-11-002)
Letters of Intent Receipt Dates: May 10, 2010; May 10, 2011
Application Receipt Dates: June 10, 2010; June 11, 2011

Announcement of NIAMS Revised Procedure for Acceptance of Applications Requesting $500,000 or More Direct Costs in any Grant Year
(NOT-AR-10-025)

Other Research Announcements

Recovery Act Limited Competition: Institutional Comparative Effectiveness Research Mentored Career Development Award (KM1)
(RFA-OD-10-011)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt Date: March 25, 2010

PHS 2010-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])
(PA-10-050)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement.

PHS 2010-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42])
(PA-10-051)
Letters of Intent Receipt Dates: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Multiple dates, see announcement.

IACUC 101 and 201 PLUS Workshops: February 24-25, 2010 in Lafayette, LA
(NOT-OD-10-044)

NIH Broadens Eligibility for NIH Diversity and Re-Entry Supplements
(NOT-OD-10-045)

Proposed FDA Rulemaking on Informed Consent Requirements
(NOT-OD-10-046)

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2010
(NOT-OD-10-047)

Delays in Grant Application Submission due to Earthquake in Haiti January 2010
(NOT-OD-10-048)

Clarification on the Extended Error Correction Window and Format of the Research Strategy Section for Restructured Applications Intended for Due Dates on or After January 25, 2010
(NOT-OD-10-050)

Clarification of SF424 (R&R) Application Instructions for Resubmissions of Revision and Renewal Applications
(NOT-OD-10-052)

Notice of Correction to PA-09-186
(NOT-OD-10-057)

IACUC 101 Workshop and PRIM&R 2010 IACUC Conference: March 21–23, 2010 in Baltimore, MD
(NOT-OD-10-059)

If you would like to review information about funding opportunities more frequently than our monthly updates allow, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, the primary source for information about NIH funding opportunities. You can also request a weekly Table of Contentsfrom the NIH Guide.