NIH INFORMATION

Reminder – RNCP/NIAID New RFA

• NIAID Calls for Development of Alternative Human Models to Address Radiation-Induced Injuries. Find support for early- to mid-stage research and development of extracorporeal systems that mimic human responses and testing of appropriate medical countermeasures to treat civilian populations.

   

 NIH Information

• Tabulating NIAID’s R01 and R21 Application and Award Counts for FY 2024. Each year, we share the number of R01-equivalent and R21 applications that NIAID received in the previous fiscal year as well as the number of grants NIAID awarded.
•  Leverage Microbial Exposure to Improve Mouse Models of Human Immunity. Advance our understanding of the impact of a host’s microbial experience on the development and function of host immunity and provide the data necessary to encourage broader use of mouse models with diverse microbial experience in immunologic and microbiologic research.
• Small Business Applicant Assistance Program (AAP). The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Small Business Applicant Assistance Program (AAP) will open for applications on December 18, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. EST. This program cycle is intended for applicants who plan to submit their Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications for the April 5, 2025, submission deadline.
• Comment Form: NIH Plan to Increase Findability and Transparency of Research Results Through the Use of Metadata and Persistent Identifiers (PID). In this Plan, NIH presents a combination of efforts that are already underway and planned efforts that will increase the findability of research outputs and promote transparency in the research process, ultimately bolstering the impact of NIH’s research while fostering trust in the research that NIH supports. Comments must be submitted electronically using this form. Responses will be accepted through February 21, 2025. Comments can be directly added to this form, uploaded as an attachment or both.
• Reaffirming NIH’s Commitment to Scientific Integrity. Ensuring that the research the NIH funds and conducts adheres to the highest standards of scientific integrity, public accountability, and transparency is essential to earning the public’s trust. As such, we are pleased to announce that NIH is reaffirming its commitment to these principles by publishing its Scientific Integrity Policy.
• NIH Launches Grants & Funding Website Redesign. Last week, NIH completed a major overhaul of its Grants & Funding website. You can watch a video tour for a summary of key changes to the site’s organization and resources.
• Final Scientific Integrity Policy of the National Institutes of Health. (NOT-OD-24-178) Office of the Director, NIH. The purpose of this guide notice is to issue the Final NIH Scientific Integrity Policy to promote a continuing culture of scientific integrity at NIH. This Policy codifies NIH’s long-standing expectations to preserve scientific integrity throughout all NIH activities, establishes key roles and responsibilities for those who will lead the agency’s scientific integrity program, and, as appropriate, establishes relevant reporting and evaluation mechanisms. 
• Create an ORCID Account in Preparation for the May 2025 Common Forms for Biosketch Transition. Investigators will soon be required to use Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) to complete Common Forms and the NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement to produce digitally certified PDFs for their application submission.
• How to Determine Where Your Application Will Be Reviewed. If you know your application will go to a Center for Scientific Review study section, you can request assignment to the most appropriate one.

New NIH Parent Announcements for R01, R21, and R03 Mechanisms

• PA-25-301. NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• PA-25-305. NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Required)
• PA-25-304. NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 
• PA-25-306. NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Required)
• PA-25-302. NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

• Development of Alternative Human Models of Radiation-Induced Injuries (Extracorporeal Systems) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support early to mid-stage research focused on development of alternative human models of acute and/or delayed radiation-induced injuries (extracorporeal systems) to elucidate mechanisms of injury and to test medical countermeasures to treat and/or mitigate these injuries. Due: February 06, 2025
• Limited Competition: Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program encourages applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase a single piece of new, costly, specialized, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system. The BIG Program is limited to institutions that have not received S10 instrumentation funding of $500,001 or greater in any of the preceding 3 Federal fiscal years. The minimum award is $25,000. There is no maximum price limit for the instrument; however, the maximum award is $350,000. Instruments supported include, but are not limited to, basic cell sorters, confocal microscopes, ultramicrotomes, gel imagers, or computer systems.
• Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Research on the Health of Women of Underrepresented, Underserved, and Underreported (U3) Populations (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional). The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) announces the availability of administrative supplements to support research to address health disparities among women in the United States who are underrepresented, underserved, and underreported (U3) in biomedical research. 
• NCI Small Grants Program for Cancer Research (NCI Omnibus) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-25-078). This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) supports small research projects on cancer that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources. The R03 grant mechanism supports different types of projects including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology.
• Enhance Diversity in SBIR/STTR Research Through Administrative Supplements. Recruit, mentor, and support students, postdoctoral scholars, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research or in Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. Administrative Supplements to Promote Diversity in Research and Development Small Businesses—SBIR/STTR (Admin Supp, Clinical Trial Not Allowed). 
• Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mammalian Models for Translational Research (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). (PAR-24-306). National Cancer Institute. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for projects to expand, improve, or transform the utility of mammalian cancer and tumor models for translational research. The NCI, through this NOFO, encourages submission of projects devoted to demonstrating that mammalian models, including organoids, tumoroids and cell models, used for translational research are robust representations of human biology, are appropriate to test questions of clinical importance, and provide reliable information for patient benefit. These practical goals contrast with the goals of many mechanistic, NCI-supported R01 projects that use mammals, or develop and use mammalian cancer models, transplantation tumor models, or models derived from mammalian or human tissues or cells for hypothesis-testing, non-clinical research. Among many other possible endeavors, applicants in response to this NOFO could propose demonstrations of how to overcome translational deficiencies of mammalian oncology models, define new uses of mammalian models or their genetics for unexplored translational challenges, advance standard practices for use of translational models, test approaches to validate and credential models, or challenge current practices for how models are used translationally.
• Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in Cancer (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). (PAR-24-311) National Cancer Institute. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites research grant applications (R01) for the development and application of current and emerging molecular imaging methods to gain fundamental insights into cancer inflammation in vivo. The motivation for this initiative is the recognition that much of the current imaging research on inflammation in cancer relies heavily on in vitro and ex vivo methods. These approaches have limited potential to provide significant insights into the dynamic interactions between cancer and inflammation. Utilizing molecular imaging probes in pre-clinical and clinical investigations allows for precise temporal resolution at molecular and cellular levels. This information is valuable for identifying and characterizing in vivo inflammatory cellular physiology in cancer and for detecting molecular changes in response to treatment. This NOFO encourages applications focused on developing integrated imaging approaches to investigate the role of inflammation in cancer through strong cross-discipline collaboration between cancer basic science researchers and imaging scientists. These collaborations are expected to advance the science and understanding of cancer inflammation interactions.
• Conduct Translational Exploratory Research on Chemical Countermeasures Research civilian chemical medical countermeasures and novel treatment strategies to combat serious morbidity and mortality resulting from high consequence public health chemical emergencies.

New RNCP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

• RFA-AI-24-067: Development of Alternative Human Models of Radiation-Induced Injuries (Extracorporeal Systems) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support early to mid-stage research focused on development of alternative human models of acute and/or delayed radiation-induced injuries (extracorporeal systems) to elucidate mechanisms of injury and to test medical countermeasures to treat and/or mitigate these injuries. Applications are due February 6, 2025.

NIH Conference Grant Support

NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-25-080). The purpose of the NIH Research Conference Grant (R13) is to support high quality conferences that are relevant to the public health and to the scientific mission of the participating Institutes and Centers. 

NOTE: NIAID funds radiation meetings as part of this solicitation mechanism

UPCOMING EVENTS

Conferences and Workshops

• 2025 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop (HRP IWS). You are cordially invited to submit an abstract for the 2025 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop (HRP IWS) to be held at the Galveston Island Convention Center, from Tuesday, January 28 through Friday, January 31, 2025. 
• Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium on AI and ML Applications in Radiation Therapy, Medical Diagnostics, and Radiation Occupational Health and Safety. March 13-14, 2025. The Gilbert W. Beebe Symposium is hosting a two-day workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications in radiation therapy/oncology, diagnostics, and occupational health and safety on March 13 and 14, 2025.The symposium will include a community discussion on algorithm development and pathways to success, a focus on future directions and opportunities in AI/ML methods and technology to advance the fields of the radiation health sciences, and discussions on the intentionality of data collection for algorithm development and training, as well as focused breakout sessions on current and emerging applications of AI and ML in the radiation health science fields. Register now to stay updated on future announcements, including the public agenda. Online and in-person registration options are available.
• ConRad 2025 Meeting. Registration for ConRad 2025 is now open. The Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology will be hosting the conference “Global Conference on Radiation Topics - Preparedness, Response, Protection and Research” from Monday 5th to Thursday 8th of May 2025 in Munich. On our website you will find the “Register as attendee” button. Please use this button for join in on the action of what will certainly be a great meeting.
• 8th International Symposium on the System of Radiological Protection. This meeting promises to deliver the freshest updates on System revisions, innovative research, and superior networking opportunities. Click the link to sign up for updates. And remember, early interest could lead to winning a free registration before we open in early 2025!
• Innovations in Countermeasures & Toxicology Research (ICTR) Conference. June 9, 2025-June 11, 2025.
  Hosted by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Join us for a cooperative and collaborative conference among colleagues and subject matter experts from the forefront of medical countermeasure (MCM) discovery and development. Research scientists and product developers across disciplines of biology, chemistry, clinical and translational medicine, and drug development interested in developing therapeutics that can treat the toxic clinical signs and symptoms after exposure to hazardous materials are welcome. Toxidromes of interest include adverse effects on the eyes, skin, lungs, nervous system, and respiratory drive. Registration details and online abstract submission system to 
  follow.

• 2025 Military Health Systems Research Symposium (MHSRS). The Defense Health Agency will be hosting the 2025 MHSRS, which is tentatively scheduled for early August 2025 in Florida.  The call for presentation abstracts will be open 6 January to 16 February 2025.   Among 60+ sessions is the topic: Rapid Response: Managing Radiation Injuries in a Near-Peer Conflict, which focuses on research to support military requirements. Session Description: This session explores cutting-edge research and practical strategies for managing acute radiological emergencies in military conflicts. Focusing on medical countermeasures for radiation injuries from both ionizing and non-ionizing sources, including nuclear weapons and directed energy (DE) systems, the session will delve into the complex pathophysiology of these injuries, particularly in the context of radiation polytrauma. Abstracts are encouraged to emphasize the translation of research findings into actionable military medical practice, enhancing both immediate response and long-term resilience of military personnel. Topics of interest include: (1) Development of safe and effective pre-exposure prophylaxis and novel post-exposure therapeutics for ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. (2) Advanced dosimetry, biodosimetry, and diagnostic approaches for rapid and accurate assessment of radiation injury. (3) Innovative strategies to facilitate development and approval of medical countermeasures under The Animal Rule, including advanced model systems such as organ-on-a-chip and multi-omic analyses. (4) Characterization of unique injury transduction mechanisms associated with DE weapons (wavelength-dependent, non-kinetic, non-pharmacologic) and the development of targeted medical countermeasures. (5) Strategies to prevent, mitigate, triage, and treat radiation combined injuries, encompassing injury mechanism characterization, therapeutic assessments, and development of models and clinical decision support tools, particularly for mass casualty events. (6) Psychological readiness strategies tailored to military operational settings. (7) Identification of non-lethal effects that can impact military resilience and operational planning. (8) Long-term care considerations in austere environments. (9) Novel approaches to increase military readiness for radiological events.

• International Society of Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry (ISORED). The call for abstracts opens on 4^th November 2024 for the 2^nd hybrid meeting of ISORED: 9^th - 11^th September 2025 to be held at IARC, Lyon, France. Details can be found on the event website.

PUBLICATION

Article: Mass Radiation Exposure: Lessons of Chornobyl, Transplant Center Preparations and the Radiation Injury Treatment Network

Drs. Nelson Chao and Richard E. Champlin assessed the impact of mass radiation exposure, drawing lessons from the Chernobyl disaster. They focused on the preparedness of transplant centers, the Radiation Injury Treatment Network, and strategies for managing radiation injuries, emphasizing the importance of effective response and treatment in such events. 

Champlin RE, Chao NJ. Mass Radiation Exposure: Lessons of Chernobyl, Transplant Center Preparations and the Radiation Injury Treatment Network. Transplant Cell Ther. 2024 Nov;30(11):1037-1041. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.10.004. PMID: 39505469.

Read More: Mass Radiation Exposure: Lessons of Chernobyl, Transplant Center Preparations and the Radiation Injury Treatment Network

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• Chief Scientist – Radiation Effects Research Foundation. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) seeks candidates for Chief Scientist at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) in Hiroshima, Japan. The Chief Scientist provides scientific leadership of the research programs at RERF in Hiroshima, Japan; leads database integration efforts; plans and conducts research and participates in research collaborations with other RERF scientists, and reports to internal and external audiences including at national and international scientific meetings.
• Research Fellow-LS-Radiation Oncology-Story Laboratory. Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL. The Story Lab focuses on charged particle radiation biology and translational radiation oncology, currently dedicated to conducting research to maximize the efficacy of Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) to support the first in North America, hospital-based center under construction at Mayo Clinic Florida. Research projects include opportunities to improve radiation therapy in pancreatic, head and neck, and lung cancer as well as osteosarcoma and glioma. Opportunities to conduct research internationally in Italy and Japan are also available. Dr. Story is looking for a Research Fellow to join his lab.  A Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic is a temporary position intended to provide training and education in research. Individuals will train in the research program of a Mayo Clinic principal investigator. Qualified applicants will have a background in one or multiple of the following areas including: tumor biology, DNA repair, hypoxia, metabolism, immunology, and stem cell biology. Further desired, but not required experience includes small animal models of cancer biology, bioinformatics, and mammalian cell culture. The individuals will demonstrate the potential for research as evidenced by their training and peer-reviewed publications and should become competitive for national research grants.

OTHER NEWS

IAEA Updates

• Update 268 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is assessing observations and information collected from its recent missions to Ukraine's electrical substations, conducted in the aftermath of attacks on the nation’s energy infrastructure, as part of the Agency's ongoing commitment to monitoring nuclear safety and security, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.