Group items tagged

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; or the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to involve the public health research community, including for example, epidemiologists, physicians, veterinarians, food scientists, social scientists, entomologists, pathologists, virologists, or parasitologists with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

The purpose of this FOA is to provide support for research projects that involve secondary data analyses of existing genome-wide data from genome-wide association studies or other large genomic datasets for the purpose of identifying gene-environment interactions.  The ultimate objective of this funding opportunity is the discovery of complex interplays of genes and environmental factors in human populations which may disclose novel genetic susceptibilities to environmental exposures or a greater understanding of the role of environmental exposures in the development, progression, and severity of complex human diseases.   

The multi-agency Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and social drivers that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be the quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; the feedback between ecological transmission and evolutionary dynamics; and the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of pathogen transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric pathogens of either terrestrial or aquatic systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks to stimulate and expand research on the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the genesis, course, and outcomes of substance and alcohol use disorders (SUDs). Previous work in genetic epidemiology and molecular genetics has established that SUDs are highly heritable, developmental disorders with important genetic substrates.Building on these findings, new studies using genetically informative approaches are needed to elucidate the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors in developmental trajectories of SUDs and comorbid conditions, deepen and refine phenotypic definitions of SUDs, and meet the methodologic challenges of the field.Such studies hold great potential to promote understanding of the true contributions of both genetic and environmental factors to initiation, progression, comorbidity, adverse outcomes, and cessation of SUDs; to elucidate mechanisms of risk; and to enhance opportunities for translation to treatment, prevention, gene-finding and molecular studies.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks to stimulate and expand research on the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the genesis, course, and outcomes of substance and alcohol use disorders (SUDs). Previous work in genetic epidemiology and molecular genetics has established that SUDs are highly heritable, developmental disorders with important genetic substrates.Building on these findings, new studies using genetically informative approaches are needed to elucidate the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors in developmental trajectories of SUDs and comorbid conditions, deepen and refine phenotypic definitions of SUDs, and meet the methodologic challenges of the field.Such studies hold great potential to promote understanding of the true contributions of both genetic and environmental factors to initiation, progression, comorbidity, adverse outcomes, and cessation of SUDs; to elucidate mechanisms of risk; and to enhance opportunities for translation to treatment, prevention, gene-finding and molecular studies.

Research program focus areas identified by the foundation include: Pediatric Health - Projects that promote health and prevent or treat disease. Of particular interest are applied research projects focused on reducing the incidence of neonatal and early childhood illnesses, or those aimed at improving cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of development. Pediatric Nutrition - Projects that assure adequate nutrition to infants and young children, including applied research that evaluates the provision of specific nutrients and their related outcomes. Environmental Hazards (Nutrient Competitors) - Projects that document the impact of, or ameliorate the effects of, environmental hazards on the growth and development of infants and young children. Major target areas for research include new diagnostic tools that might be more rapid, more specific, more sensitive, or less invasive; treatment regimens that are novel, less stressful or painful, more targeted, have fewer side effects, and/or provide optimal dosing; symptom relief; preventative measures; assessment of deficiencies or excesses (vitamins, minerals, drugs, etc.); and risk assessment tools or measures for environmental hazards, trauma, etc. The foundation is interested in supporting projects that will result in "new" information, treatments, or tools that result in a change in practice; it rarely funds projects that are focused on sharing current information with parents or caregivers.

Environmental exposure induced perturbations of epigenomic marks are correlated with disease pathogenesis.  Identifying changes in epigenomic marks (e.g., DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility) in affected tissues/cells is not always feasible in humans. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to establish a consortium that will explore the conservation of perturbations of epigenomic marks across target tissues/cells and surrogate tissues/cells using mouse models of environmentally relevant diseases. Ultimately, these analyses will provide insights into the design and interpretation of human studies where target tissues are inaccessible.

The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research that supports the Genomic Science research program (http://genomicscience.energy.gov). In this FOA, applications are requested for: i) Systems-level research to better understand the molecular and physiological mechanisms that control bioenergy crop vigor, resource use efficiency, and resilience/adaptability to abiotic stress, as well as interactions with the surrounding environment, in order to increase biomass productivity under changing and at times suboptimal conditions; ii) Systems biology-enabled investigations into the role(s) of microbial and microbial communities in the complex and multi-scaled interactions of the plant-soil-environment: contribution(s) to bioenergy feedstock plant performance, adaptation, and resilience in the face of a broad range of changing environmental conditions and abiotic stressors (e.g., climate), and the impacts of introducing bioenergy cropping systems on the local ecosystem.

The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Core Tracksupports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. DEB encourages research that elucidates fundamental principles that identify and explain the unity and diversity of life and its interactions with the environment over space and time. Research may incorporate field, laboratory, or collection-based approaches; observational or manipulative studies; synthesis activities; phylogenetic discovery projects; or theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or computational modeling. Proposals should be submitted to the core clusters (Ecosystem Sciences, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Sciences). DEB also encourages interdisciplinary proposals that cross conceptual boundaries and integrate over levels of biological organization or across multiple spatial and temporal scales.Research addressing ecology and ecosystem science in the marine biome should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences; research addressing evolution and systematics in the marine biome should be directed to the Evolutionary Processes or Systematics and Biodiversity Science programs in DEB. All DEB programs also encourage proposals that leverage NSF-supported data networks, databases, centers, and other forms of scientific infrastructure, including but not limited to the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Environmental Data Initiative (EDI), and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio).

This Limited Competition Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications from the Program Directors/Principal Investigators of the six current Clinical Centers (CCs) for The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study, an ongoing epidemiological study of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) etiology. The TEDDY study involves the rigorous investigation of TEDDY subjects, collecting data and samples, for the identification of infectious agents, dietary factors, or other environmental factors associated with onset of T1D and/or T1D associated autoimmune markers. The six current CCs have been involved in study design and data and biosample acquisition since the inception of the TEDDY consortium. The CCs have recruited participants and followed the subjects over the past 15 years. In addition, the CCs have established effective and proficient collaborations with other components of TEDDY to carry out the studies to meet the objectives of this program. This FOA will support the CCs to allow them to continue to retain, follow clinically, and collect biosamples and data from TEDDY subjects.

This Limited Competition Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications from the Program Directors/Principal Investigators of the six current Clinical Centers (CCs) for The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study, an ongoing epidemiological study of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) etiology. The TEDDY study involves the rigorous investigation of TEDDY subjects, collecting data and samples, for the identification of infectious agents, dietary factors, or other environmental factors associated with onset of T1D and/or T1D associated autoimmune markers. The six current CCs have been involved in study design and data and biosample acquisition since the inception of the TEDDY consortium. The CCs have recruited participants and followed the subjects over the past 15 years. In addition, the CCs have established effective and proficient collaborations with other components of TEDDY to carry out the studies to meet the objectives of this program.

The importance of genetic susceptibility in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been established in the last decade and risk genes have been identified. However, the lack of complete gene penetrance and the rapid rise of IBD incidence in certain geographic regions suggest that the interaction between genetic and environmental factors contribute to IBD. Several environmental risk factors including drugs (antibiotics), viruses, psychological stress, air pollutants, diet and chemicals have been explored but the data is still inconclusive.

The Climate and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD), Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the Amazonas Research Foundation and the S?o Paulo Research Foundation of Brazil, hereby announces its interest in collaborative grant research applications in support of the upcoming GreenOceanAmazon2014 experiment (GOAmazon2014).

The National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region (Fisheries Southeast Regional Office) is seeking proposals under the Gulf of Mexico B-WET Program. The Gulf of Mexico B-WET program is a competitive, environmental education, grants program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students, related professional development for teachers, and help to support regional education and environmental priorities in the Gulf of Mexico. 

The goal of the Particulate and Multiphase Processes (PMP) program is to support fundamental research on physico-chemical phenomena that govern particulate and multiphase systems, including flow of suspensions, drops and bubbles, granular and granular-fluid flows, behavior of micro- and nanostructured fluids, and self-assembly/directed-assembly processes that involve particulates.  The program encourages transformative research to improve our basic understanding of particulate and multiphase processes with emphasis on research that demonstrates how particle-scale phenomena affect the behavior and dynamics of larger-scale systems.  Although proposed research should focus on fundamentals, a clear vision is required that anticipates how results could benefit important applications in advanced manufacturing, energy harvesting, transport in biological systems, biotechnology, or environmental sustainability.  Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged, especially those that involve a combination of experiment with theory or modeling.  Proposals whose main focus is on the synthesis of particles are not encouraged.

The goal of the Particulate and Multiphase Processes (PMP) program is to support fundamental research on physico-chemical phenomena that govern particulate and multiphase systems, including flow of suspensions, drops and bubbles, granular and granular-fluid flows, behavior of micro- and nanostructured fluids, and self-assembly/directed-assembly processes that involve particulates.  The program encourages transformative research to improve our basic understanding of particulate and multiphase processes with emphasis on research that demonstrates how particle-scale phenomena affect the behavior and dynamics of larger-scale systems.  Although proposed research should focus on fundamentals, a clear vision is required that anticipates how results could benefit important applications in advanced manufacturing, energy harvesting, transport in biological systems, biotechnology, or environmental sustainability.  Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged, especially those that involve a combination of experiment with theory or modeling.  Proposals whose main focus is on the synthesis of particles are not encouraged.

The purpose of this FOA is to stimulate research on the role of environmental exposure in neurodegenerative disease (ND) by developing feasibility data for new concepts or by adapting new technologies, tools and methods of use for studies in neurodegenerative diseases. The emphasis for this FOA would be especially focused on Alzheimers (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson's (PD) to stimulate advancement of neurodegenerative research by better establishing the importance of environmental exposure in disease causation in accordance with the goals of the new strategic plan.

This announcement encourages exploratory research applications aimed at investigating the role environmental exposures play in the development and/or the exacerbation of autoimmune disease. Applicants may propose to use in vitro studies or animal models to explore possible mechanisms in which environmental exposures associated with human autoimmune endpoints are involved in the induction of an autoimmune response or an autoimmune disease. Of particular interest are projects that will identify and characterize critical windows of exposure susceptibility, projects that explore mechanisms responsible for gender differences in response and development of autoimmune disease, and studies that can produce potential biomarkers for use in subsequent human surveillance studies.

The Office of the Science Advisor (OSA), Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking 1 or more individuals to will work directly with the  Science Advisor for the Administrator and the Deputy Director for the Office of the Science Advisor.  The Office of Science advisor (OSA), part of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters located in Washington, DC, provides leadership in  cross-Agency science and science policy development and implementation to ensure the best possible use of science at the Agency. These efforts help ensure regulations are interpreted and enforced in a manner consistent with the science supporting them and will strengthen EPA's overall scientific performance. The mission of the OSA is to provide leadership and serve as an honest broker for crossAgency science, science policy, and technology issues. The duty location is Washington, DC. Work is expected to begin in September or October, 2013 and have a one (1) year period. Two (2) additional one (1) year optional periods may be exercised,  depending on performance and need. The total duration of the order, including base and any option periods and other extension shall not exceed thirty six months or 3 years. The student contractor will be  paid by the hour for a maximum of 1928 hours annually. The total value of the order (base and all option periods) shall not exceed $150,000.00.

The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) supports fundamental research on populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. Scientific emphases range across many evolutionary and ecological patterns and processes at all spatial and temporal scales. Areas of research include biodiversity, phylogenetic systematics, molecular evolution, life history evolution, natural selection, ecology, biogeography, ecosystem structure, function and services, conservation biology, global change, and biogeochemical cycles. Research on organismal origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history may incorporate field, laboratory, or collection-based approaches; observational or manipulative experiments; synthesis activities; as well as theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or computational modeling.

Comprehensive understanding of life and how and why it changes over time depends on knowledge of the phylogeny (evolutionary relationships) of living and extinct organisms. The goals of the Genealogy of Life (GoLife) program are to resolve the phylogenetic history of all life’s diverse forms and to integrate this genealogical architecture with underlying organismal and environmental data. The ultimate vision of this program is an open access, comprehensive Genealogy of Life that will provide the comparative framework necessary for testing questions in systematics, evolutionary biology, ecology, and other fields. Strategic integration of this genealogy of life with data layers from genomic, phenotypic, spatial, ecological and temporal data will produce an extensive synthesis of biodiversity and evolutionary sciences. The resulting knowledge infrastructure will enable synthetic research on biological dynamics throughout the history of life on Earth, within current ecosystems, and for predictive modeling of the future evolution of life. Projects submitted to this program should emphasize increased efficiency in contributing to a complete Genealogy of Life and strategic integration of various types of organismal and environmental data with phylogenies. This program also seeks to broadly train next generation, integrative phylogenetic biologists, creating the human resource infrastructure and workforce needed to tackle emerging research questions in comparative biology. Projects should train students for diverse careers by exposing them to the multidisciplinary areas of research within the proposal.