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The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to support research that will contribute to the overall understanding of vaccine safety. This research opportunity invites studies that address scientific areas potentially relevant to vaccine safety such as 1) physiological and immunological responses to vaccines and vaccine components, 2) how genetic variations affect immune/physiological responses that may impact vaccine safety, 3) identification of risk factors and biological markers that may be used to assess whether there is a relationship between certain diseases or disorders and licensed vaccines, 4) creation/evaluation of statistical methodologies for analyzing data on vaccine safety, including data available from existing data sources such as passive reporting systems, or 5) the application of genomic/molecular technologies to improve knowledge of vaccine safety.

PART A -- Core Curricular Enhancements Strategic Direction A2 -- Promote educational enhancements that include transdisciplinary and interprofessional population health training Activity I: Medical Assistants Resources and Training on Immunization (MARTi) MARTi is a website http://www.marti-us.org/ hosted and updated by the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR). MARTi was developed to provide a collection of immunization training, education, and resource materials for medical assistants and those responsible for their training, such as office managers or supervisors. The website provides reviewed and credible training and education programs and resources specifically developed for the education and reading level of medical assistants. Activities will include the following: --Manage and update the website content and resources as new vaccine recommendations and best practices become available and redesign the navigation of the website to feature resources offering continuing education (CE) credits --Create newsletters and social media announcements --Develop responsive design website to provide access through mobile devices --Assemble a committee of experts to advance use of the website and recommend improvements. Committee will convene via conference call (3 or 4 times a year). The committee will consist of key groups including the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and the Professional Association of Healthcare Organization Management (PACHOM) as well as post-secondary institutions training future medical assistants. CDC will not direct or manage any aspects of the committee.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the "HIV Services and Systems Strengthening (HS3)" program. USAID/Dominican Republic (DR), under the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), will continue to assist the Government of the Dominican Republic (GoDR) in achieving HIV epidemic control through the implementation of clinical care activities using a health systems strengthening (HSS) approach under the proposed HIV Services and Systems Strengthening (HS3) Project from 2018-2023. The overall aim of the activity should be to assist the GoDR in reaching HIV epidemic control and preparing the GoDR and key population/priority population (KP/PP) safety-net private providers to transition from donor support.The purpose of the HS3 Project is to implement dynamic, catalytic, scalable, and responsive HIV service delivery packages for KP/PP to accelerate the country's HIV response to achieve 90-90-90 targets while effecting positive change on the health system to remove barriers that prevent the DR from reaching 90- 90-90. Key populations are defined as men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender (TG) individuals, and female sex workers (FSW). Priority populations are defined as migrants of Haitian descent.

The purpose of this FOA is to call for U24 cooperative agreement applications that will request funding to further develop and sustain up to three H3Africa Biorepositories, building upon existing infrastructure. The H3Africa Biorepositories will continue to have the responsibility of maintaining state of the art methods and technologies for DNA collection, processing, quality control, handling, management, and storage and of providing support services needed for bio-specimen collection and dissemination in Africa. They may also propose collection and handling of specimen types including but not limited to PBMCs, plasma, serum etc.  Biorepositories will coordinate closely with H3Africa research projects and the H3Africa Bioinformatics network (H3ABioNet) to ensure responsible stewardship of high quality biological specimens linked to well-curated phenotypic and genomic data.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support research that will contribute to the overall understanding of vaccine safety. This research opportunity encourages studies that address scientific areas potentially relevant to vaccine safety, such as: 1) characterization of physiological and immunological responses to vaccines and vaccine components, including different adjuvants; 2) how genetic variations affect immune/physiological responses that may impact vaccine safety; 3) identification of risk factors (e.g., infection history, predisposition to or presence of allergic and/or autoimmune disease and biological markers that may be used to assess whether there is a relationship between certain diseases or disorders and licensed vaccines; 4) creation/evaluation of statistical methodologies for analyzing data on vaccine safety, including data available from existing data sources, such as passive reporting systems or healthcare databases; or 5) the application of genomic/molecular technologies and systems biology approaches to evaluate vaccine safety. This FOA aligns with the research goals and objectives outlined in the U.S. National Vaccine Plan).

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support innovative studies to identify and understand the immunological responses that mediate protection from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection or following vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Gurin (BCG) or investigational vaccines. Studies may focus on any stage of mycobacterial infection and may include HIV-infected or uninfected individuals. Development of novel functional assays to assess host response and inclusion of immune profiling and systems biology approaches are encouraged. This FOA seeks to stimulate innovative research in deciphering immune mechanisms in humans required for protection from Mtb infection or tuberculosis (TB) disease, or induced by TB vaccines that go beyond what have traditionally been investigated in TB.

Soil communities are commonly the most overlooked part of an ecosystem because they are cryptic and difficult to study. However, they are responsible for a disproportionate number of ecosystem functions, including carbon and nutrient cycling, soil fertility, soil stability and water retention. Understanding how these communities change based on land management activities is a first step in understanding how ecosystem function might change. The purpose of this project is to address the relationships among forest treatments (thinning and use of logging machinery) to impacts on soil abiotic parameters (soil compaction, bulk density, hydrology, organic matter and soil carbon and nitrogen) on important soil groups (nematodes, microarthropods, bacteria, and fungi). Each of these groups is responsible for different functions, and can provide different information on the health of the soil, and therefore the ecosystem. With the current task agreement, we propose to look at the effects of mechanical thinning on these parameters in two ways across four different forest types (ponderosa pine, xeric mixed conifer, mesic mixed conifer and aspen). In both experiments, we will measure soil bulk density, soil compaction, soil hydraulic conductivity, water infiltration rate, soil organic matter and total C and N. We will use a mix of traditional microscopy and molecular methods to quantify the abundance and diversity of bacteria, fungi, nematodes and microarthropods.

The purpose of the FOA is to support the structural characterization of protein species associated with Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (ADRDs) through the utilization of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) of proteins expressed in human tissue and cell sources. Studies in response to this RFA should also include the development of research tools and resources to further characterize/validate the protein species. This FOA is in response to the Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (ADRD) challenges outlined in the 2016 update to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites cooperative agreement applications that will contribute to a higher resolution understanding of the physical and functional organization of the human islet tissue environment by describing the composition (cellular and molecular) and function of important components of the pancreatic islet and peri-islet tissue architecture, the cell-cell relationships and means of communications used by cell types and cell subtypes within the pancreatic tissue ecosystem, and/or the contribution of adjacent (including acinar, ductal, lymphatic) and neighboring (intestinal, mesenteric and adipose) tissues to islet cell function and dysfunction. Successful projects will integrate the Human Pancreas Analysis Consortium (HPAC), that will consist of the research teams funded in response to this FOA with the Human Pancreas Analysis Program (HPAP), a resource-generation program that was funded in 2016 in response to RFA-DK-15-027. HPAC will become the fifth consortium of the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN, https://hirnetwork.org/ ). HIRN's overall mission is to support innovative and collaborative translational research to understand how human beta cells are lost in T1D, and to find innovative strategies to protect and replace functional beta cell mass in humans. This FOA will only support studies with a primary focus on increasing our understanding of human tissue structure and function, and human disease biology (as opposed to rodent or other animal models). This FOA is not intended to support the conduct of a clinical trial.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites cooperative agreement applications that will contribute to a higher resolution understanding of the physical and functional organization of the human islet tissue environment by describing the composition (cellular and molecular) and function of important components of the pancreatic islet and peri-islet tissue architecture, the cell-cell relationships and means of communications used by cell types and cell subtypes within the pancreatic tissue ecosystem, and/or the contribution of adjacent (including acinar, ductal, lymphatic) and neighboring (intestinal, mesenteric and adipose) tissues to islet cell function and dysfunction. Successful projects will integrate the Human Pancreas Analysis Consortium (HPAC), that will consist of the research teams funded in response to this FOA with the Human Pancreas Analysis Program (HPAP), a resource-generation program that was funded in 2016 in response to RFA-DK-15-027. HPAC will become the fifth consortium of the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN, https://hirnetwork.org/ ). HIRN's overall mission is to support innovative and collaborative translational research to understand how human beta cells are lost in T1D, and to find innovative strategies to protect and replace functional beta cell mass in humans. This FOA will only support studies with a primary focus on increasing our understanding of human tissue structure and function, and human disease biology (as opposed to rodent or other animal models). This FOA will not accept applications proposing a clinical trial.

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's mission is to responsively and responsibly create, develop, deliver, and sustain medical capabilities for the Warfighter. The AIMM initiative was created to accelerate transformational biomedical research for our Armed Forces and Nation. The mission of the AIMM initiative is to encourage, identify, and enable innovative research that leads to cross-cutting solutions to military health threats. The AIMM Research Award is intended to support highly creative and conceptually innovative high-risk research with the potential to accelerate critical discoveries or major advancements that will significantly impact military health and medicine. AIMM initiative funding supports novel research concepts and other efforts that initiate or enhance potential game-changers that may not be supported by other funding mechanisms or core programs.

T-lymphocytes preserve an immunological balance between attacking tumor cells and preventing a continued activated immune response. This balance is maintained by a network of protein interactions that can inhibit T-cell mediated immune responses targeted against self-antigens or stimulate them to defend against tumor cells. T-cell specificity against tumor cells is determined by the interaction between the T-cell receptor complex and antigenic peptides bound in the surface major histocompatibility complex molecules (MHC).

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) supports research related to the basic understanding of microbiology and immunology leading to the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and medical diagnostics for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of infectious and immune-mediated diseases. NIAID will solicit proposals to identify novel adjuvant candidates that can be used to augment the efficacy of human vaccines. Research solicited will contribute to the pipeline of new adjuvant leads that either: (a) exploit the natural capacity of the innate immune system to initiate and sustain effective T and B cell responses and to induce long term immune memory, or (b) act directly on cells of the adaptive immune system to enhance their response to pathogen-derived antigens

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support the use of Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse lines to advance understanding of the host genetics involved in immune regulation and function and to further develop CC mouse lines that more faithfully reproduce human immune responses. Applicants may include CC, CC derivatives with reproducible genomes and/or CC-RIX mice to accomplish these goals. Research areas supported by this FOA include immune system development, function or regulation; mechanisms governing immune response to infectious pathogens, vaccines or adjuvants; host susceptibility factors and mechanisms of pathogen-induced immunopathology; and immune mechanisms involved in the development and progression of immune-mediated diseases, such as allergy/asthma, autoimmunity, primary immunodeficiency, inflammation, and cell/organ/tissue transplant rejection or tolerance.

In light of the emergence and spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and abroad, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is accepting proposals to conduct non-medical, non-clinical-care research that can be used immediately to explore how to model and understand the spread of COVID-19, to inform and educate about the science of virus transmission and prevention, and to encourage the development of processes and actions to address this global challenge. NSF encourages the research community to respond to this challenge through existing funding opportunities. In addition, we invite researchers to use the Rapid Response Research (RAPID) funding mechanism, which allows NSF to receive and review proposals having a severe urgency with regard to availability of or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment as well as quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events. Requests for RAPID proposals may be for up to $200K and up to one year in duration. Well-justified proposals that exceed these limits may be entertained.

A primary focus of these programs is on the use of in vitro methods and assays using lower organisms to screen thousands of chemicals for toxicity in order to identify mechanisms of compound-induced biological activity, characterize toxicity pathways, facilitate cross-species extrapolation, and provide input to models for low-dose extrapolation.  Data generated by these methods will be used to prioritize compounds for more extensive toxicological evaluation and to develop predictive models for biological response in humans. Current approaches are limited in terms of incorporating genetic variability in toxicity testing and in assessing the effects of chemicals in multiple normal tissue and cell types, relying on immortalized cell lines or primary cell lines derived from tissues. Thus, there is a need for novel, medium- to high-throughput assays (at least a 96-well format) to evaluate the effects of chemical compounds on the differentiation of pluripotent or multi-potent stem cells as well as the effects of chemical exposures on differentiated cell types representative of various in vivo tissues. Approaches can include the use of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, approved human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, or ES or iPS cells derived from genetically characterized mouse strains. Assays should be able to measure the effects of toxicants on the differentiation process and/or on the differentiated cells themselves; cell types of high priority include but are not limited to cardiomyocytes, neural cells, hepatocytes, endothelial cells, lung (airway or alveolar) cells, and hormonally-responsive tissues such as reproductive tissues or breast epithelial cells.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support an ancillary study grant application(s) to add psychological, behavioral, and/or neurocognitive assessments to the data collection in adults (> 18 years of age) enrolled at the clinical sites in the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity in Humans Consortium (MoTrPAC) supported by the NIH Common Fund. This ancillary study FOA complements the parent MoTrPAC study by supporting research to elucidate the individual level psychological, behavioral, and neurocognitive characteristics that explain variation in individual response and adherence to a program of physical activity. The ultimate goal of the research supported by this FOA is to characterize individual differences in response to exercise over the course of the MoTrPAC protocol in order to identify novel treatment targets and inform personalized physical activity intervention approaches in the future.

The NIOSH Disaster Science Responder Research (DSRR) Program, within Emergency Preparedness and Response Office (EPRO), anticipates that the knowledge resulting from the award made under this announcement will contribute significantly to the evidence base for preparedness, response, and research, and lead to improved operational planning efforts and capabilities for the collection of rapid and reliable occupational exposure via multiple routes (e.g., inhalation, dermal, ingestion, etc.) information for first responders. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under the provisions of FAR 35.016 and FAR 6.102(d)(2) which provides for the competitive selection of research proposals.

COPY OF Rapid Response to Ebola Viral Disease in West Africa through Strengthening of Surveillance Systems and Disruption of Chain of Transmission Interventions

The Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for high-impact translational research in gene‐targeting strategies that address the underlying genetic abnormalities in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and have the potential to eradicate the disease. Proposals will be accepted for Team Science Awards defined as collaborative research amongst investigators with experience in gene‐targeting strategies in or outside the field of NF1. Through research that may be funded based on responses to this RFP, GFF plans to fund at least $7 million among multiple research institutions over three years. The objective of this RFP is to identify promising gene‐targeting strategies that address the underlying causes of NF1, have the potential to eradicate the disease, and prepare them for subsequent preclinical and clinical development. A responsive proposal must establish the feasibility of one of the following gene‐targeting approaches for NF1 and/or develop an enhanced or novel gene delivery system. Proposals that articulate a clear path to NF1 clinical application will be strongly favored