International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups Program

 

(1) Discover, isolate, and evaluate preclinically, agents from natural sources to treat or prevent cancer, infectious diseases including AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, and other diseases or medical conditions of primary concern to developing countries. (2) Undertake inventories of biological diversity and develop collection practices compatible with conserving biodiversity, and produce documentation of all collected material in the form of museum catalogues, published works, and/or databases, reporting specific locality and all features of biology relevant to standard botanical and zoological collections; assure accessibility of inventory data to all individuals, including those not associated with the International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG), by housing catalogues and databases in public institutions (such as universities and national museums) and, when databases are kept on computer systems in private institutions, by including in publications specific references to these data bases. (3) Support research training targeted toward the needs of the developing country or other countries represented within the Group and related to the scope of work of the Request for Applications (RFA), and to augment field experience and training of U.S. scientists in areas of knowledge unique to the developing country. Examples of relevant areas of training could include systematics, ethnobiology, ethnomedicine, chemistry, cell biology, biotechnology, or production methods and quality control in pharmaceutical development.

Deleted 06/30/2004 (Program elements consolidated into 93.989) 93.168 NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements). In fiscal year 2001, six awards were made. Public Health Service Act, Sections 301 and 405, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 241 and 284. Public and private nonprofit institutions, Governments and their agencies, and foreign institutions are eligible to participate. The Group Leader must be located in a public or private nonprofit institution, government or governmental agency or a foreign nonprofit. For profit institutions may participate in an ICBG as an Associate Program. At least one of the associate programs must be located in a developing country. None. Prospective applicants are asked to submit a short letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed project, a short (one paragraph) description of the intended components, and to the extent known, names of members of the proposed Group (Group Leader and Associate Programs) and their institutions. The letter of intent is requested in order to provide an indication of the number and scope of applications to be reviewed. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Applications must be submitted on form PHS 398 (Rev. April 1998). The forms may be obtained from the Office of Extramural Outreach and Information, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910 or by telephone (301) 435-0714 or e-mail: asknih@od.nih.gov. Special instructions are available from the Fogarty International Center. Applications should be submitted to the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110. Applications will be accepted only if they are in response to a Request for Applications. All applications are evaluated by an appropriate initial review group and receive a secondary review by the FIC Advisory Board. The staff informs applicants of the results of the review. If support is contemplated, the staff initiates preparation of the awards. Application receipt dates will be announced in a published Request for Applications (RFA). Contact Headquarters Office for information on when an RFA might be published. Approximately 6 months. A principal investigator (P.I.) may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his or her application by communicating with the staff of the Center. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH homepage http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html. Non-competing renewal applications may be made. Applicants must submit their request on form PHS 2590 approximately 4 months before the end of the last budget period. Competing renewal applications may be submitted only in response to a Request for Applications (RFA). Scientific merit of the Proposal: (1) Scientific merit and originality of proposed research, and the degree of multi-disciplinary cooperation; (2) technical merit of proposed methods for identifying and collecting material for testing and isolating bioactive natural products--use of indigenous knowledge in this process is encouraged; (3) evidence that the work can be completed successfully in the proposed time frame. Overall likelihood of success in meeting goals and objectives of this RFA, including adequacy of each individual Associate Program and Central Operations Office: (1) Extent of relevance of applicant's (Group) objectives and strategies to address the interdependent issues of drug discovery and development, biodiversity conservation, and sustained economic growth; (2) potential impact on conservation, development, and human health in the participating developing country(ies); (3) evidence of approval and commitment of institutions and countries represented by Group members to Group goals; (4) likelihood of success in development of biodiversity databases and assuring of access to all interested parties; (5) likelihood of success in development of collection practices compatible with conservation of biodiversity. Qualifications and commitment of the scientific staff to the research and training aspects of the proposal: (1) Adequacy of the scientific disciplines and specific competencies represented by the Group Leader Associate Program Leaders and Associate Program Leaders, experience, competence, commitment, and time availability of the Group Leader, and other key personnel; (2) previous success in training personnel in the scientific and technical disciplines considered critical to meeting the objectives of the proposed programs when the proposal includes a training component; (3) capacity to provide in-country courses and workshops (if any) for indigenous scientific and technical staff; (4) demonstrated support for domestic and international research in the scientific disciplines included in this proposal as evidenced by support from the NIH, NSF, or other sources. Adequacy of facilities and resources: (1) General applicability of the biodiversity infrastructure (systematics, collection capabilities, etc.) to science beyond the specific targets of the proposed work; (2) adequacy of existing physical facilities, research and training resources available to the Group Leader and Associate Program Leaders; (3) evidence of availability and competence of the applying institutions to carry out all required legal, fiscal and policy responsibilities. Adequacy of coordination, administrative, and collaborative relationships: (1) Administrative experience and competence of Group Leader in the development, implementation, and management of comprehensive research programs and the demonstrated commitment of the applicant institution to support these activities; (2) adequacy of plans for effective intra- Group communication and for assuring Group cohesiveness, accounting for the special requirements of an international collaboration; (3) extent and level of developing country participation, and local community involvement; (4) ability to cooperate with and train developing country nationals; (5) commitment to accept provisions outlined under Section G of the RFA, "TERMS OF COOPERATION." (1) Implementation of strategies to support the selection and acquisition of natural resources and novel agents, including the use of ethnobiological studies. (2) Preparation of crude materials for testing against diseases relevant to this RFA. (3) Development of long-term ecological and economic strategies to ensure the sustainable harvesting of targeted organisms. (4) Use of novel contractual or other legal mechanisms to ensure an equitable financial return to the host country group or organization which facilitated the discovery of the natural product. (5) Approaches to working with traditional cultures and their knowledge of traditional medicine. (6) Training and education relevant to the research goals of this RFA, including support for training in taxonomy, and support for scientific infrastructure development in the host country. (7) Incorporation of systematists, ecologists, and anthropologists in integrative surveys of a developing country's biological resources. Individuals with expertise in diverse areas such as economics, sociology, and various disciplines of biological and physical sciences, including those who may not have collaborated in programs of this type, should be encouraged to participate. In addition to being multi-disciplinary it is expected that Groups will be international in scope with participation of developing country institutions to the greatest extent possible. Since it is unlikely that all of the required capabilities will be located within one institution, Groups likely will be multi-institutional as well. Semi-annual and annual progress reports are required before disbursement of funds for the next budget period. A final progress report is required within 90 days of termination of the project. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal government officials. Expenditures and other financial records must be retained for 3 years from the day on which the grantee submits the last expenditure report for the report period. None. Awards are made for a period of 5 years. Funds are allocated annually based on progress in the preceding year. Assistance is awarded by an Electronic Transfer System. Not applicable. Program Contact: Dr. Joshua Rosenthal, Division of International Training and Research, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2220, Bethesda, MD 20892-2220. Telephone: (301) 496-1653. Grants Management Contact: Mr. Bruce Butrum, Grants Management Officer, Division of International Training and Research, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2220, Bethesda, MD 20892-2220. Telephone; 301-496-1670. (Use same numbers for FTS.) http://www.nih.gov 75-0819-0-1-552. (Grants) FY 01 $4,004,000. Now consolidated into 93.989. Awards (including direct and Facilities and Administrative F and A costs) average $575,000. 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92; NIH Guide TW-98-001, August 15, 1997; NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/. A U.S. university, a U.S. conservation organization with an affiliate in Suriname, a U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, a U.S. agroscience company, a Surinamese pharmaceutical company, a U.S. botanical garden and the National Herbarium of Suriname collaborate to document, describe and conserve biodiversity in Suriname. The group looks for compounds active against diseases of importance to both developing and developed countries with the goal of developing new pharmaceuticals as well as agricultural agents. The project builds host country capacity for biodiversity inventory and biomedical research, while developing local economic incentives for conservation.