[e-drug] "Bright Ideas" Grants for Novel TB Diagnostic Methods

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E-DRUG: "Bright Ideas" Grants for Novel TB Diagnostic Methods
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[any E-drugger with a bright idea? Funds are available! NN]

Please find below two requests for applications from the UNDP/World Bank/WHO
Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR).

Applications must be received by 14 September 2001. Further information and
online application instructions are available from the TDR website at
http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/call.htm

Please direct inquiries and applications by mail, fax or email for these
requests to: Dr Mark Perkins, Manager, Diagnostics Research and Development
(DRD), Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR), World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, Fax (41 22)
791-4854, Tel. (41 22) 791-3909, E-mail: mailto:perkinsm@who.int.

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REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (1)
"Bright Ideas" Program for Novel TB Diagnostic Methods
RFA: RFA-TBDI-2001-01
Diagnostics Research and Development/Tuberculosis Diagnostic Initiative
Release Date: July 28, 2001 Application Deadline:
September 14, 2001

The UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in
Tropical Diseases (TDR) invites applications for the award of "Bright Ideas"
grants in 2001 offered by the Tuberculosis Diagnostic Initiative (TBDI).
This is a new funding mechanism meant to encourage the development of
entirely new approaches to the diagnosis of tuberculosis.  These grants will
be awarded, on a competitive basis, for the exploration of novel concepts or
mechanisms to detect M. tuberculosis, its products, or host responses with
diagnostic potential.  Proposals are encouraged from groups working in other
areas, including those in the physical and chemical sciences, with expertise
in novel technologies that might be applied towards the detection of
tuberculosis.

Grant details
Projects will be supported at a level of $25,000 to $100,000, and evidence
of collaborative funding is encouraged. The number of grants awarded will
depend upon available funds, but it is expected that 5-10 projects will be
supported. Funds should be directed toward direct performance of the work,
and overhead expenses and salary support for the principal investigator are
not normally admissible.  These small grants are meant to support focused,
single year projects, but in some cases support may be renewed annually on a
competitive basis after reapplication.

Eligibility
Proposals will be reviewed on the basis of (a) scientific merit, (b) novelty
of concept, (c) quality and clarity of written application, (d) research
experience of applicant, (e) strength of collaborations. There is no
restriction on nationality or location of employment for applicants, though
projects seated in or collaborating with developing disease endemic
countries (DECs), are encouraged.

How to apply
Applications must be submitted no later than September 14, 2001, either in
hard copy or via the web. For further details, and for online application
instructions, visit the TDR website at
http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/call.htm

Enquiries and applications for this request should be sent by mail, FAX or
email to Dr Mark Perkins, Manager, Diagnostics Research and Development
(DRD), Special Programmee for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR), World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, Fax (41 22)
791-4854, Tel. (41 22) 791-3909, E-mail: mailto:perkinsm@who.int.

******************************************************************

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (2)
Laboratory markers of risk for clinical disease among patients with M.
tuberculosis infection
RFA: RFA-TBDI-2001-02
Diagnostics Research and Development/Tuberculosis Diagnostic Initiative
Release Date: July 28, 2001 Application Deadline:
September 14, 2001

The UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in
Tropical Diseases (TDR) invites applications for grants offered by the
Tuberculosis Diagnostic Initiative (TBDI) to support specimen collection
from and longitudinal study of subjects at high risk for tuberculosis in
order to identify laboratory correlates for incipient disease.

PURPOSE
The objective of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to stimulate
investigator-initiated research to identify laboratory predictors of
incipient clinical tuberculosis among individuals with asymptomatic
infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are nearly 2 billion
persons infected with M. tuberculosis worldwide, all of whom are at some
risk to develop clinical tuberculous disease (reactivation). Though there
are some well known risk factors associated with a high likelihood of
conversion from latent to active tuberculosis, most notably HIV-infection,
there is currently no method to reliably predict which patients are at
highest risk of reactivation, or indeed to detect subgroups that might have
active but asymptomatic disease.  Identifying laboratory markers predicting
incipient clinical disease would allow more targeted use of preventive
therapy, and might allow the development of other control strategies aimed
at interrupting transmission. Markers that were preserved in
immunocompromised patients would be particularly useful, as traditional
tuberculin skin testing shows poor sensitivity in this group.

Long-term follow-up of the screened cohort will be necessary to validate any
laboratory correlates identified in high-risk subjects.  Sample size of the
cohort will be determined by the degree of TB risk, but should allow for the
identification of 25-100 tuberculosis patients during 1-2 years of follow
up. High risk populations likely to be valuable for enrolment include
household contacts, mine workers, and HIV-infected subjects in areas of high
TB prevalence who are not receiving anti-tuberculosis medications.  Lower
risk subjects who might be considered for enrolment (in larger numbers)
include military recruits, factory employees, or other populations which are
routinely subjected to health screening procedures.  An important bi-product
of this research will be a collection of patient samples, including serum,
urine, and possibly peripheral blood mononuclear cells that can be deposited
with other reference clinical materials in the TDR TB Specimen Bank.
Agreement to provide aliquoted sets of clinical materials to the TB Specimen
Bank will be part of the research contract.

Grant details
Projects will be supported at a level of $50,000 to $150,000 (total project
cost), depending on the size and nature of the work. It is anticipated that
only 1 or 2 projects will be supported. Funds should be budgeted toward the
direct execution of the work; overhead expenses and salary support for the
principal investigator are not normally admissible.
 Eligibility
Proposals will be reviewed on the basis of (a) scientific merit, (b) quality
and clarity of written application, (c) appropriateness of the study
population, (d) demonstrable ability to ethically collect, process, store
and ship clinical materials, (e) research experience of applicant, and (f)
strength of collaborations. There is no restriction on nationality or
location of employment for applicants, though projects seated in or
collaborating with developing disease endemic countries (DECs), are
encouraged.

How to apply
Applications must be submitted no later than September 14, 2001, either in
hard copy or via the web. For further details, and for online application
instructions, please visit the TDR website:
http://www.who.int/tdr/grants/grants/call.htm

Inquiries and applications for this request should be sent by mail, FAX or
email to: Dr Mark Perkins, Manager, Diagnostics Research and Development
(DRD), Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR), World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland, Fax (41 22)
791-4854, Tel. (41 22) 791-3909, E-mail: mailto:perkinsm@who.int.
************************************************
'Stop TB' - a global movement to accelerate social and political action to
stop the spread of tuberculosis around the world.
For further information please contact the Stop TB Secretariat at
stoptb@who.int


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