Middle Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (MARCE) Solicitation for Research Projects

The MARCE fosters research that contributes to the defense of the population of the United States of America against biological threats including the deliberate release of bioterror agents and the natural emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases. As part of its formally defined mission, the MARCE also maintains interactions with public health authorities within the Middle Atlantic Region so that should the need arise, the consortium can mobilize its technical resources to assist the public health authorities in the face of a large or unusual outbreak of disease, presumed bioterror incident or other catastrophe. The MARCE is one of 10 RCEs, each located in a different region across the USA, as designated by NIH. The current MARCE consortium encompasses approximately 60 scientists from 17 research institutions who are engaged in a series of collaborative research projects (almost all of which represent collaborations that extend across institutional boundaries).

The current MARCE research program (MARCE-1) is entering its sixth year. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is undertaking the competitive renewal for the RCEs with June 3, 2008 designated as the final date for submission of the renewal proposal. Accordingly, the MARCE's Management and Oversight Committee (MARCE-MOC), which is composed of leaders of MARCE's Research Programs and Cores and serves as the Steering Committee for the consortium, has crafted an overall Research Plan that includes six research sub-themes accompanied by six Research Programs which will form the backbone of the overall scientific program of the MARCE renewal (MARCE-2) application. It is anticipated that each MARCE-2 (P01-like) Research Program will be composed of 4-5 individual but inter-related (R01-like) Projects.

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit research proposals to be considered as R01-like projects for inclusion in one of five MARCE Research Programs that will be described in the MARCE Competitive Renewal Application. (A separate supplemental RFP will be advertised at a later date to solicit projects for the sixth Research Program).

The application deadline is 11:59 PM on March 9, 2008 for an electronic version (with or without institutional signatures). The original version with all necessary institutional signatures is due by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 24, 2008. To view all the details of this RFP, click here: http://marcebiodefense.org/index.php/marce/news/marce_request_for_
proposals_research_projects_for_the_marce_competitive _renewal

Global Probiotics Council Young Investigator Grant

The Global Probiotics Council (GPC) is announcing the Young Investigator Grant for Probiotics Research (YIGPRO). The purpose of the two annual grants of $50,000 each is to contribute to the advancement of probiotics and gut microbiota research in the United States.

Young investigators who are senior fellows with a committed faculty appointment or an early faculty member with tenure interested in understanding the health benefits of probiotics and the relationship between probiotics and the intestinal microbiota are encouraged to apply.

The YIGPRO application deadline is April 1, 2008. Grant applications will be ranked by the U.S Probiotics Scientific Board Selection Committee and notified by the GPC in May 2008. The grant start date is July 1, 2008.

Applications must include a:

1. Brief online application;
   
2. NIH biosketch;
   
3. Two letters of recommendation;
   
4. Cost proposal / budget; and
   
5. Animal / human approvals if necessary.

Please visit www.probioticsresearch.com for more information and application requirements. If you have further questions please contact Global Probiotics Council via phone (703-841-1600) or email: gpc@probioticsresearch.com

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