Funding-Limited Submission – NIH/CDC – Planning Grants for Hubs of Interdisciplinary Research and Training in Global Environmental and Occupational Health (GEOHealth); January 24, 2012

The NIH Fogarty International Center (FIC), in collaboration with the NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support paired consortium exploratory awards led by one Low and Middle Income Country (LMIC) institution and one U.S. institution to plan research, research training, and curriculum development activities that address and inform priority national and regional environmental and occupational health policy issues. The ultimate goal of the FOA is to foster the planning for multidisciplinary Global Environmental and Occupational Health Hubs (GEOHealth Hubs), based in LMICs, that will lead collaborative research and training for focal environmental and occupational health issues in several core science areas, including fields such as epidemiology, biostatistics, genetics, environmental science, industrial hygiene, systems science, toxicology, behavioral science, and implementation science. Focal environmental and occupational health areas, as well as core science areas, for each consortium will be selected by the applicants, building upon preexisting strengths within the proposed consortium and addressing priority public health needs in the region. These may include up to three focal areas including but not limited to: indoor and outdoor air quality, water quality, workplace safety, occupational health, agricultural health, and climate change. The FOA aims to enable LMIC researchers, in partnership with U.S. researchers, to conduct a needs and opportunities assessment, plan for policy-relevant research and training in environmental and occupational health, and foster partnerships that could be sustained in an anticipated full GEOHealth Hub program. The NIH anticipates the opportunity to compete for full grants to realize the results of this planning, with awards in 2014.

Research must be conducted in World Bank designated LMICs in one of the following geographic regions:

• East Asia and the Pacific
• Europe and Central Asia
• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Middle East and North Africa
• South Asia
• Sub-Saharan Africa

A paired grant process will be used in which the pair of applicants (one LMIC-based and one U.S.-based institution) will submit two separate but tethered applications with separate budgets specific to each institution. The combined budget for each pair of applications is limited to $100,000 per year in total costs. This amount is to be divided between the budgets of the two applicant institutions as determined by the applicants, with at least half ($50,000) going to the LMIC institution. The maximum project period is two years.

Guidelines and additional information:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-TW-12-001.html

Because this FOA limits an institution to one proposal, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process. Individuals interested in submitting to this program are to send the following material electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Tuesday, January 24, 2012:

1) The names and departments of the UK Project Director and key personnel

2) Name of collaborating LMIC Project Director, institution/governmental organization or non-governmental organization, and geographic region

3) Project overview – (1-2 pages) identify potential focal environmental and occupational health-related areas for the LMIC GEOHealth Hub and briefly describe the proposed capacity building planning activities

The Vice President for Research will appoint a committee to review the material and make recommendations as to the University’s applicant. The NIH deadlines are February 7, 2012 for the optional letter of intent and March 7, 2012 for the complete application.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663.)