John La Montagne, Ph.D.,
Director, DMID
Dr. La Montagne welcomed and informed the Subcommittee that this session would primarily focus on providing updated storyboards (summary of research activities) for each of the Division’s branches. In addition, the Subcommittee would review ten initiatives for concept clearance (all were approved; list follows summary).
During his Director’s Report, Dr. La Montagne welcomed new staff to DMID, including Dr. Elizabeth Higgs who has joined the Parisitology and International Programs Branch, and Mr. Mark Alexander, who has joined the Virology Branch. Dr. La Montagne briefed the Subcommittee on DMID’s current malaria research activities and also informed them of other international program activities.
Dr. La Montagne noted that the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Branch recently underwent a successful program review. The results of this review will be shared with the Subcommittee at the next Council meeting (the STD storyboard will also be presented at the next session of Council). Finally, Dr. La Montagne provided a summary of DMID’s funding activities in Fiscal Year 1997 for three current Program Announcements, including Modern Vaccines for Measles and Mycoses, Expanded Research on Emerging Diseases, and Molecular Correlates of Pathogenesis in Parasitic Diseases.
Dr. Pamela McInnes, Chief of the Respiratory Diseases Branch (RDB), presented the RDB storyboard. Dr. McInnes provided a summary of RDB activities and achievements during the past year, and identified research gaps the Branch is striving to address. All of the branches followed a similar format. Dr. Leslye Johnson, Chief of the Enteric and Hepatic Diseases Branch (EHDB), provided an update on her branch’s activities, pointing out recent increases in the EHDB portfolio due in part to the recent funding of Hepatitis C Cooperative Research Centers. Dr. Dennis Lang, the branch’s Enteric Diseases Program Officer, provided a summary of recent U.S.-Japan collaborations on enterohemorrhagic E. coli.
Dr. Dennis Dixon, Chief of the Bacteriology and Mycoses Branch (BMB), provided an organism-based overview of BMB research activities, and noted increased activity in recent months on Borrelia, ehrlichia, and staphylococcus. Dr. Stephanie James, Chief of the Parasitology and International Programs Branch, provided an update on her branch’s activities according to its four programs: Parasite Biology, Host Immunity, Vector Biology and International Tropical Disease Research. Dr. James also provided the Subcommittee with an overview of the branch’s current malaria research activities and initiatives. Finally, Dr. Catherine Laughlin, Chief of the Virology Branch (VB), provided an updated storyboard on her branch. Dr. Chris Tseng, VB’s Antiviral Research and Antimicrobial Chemistry Program Officer, summarized a recent meeting of NIAID investigators funded through the Division’s Molecular and Structural Approaches to Antiviral Drug Design RFA. In addition, Dr. Leigh Sawyer, VB’s Clinical Trials and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Program Officer, briefed Subcommittee members on the recent CFS Cooperative Research Centers annual meeting.
Concept Review
Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Research Unit (TBRU) (RDB): The purpose of these studies is to provide necessary clinical tools, epidemiological understanding and appropriate patient populations for effective and efficient clinical trials of new TB therapeutic regimens, vaccine candidates, other intervention strategies, and diagnostic methodologies, in order to improve our ability to control, and ultimately eliminate, tuberculosis. The Subcommittee raised the question as to why the contract was being proposed for seven years as opposed to the more traditional five year duration.
Dr. Ann Ginsberg, the Tuberculosis Program Officer, indicated that the seven year award is modeled after other clinical trials contracts.
Hepatitis Animal Model Study Network (EHDB): The proposal to renew this initiative will enable the animal models studies program for hepatitis to continue, and allows for a possible expansion into animal models for hepatitis C.
Mycology Research Units (MRUs) (BMB): This proposal seeks to maintain multidisciplinary mycology research units to serve as foci for research in fungal diseases. These units will be funded as program project grants focused on the identification and validation of targets for the development of diagnostics, vaccines, or therapy of systemic fungal infections. The proposal would results in four year awards; however, the Subcommittee suggested that DMID explore the possibility of awarding these projects for five years.
Animal Models in Chronic Lyme Disease (BMB): This proposal seeks to supplement ongoing research on: [a] the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis; and [b] mechanisms involved in the expression of neurological symptoms characteristic of chronic Lyme borreliosis.
International Collaborations in Infectious Disease Research (PIPB): This renewal initiative seeks to continue and expand the International Collaborations in Infectious Disease Research (ICIDR) program which supports multi- and single project awards for research on tropical infectious diseases. Current projects focus primarily on parasitic and diarrheal diseases. This renewal requests an expansion of the program to accommodate an increased emphasis on tropical viral diseases.
Tropical Disease Research Units (TDRUs) (PIPB): This renewal initiative seeks to continue the Tropical Disease Research Units (TDRU) program, targeted at the further development of new strategies to prevent and/or treat diseases of significant public health importance caused by protozoan and helminth parasites. The Subcommittee suggested exploring the possibility of making these awards for five years as opposed to four years.
Malaria Research and Reference Reagent Repository (PIPB): This initiative seeks to establish a repository to supply well-characterized parasite, host and mosquito vector reagents to the research community. Increased access to characterized malaria research reagents will enhance investigators’ efforts to address a number of critical questions in vaccine research, drug development and vector control.
Malaria: Clinical Research and Trial Preparation Sites in Endemic Areas (PIPB): These contracts will establish a network of field sites in Africa, as well as Southeast Asia and South America, for the study of malaria transmission and pathogenesis. It was suggested that it may be possible to do this more efficiently by working with the ICIDR sites that already exist. DMID staff responded by noting that although some of the existing ICIDR sites may compete for these awards, in general ICIDR sties are more broadly based in structure and work with various organisms, whereas the Institute’s requirements with regard to clinical research on malaria are more structured and hence require separate infrastructure. The Subcommittee endorsed the concept as outlined.
Molecular and Structural Approaches to Antiviral Strategy (VB): The goal of this initiative is to solicit applications that address critical areas or new opportunities in antiviral research, and to fill gaps in the antiviral research portfolio.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cooperative Research Centers (CFS CRCs) (VB): Establish a network of centers of scientific excellence working together using multidisciplinary approaches to study the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of CFS. The Subcommittee asked that careful oversight be given to ensure that international sites work with the same case definition that is used in the United States.
The Subcommittee enthusiastically approved all ten concepts. back to top |