The purpose of this FOA is to invite applications for Preclinical Animal Study Sites (PASS) to join the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC; http://commonfund.nih.gov/MolecularTransducers). Awards made through this FOA will support the collection of tissue samples from one species of exercised animals that complement the data and tissue collection in the human clinical protocol, as well as conduct initial detailed mechanistic studies to explore the functions, sources, and target tissues of molecules that transduce the effects of physical activity.
Six companion FOAs will establish the elements of the MoTrPAC. Clinical Centers will collect tissues such as blood, muscle, and fat from well-characterized participants engaging in physical activity. Biospecimens will be analyzed by Genomics, Epigenomics, and Transcriptomics Chemical Analysis Sites and Metabolomics and Proteomics Chemical Analysis Sites. Preclinical Animal Studies Sites (PASS) will provide additional tissues that cannot be obtained from human subjects and allow for further characterization and validation of molecular transducers identified from the chemical analysis of human samples. A Bioinformatics Center will oversee data standardization, integration, and storage and will implement data sharing and computational tools for the integrated analysis of clinical and molecular data. Overall coordination will be provided by a Consortium Coordination Center (CCC).
Awardees will comprise the MoTrPAC and must work collaboratively to plan and execute a large study to discover and characterize the molecular transducers (the 'molecular map') that underlie the beneficial effects of physical activity in humans. The product will be a publically available data resource that will enhance and accelerate subsequent mechanistic research on diseases and conditions affected by physical activity.
Companion FOAs:
RFA-RM-15-010, U24 Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements
RFA-RM-15-011, U24 Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements
RFA-RM-15-012, U24 Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements
RFA-RM-15-014, U24 Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements
RFA-RM-15-015, U01 Research Project--Cooperative Agreements
Deadlines:
RFA-RM-15-013 Expiration Date March 19, 2016
Application budgets are limited to $15,000 direct costs for year 1, and to $325,000 direct costs in each of years 2 through 6. Budgets should reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
