[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19479-19481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10318]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 98-16; Genome 
Instrumentation Research Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of 
the Office of Energy Research (ER) of the U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving applications in 
Instrumentation Research supporting the Human Genome Program. 
Applications are sought from a broad range of scientists with 
backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering including 
those not presently involved in the Human Genome Program. Both 
substantive improvements to current systems and novel and creative new 
strategies are needed in preparation for the needs of biology in the 
next century. New instrumentation and technical approaches are sought 
for DNA sequencing, automation and integration of DNA sequencing 
systems, validation of DNA sequencing accuracy, and the determination 
of gene function of newly sequenced DNA. The goals are to reduce costs 
and increase the throughput while maintaining accuracy for production 
DNA sequencing and related analyses.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications should be received by DOE by 4:30 
p.m., e.d.t., June 8, 1998. Early submissions are encouraged. A 
response encouraging or discouraging a formal application will be 
communicated to the applicant within two weeks of receipt.
    Formal applications, in response to this notice, must be received 
by 4:30 p.m., e.d.t., August 19, 1998, in order to be accepted for 
merit review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal 
Year 1999.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications, referencing Program Notice 98-16, should be 
forwarded to: Dr. Charles G. Edmonds, Medical Applications and 
Biophysical Research Division, ER-73, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 
Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, Attn: Program Notice 98-16. 
Preapplications will also be accepted by Fax and E-mail: Fax number: 
(301) 903-0567 and E-mail: [email protected].
    Formal applications, referencing Program Notice 98-16, should be 
forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, Attn: Program Notice 98-16. This address 
also must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail, or any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand-
carried by the applicant. An original and seven copies of the 
application must be submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Charles G. Edmonds, Medical 
Applications and Biophysical Research Division, ER-73, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290; telephone: (301) 903-0042; E-mail: 
[email protected]. The full text of Program Notice 98-16 is 
available via the Internet using the following web site address: http:/
/www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Biological and Environmental 
Research of the U. S. Department of Energy and the National Human 
Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health are 
participating in a coordinated international program to ``determine the 
complete sequence of the human genome, discover all the human genes and 
render them accessible for further biological study.'' As this program 
continues, improvement of sequencing technology is essential to 
complete the sequence of the 3 billion subunits of the human genome by 
the target year of 2005. Functional analyses of the displayed genes and 
their encoded proteins will continue long thereafter.
    In December of 1997 a DOE-sponsored review of the DOE Human Genome 
Program was published by the JASON Program Office of the MITRE 
Corporation. A summary and related discussion has been printed: 
Science, 279(5347), (1998) 36-37; Science, 279(5347), (1989) 23; and 
Science, 279(5354), (1989) 1115-1116. The full report can be accessed 
on the Internet using the following web address: http://www.ornl.gov/
hgmis/publicat/miscpubs/jason/index.html. A more general discussion of 
the Human Genome Program may be found in Primer on Molecular Genetics 
available on the Internet using the following web address: http://
www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human__Genome/publicat/primer/intro.html.
    These documents and companion references will be particularly 
useful to scientists and engineers less knowledgeable regarding current 
genomic technologies and projected needs.
    Production scale sequencing has been initiated based largely on gel 
electrophoresis with data acquisition by laser induced fluorescence. 
Additionally, sequence comparison tasks are performed using 
``sequencing by hybridization'' technologies. However, it may not be 
possible to achieve the desired goal within the available budget and 
project period without substantial improvements in speed and 
reliability of sequencing methods and other techniques currently in 
widespread use. Continuing developments of existing approaches to 
address the necessities of the production environment will be required.
    Further, with an eye to the future, basic research is also needed 
that will substantially speed and enhance genomic analyses in the years 
following the projected completion of the human genome in the year 
2005. After this date, the need for fast and cost-effective 
determination of DNA sequence for the comparison of sequences among 
human individuals and also for the determination of the genomes of 
numerous organisms of biomedical and commercial interest will be 
ongoing. Additionally, with the continuing acquisition of this 
remarkable base of biological data, high throughput experimental tools 
will be required to assist conversion into a practical and useful 
understanding of the function for the encoded gene products.
    Both substantial evolutionary improvements in current systems and 
also revolutionary technologies for the post-2005 era are sought under 
this solicitation.
    Research applications are invited:
     To develop approaches to more rapidly, accurately, and 
economically determine DNA sequence. Cost-effective approaches that 
increase current maximum read lengths of 800-1000 bases by at least a 
factor of 2.5, i.e., to at least 2000-2500 bases, are particularly 
desired.

[[Page 19480]]

     To develop instrumentation that integrates and more 
throughly automates the current steps of DNA sequence determination, 
e.g., sample preparation, sample loading, sample analysis, and data 
analysis. A priority will be placed on approaches that emphasize 
miniaturization and micro-fabrication.
     To develop approaches that (1) verify the accuracy of a 
previously determined DNA sequence without having to redetermine its 
entire sequence and (2) provide economical error checking and 
proofreading of newly determined DNA sequence.
     To develop tools that enable the efficient comparison of a 
known DNA sequence with a related but previously undetermined DNA 
sequence.
     To develop techniques for determining the functions of 
large numbers of genes in parallel. Techniques that match the speed and 
volume of DNA sequence determination are particularly desired.
    The success of devices, methods or techniques for DNA sequencing is 
dependent on downstream data technologies. Where appropriate, 
applications should account for the necessary link to current 
information technology and existing data sets in their plans to address 
the technical challenges enumerated above.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that up to a total of $2,000,000 will be 
available for multiple awards to be made in Fiscal Year 1999 funding 
grants for the new Genome Instrumentation Research Program, contingent 
on the availability of appropriated funds. Award sizes are expected to 
be on the order of $100,000-600,000 per year for total project costs 
for a typical three-year grant with out-year support contingent on the 
availability of funds, progress of research and programmatic needs. 
Collaborative projects involving several research groups or more than 
one institution may receive larger awards if merited. A similar 
announcement is being simultaneously issued to the DOE National 
Laboratories.

Collaboration

    Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with researchers in other 
institutions, such as universities, industry, non-profit organizations, 
federal laboratories and federally funded research and development 
centers (FFRDCs), including the DOE National Laboratories, where 
appropriate, and to incorporate cost sharing and/or consortia wherever 
feasible.
    Collaborative research applications may be submitted in several 
ways:
    (1) When multiple private sector or academic organizations intend 
to propose collaborative or joint research projects, the lead 
organization may submit a single application which includes another 
organization as a lower-tier participant (subaward) who will be 
responsible for a smaller portion of the overall project. If approved 
for funding, DOE may provide the total project funds to the lead 
organization who will provide funding to the other participant via a 
subcontract arrangement. The application should clearly describe the 
role to be played by each organization, specify the managerial 
arrangements and explain the advantages of the multi-organiza- tional 
effort.
    (2) Alternatively, multiple private sector or academic 
organizations who intend to propose collaborative or joint research 
projects may each prepare a portion of the application, then combine 
each portion into a single, integrated scientific application. A 
separate Face Page and Budget Pages must be included for each 
organization participating in the collaborative project. The joint 
application must be submitted to DOE as one package. If approved for 
funding, DOE will award a separate grant to each collaborating 
organization.
    (3) Private sector or academic organizations who wish to form a 
collaborative project with a DOE FFRDC may not include the DOE FFRDC in 
their application as a lower-tier participant (subaward). Rather, each 
collaborator may prepare a portion of the proposal, then combine each 
portion into a single, integrated scientific proposal. The private 
sector or academic organization must include a Face Page and Budget 
Pages for its portion of the project. The FFRDC must include separate 
Budget Pages for its portion of the project. The joint proposal must be 
submitted to DOE as one package. If approved for funding, DOE will 
award a grant to the private sector or academic organization. The FFRDC 
will be funded, through existing DOE contracts, from funds specifically 
designated for new FFRDC projects. DOE FFRDCs will not compete for 
funding already designated for private sector or academic 
organizations. Other Federal laboratories who wish to form 
collaborative projects may also follow guidelines outlined in this 
section.

Preapplications

    A brief preapplication may be submitted. The preapplication should 
identify, on the cover sheet, the institution, Principal Investigator 
name, address, telephone, fax and E-mail address, title of the project, 
and the field of scientific research. The preapplication should consist 
of a two to three page narrative describing the research project 
objectives and methods of accomplishment. These will be reviewed 
relative to the scope and research needs described in this Notice.
    Preapplications are strongly encouraged but not required prior to 
submission of a full application. Please note that notification of a 
successful preapplication is not an indication that an award will be 
made in response to the formal application.
    Applications will be subjected to a scientific merit review (peer 
review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria 
listed in descending order of importance as codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d):
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project,
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach,
    3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources,
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers may be used, and 
submission of an application constitutes agreement that this is 
acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    Information about development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR part 605 and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research Financial 
Assistance Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms 
is made available via the World Wide Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/
production/grants/grants.html.
    Energy Research, as part of its grant regulations, requires at 10 
CFR 605.11(b) that a recipient receiving a grant to perform research 
involving recombinant DNA molecules and/or organisms and viruses 
containing recombinant DNA molecules shall comply with the National 
Institutes of Health ``Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant 
DNA Molecules,'' which is available via the World Wide Web at:

[[Page 19481]]

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/odhsb/biosafe/nih/nih97-1.html, (59 FR 34496, 
July 5, 1994), or such later revision of those guidelines as may be 
published in the Federal Register.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this 
program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 
CFR Part 605.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 9, 1998.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 98-10318 Filed 4-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P