Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Limited Competition for the Continuation of the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) Research Project Sites (U01 Clinical Trials Optional)

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) launched the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) in 2012 to determine how adolescent alcohol-related disruption of normal brain growth patterns of structure, related brain function, and psychiatric health affects brain functioning in emerging adulthood. The consortium uses an accelerated longitudinal design and has acquired data on over 800 individuals between the ages of 12 to 32 years. This wide age range covers the period before onset of drinking, the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, the critical period for binge drinking, and the time of maturing out. This unique dataset provides novel information on the enduring and transient consequences of adolescent drinking on adult brain function and behavior. Current studies on adults drinking do not have this type of data. Renewal of this limited competition NOFO will enable NCANDA to continue to follow these participants up to 37 years of age and acquire data critical to understanding how early versus late onset drinking during adolescence differentially impacts drinking behavior in adulthood. This limited competition renewal will provide valuable information for developing evidence-based alcohol prevention strategies and early intervention approaches to prevent the progression to more severe drinking and AUD thereby preventing the development of chronic disease, improving health outcomes, and increasing quality of life and longevity. Applications are not being solicited at this time. This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the U01 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of developmental neuroscience are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.

The following considerations will be used in determining projects to be funded: (1) Scientific and technical merit of the proposal; (2) program balance; and (3) relevance to NIAAA priorities and public health issues. The following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: (1) The soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; (2) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (3) the technological innovation of the proposed research; (4) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (5) the appropriateness of the budget requested; (6) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and (7) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human of animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. Phase II grant applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) The degree to which Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; (3) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (4) the technological innovation, originality, or societal importance of the proposed research; (5) the potential of the proposed research for commercial...