NIH Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (U54)

WHAT: Limited Submission Proposal for the NIH Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (U54) 

WHO:  Texas A&M University faculty, including TAES, TEES and TTI personnel. 

WHY:  NIH anticipates making one award of $875,000 in total costs for a maximum period of five years. 

WHEN: Internal proposal deadline of March 3, 2008. 

HOW:  Faculty should submit internal proposal via email for review by the internal selection committee.   

THE FINE PRINT:

 The funding agency, NIH, has limited the number of proposals to one per institution. 

BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:  The NIH Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network is designed to provide infrastructure and support necessary for two specific aspects of the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network:  a test bed for distributed clinical data management that incorporates novel approaches and technologies for data management, data mining and data sharing across rare diseases, data types and platforms; and access to information related to rare diseases for basic and clinical researchers, academic and practicing physicians, patients and the lay public.  The DMCC will provide these necessary functions for the support of up to seven new Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortia (RDCRCs). 

The Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) is a collaboration between database and computational/computer science innovators.  The DMCC will provide a scalable coordinated clinical data integration of developed and publicly available datasets for data mining at RDCRCs, web-based recruitment and referral, and a user-friendly resource site for the public.  The DMCC will provide a management system for the collection, storage and analysis of RDCRC data, as well as a portal and tools for research scientists and clinicians.

In addition, the DMCC will provide logistical and administrative assistance for network activities; produce and/or maintain network operating policy and procedures, documents, worksheets and data collection forms; and monitor network compliance while addressing privacy and confidentiality issues related to database management, distributed computing and multi-level data sharing.  The DMCC will serve as a network resource, working with and providing expertise for the consortia. 

More information can be found here.

Internal Selection Procedures and Deadlines

February 29, 2008:  Deadline for an email of intent, including the names of the PI and co-PIs, title of internal proposal and a 1-3 sentence description of the project.  Send email of intent.

March 3, 2008: Deadline to obtain signatures of approval from your department head and college dean to submit an internal proposal to the Office of Sponsored Projects for review by the internal selection committee.  The internal proposal should include:

• An executive summary, up to three pages, based on the proposal description as outlined in the NIH program announcement;
• Summary budget;
• Project and Management Plans (including team members);

The form for completing the internal proposal is here.

This completed form should be submitted electronically for review by the internal selection committee.

Please read the RFP carefully for specific requirements of the program here.          

Selection of a proposal will be based on NIH guidelines.  The needs of the university’s reinvestment plan will also be taken into account. 

During the selection process, the internal selection committee may contact departments and colleges for their opinions and commitments.  They may also request additional information from PIs.

March 18, 2008: The Internal Selection Committee will notify PIs of the result of the internal competition.

March 22, 2008:  Deadline for optional, but recommended, letter of intent.

April 22, 2008:  Deadline for full proposal.