[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1010-1011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-384]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: January 7, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research
Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 94-08;
Microbial Genome Initiative
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications for a cooperative
agreement in support of the Microbial Genome Initiative. This new
initiative will focus on developing a microbial genome sequencing
capability that will provide genomic sequence and mapping information:
(i) On microorganisms with environmental or energy relevance; (ii) of
phylogenetic relevance; and (iii) of potential commercial importance
and application. One to five awards are anticipated, from a total of
approximately $3 million, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds.
DATES: Formal applications in response to this notice should be
received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., April 21, 1994, to be accepted for merit
review and funding in FY 1994.
ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 94-08 should
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research,
Acquisition and Assistance Management Division, ER-64, Washington, DC
20585, ATTN: Program Notice 94-08. The following address 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: U.S. Department of Energy, Acquisition and Assistance
Management Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD
20874.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. D. Jay Grimes, Environmental
Sciences Division, ER-74, Office of Health and Environmental Research,
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
20585, telephone 301-903-4183.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Molecular biological research on
industrially important microorganisms and on microorganisms which live
in extreme environments (including the deep subsurface, geothermal
environments, and toxic waste sites) is a developing area of great
scientific promise which will impact many DOE missions and U.S.
industry. This new Microbial Genome Initiative will support diverse DOE
program objectives, by providing microbial DNA sequence information
that will further the understanding of microbial phylogeny, physiology
and structural biology, and that will facilitate the exploitation of
opportunities which have considerable direct industrial utility. This
new thrust in exploring microbial genomic sequence diversity is a
natural outgrowth of current OHER sponsored programs, including
chromosome mapping and DNA sequencing technologies from the Human
Genome Program, structural biology studies utilizing OHER-supported
facilities and synchrotrons located at DOE laboratories, and molecular
microbiological research supported by the Subsurface Science and Ocean
Margins Programs. Conversely, this Microbial Genome Initiative could
benefit directly from capabilities at DOE national laboratories, DOE
and National Institutes of Health Human Genome Centers, and university
capabilities, including the DOE-sponsored Subsurface Microbial Culture
Collection. It could also be enriched by protein engineering efforts
coupled with rapid structure determination using intense x-ray sources
and powerful Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology. Thus, this
initiative represents a considerable interdisciplinary effort and will
contribute to, and draw from, a wide variety of public and private
programs.
Applicants must demonstrate that they can apply the most recent,
cost-effective technology to the production of sequence data and that
they can adequately and efficiently accumulate and store those data for
future interpretation and application. A plan for making the sequence
data publicly available must be included in the application's
description of work portion. Preference will be given to those
applicants that demonstrate well developed plans for selecting
candidate microorganisms for DNA sequencing. Candidate groups of
microorganisms include, but are not limited to, eukaryotes,
prokaryotes, and archaebacteria. The plan should include the creation
of an advisory board (the Microbial Genome Advisory Board, MGAB) that
will: (i) Oversee the program, and; (ii) approve proposed candidates
for sequence development. Priorities regarding what to sequence would
be made by the MGAB with direction from DOE. One model for a Microbial
Genome Project would be a centralized sequencing facility that
interacts with a changing consortium of other institutions. Applicants
are encouraged to create process- and cost-effective partnerships that
will maximize sequence data production, data dissemination, and
progress towards understanding basic biological mechanisms that can
further development of biotechnology. Joint support with industry is
encouraged. The recipient of an award will be peer reviewed toward the
end of the second year of the award and subsequently as needed to
ensure high quality work.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief
preapplication, in accordance with 10 CFR 600.10(d)(2), which consists
of two to three pages of narrative describing the research objectives
and method of accomplishment. Preapplications will be reviewed relative
to the scope and research needs of the OHER Microbial Genome
Initiative, as outlined in the above SUMMARY paragraph to determine the
suitability of an applicant's submitting a formal application.
Preapplications referencing Program Notice 94-08 should be received by
February 18, 1994, and sent to the following address: Dr. D. Jay
Grimes, Office of Health and Environmental Research, ER-74, Office of
Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, 301-
903-4183, FAX 301-903-8519; electronic mail is acceptable for
preapplications, although e-mail preapplicants should confirm an e-mail
transmission by telephone (Internet address is
darrell.grimes@mailgw.er.doe.gov). Principal investigator telephone and
FAX numbers are required as part of the preapplication. A response to
each preapplication discussing the potential programmatic relevance of
a formal application will be communicated to the Principal Investigator
within 30 days of receipt.
It is anticipated that approximately $3 million will be available
for this award contingent on availability of appropriated funds.
Multiple year funding is expected for the Microbial Genome Initiative,
also contingent on availability of funds.
Information about development and submission of applications,
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection processes, and other
policies and procedures may be found in the Application Guide for the
Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Programs and 10 CFR part
605. The Office of Energy Research (ER), as part of its grant
regulations, requires at 10 CFR 605.11(b) that a grantee funded by ER
and performing research involving recombinant DNA molecules shall
comply with the National Institutes of Health ``Guidelines for Research
Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules'' (51 FR 16958, May 7, 1986), or
such later guidelines as may be published in the Federal Register.
The technical portion of the application should not exceed thirty
(30) pages, exclusive of attachments.
The Application Guide is available from the U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, ER-74, Washington,
DC 20585. Telephone requests may be made by calling 301-903-4902.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic assistance Number for this
program is 81.049.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 22, 1993.
D. D. Mayhew,
Director, Office of Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 94-384 Filed 1-6-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
