[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65574-65575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31653]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 99-05 ; Low
Dose Research Program--Scientific, Regulatory, and Societal Issues
AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER) of
the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications to address, analyze,
and anticipate scientific, regulatory, and societal issues and
opportunities arising from advances in low dose research and from
current and planned regulatory policy. This may include research to
summarize (1) the state-of-the-art of low dose research, (2) research
and technology developments that support needs of the low dose research
program, and (3) information needs and risk policy development
strategies of regulatory agencies responsible for developing low dose
radiation exposure standards. Research summaries should be submitted
for publication in the peer-reviewed literature so they are broadly
available to scientists, regulators, and the public. Information can be
made broadly available through the development and use of a web site or
other educational materials. Applications can also include the
organization of studies, conferences, or workshops that identify and
clarify, on an ongoing basis, the most urgent issues for the low dose
research program and for the use of information developed in the
program for risk assessment.
DATES: Potential applicants are encouraged to submit a brief
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-05,
should be received by DOE by 4:30 p.m.. e.s.t., December 14, 1998. A
response to the preapplications discussing the potential program
relevance of a formal application generally will be communicated within
7 days of receipt.
The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 p.m.,
e.s.t., January 18, 1999, in order to be accepted for merit review and
to permit timely consideration for award in FY 1999.
ADDRESSES: Preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-05, should be
sent by E-mail to joanne.corcoran@oer.doe.gov; however, preapplications
will also be accepted if mailed to the following address: Ms. Joanne
Corcoran, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
Formal applications, referencing Program Notice 99-05, should be
sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-05. This address must be used when
submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express, any commercial
mail delivery service, or when hand carried by the applicant.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. David Thomassen, telephone: (301)
903-9817, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, SC-72, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
The full text of Program Notice 99-05 is available via the Internet
using the following web site address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Current standards for occupational and residential exposures to
radiation and chemicals are based on linear, no-threshold models of
risk that drive regulatory decisions and estimations of cancer risk.
Linear, no-threshold models assume that risk is always proportional to
dose, that there is no risk only when there is no dose, and that even a
single molecule or radiation induced ionization can cause cancer or
disease. However, the scientific basis for these assumptions is limited
and uncertain at very low doses and dose rates.
Much scientific evidence suggests that the risks from exposure to
low doses or low dose-rates of radiation and chemicals may be better
described by a non-linear, dose-response relationship. This evidence
includes long term human and animal studies and research at the
cellular and molecular level on the DNA repair capabilities of cells
and tissues, 'bystander' effects associated with low dose exposures,
the effects of exposure-induced gene expression, the effects of a
cell's micro environment on its response to low dose exposures, and
studies of the multi-step nature of cancer development. A more
definitive understanding of the biological responses induced by low
dose, low dose-rate exposures is needed to clarify the role played by
these and other cell responses and capabilities in determining risk.
The low dose research program focuses on quantifying and
understanding the mechanisms of molecular and cellular responses to low
dose, low dose-rate exposures to radiation to improve the scientific
underpinning for estimating risks from these exposures. The goal of
this research program is the development of scientifically defensible
tools and approaches for determining risk that are widely used,
accepted, and understood.
Applicant Qualifications and Capabilities
Applicants should demonstrate knowledge of radiation biology,
relevant literature, risk modeling strategies and needs, federal
regulatory policy and policy development, and public concerns over
exposure to radiation. Applicants should demonstrate their
understanding of the needs for and the uses of the types of scientific
information likely to be developed in the low dose research program.
They should demonstrate understanding of previous epidemiologic and
experimental studies involving low dose, low dose-rate exposures to
radiation. Finally, interested applicants should demonstrate
knowledgeability of research opportunities and capabilities at National
Laboratories, universities, and industry in the area of molecular and
cellular responses to low dose, low dose-rate exposures.
Program Funding
It is anticipated that up to $300,000 will be available for grant
awards during FY 1999, contingent on availability of appropriated
funds. Multiple year funding is expected, contingent on availability of
appropriated funds,
[[Page 65575]]
progress of research, and programmatic needs. It is anticipated that a
single award will be made.
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 of the DOE Low Dose Research
Program.
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 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 the 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 Science 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. The Project Description must be 25 pages or less,
exclusive of attachments. The application must contain an abstract or
project summary, letters of intent from collaborators, and short
curriculum vitaes consistent with NIH guidelines.
The Office of Science, 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: 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 November 18, 1998.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 98-31653 Filed 11-25-98; 8:45 am]
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