Final

Issued by: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dab/nia-caenorhabditis-intervention-testing-program-citp-announces-call-compounds/citp-application-form-compound-nominators

CITP Application Form for Compound Nominators of Longevity Intervention Proposals

Request for Proposals

Once a year, NIA will seek proposals for specific compounds or dietary agents to be included in Phase I screening of the Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program (CITP). The applicant, or “compound nominator”, designs and justifies the specific treatment and be willing to collaborate in evaluating the results and preparing them for publication. Compound nominators can be individuals, nonprofit or academic groups, or commercial concerns. NIA is responsible for the costs of the testing through the grants to the three testing sites and a Data Coordination Center.

Applications

This application form is for compound nominators who wish to suggest specific interventions for consideration by the CITP. Individuals or groups who wish to propose more than one interventions for consideration are encouraged, but should use separate application forms for each proposed intervention. If a group of related/similar compounds is proposed, one application form can be used. Applications should be submitted in Microsoft Word format by email to Dr. Ron Kohanski.

Application Format

Potential compound nominators should submit a proposal to address the following, in this order:

1. Title of Proposal

The title of the proposal is typically the name of the substance or dietary formulation being tested (e.g., “Selenium-Conjugated Carboxyfullerenes”).

2. Applicant's Contact Information

This information includes the name, institutional address, telephone, and email of the individual submitting the application.

3. Background Information

This section should describe concisely the reason why the compound or dietary formulation deserves to be evaluated for potential effects on longevity and aging. The rationale may include:

• Conceptual basis
• Pilot data in model organisms or humans if available
• Compound identity (this will be disclosed at publication)
• Compound safety profile
• Other justification

If this section includes unpublished data, include enough information (e.g., figures, tables, protocols) to permit its evaluation. If this section includes published data, include similar information and a reference citation to the publication(s) from which the data are derived.

There is no length limit, but it is recommended that the background section be no longer than five pages (including figures and tables).

4. Suggested Treatment Protocol

This section should provide a detailed description of the intervention or compound being tested and the rationale for the protocol proposed. This information is necessary in order to develop a final testing protocol. The following should be addressed:

• Is the substance soluble in water? If not, in what solvent should it be used? What dose should be used? How stable is the compound in a solution at 20 C? Is the agent sensitive to light or heat?
• What is the suggested source of the test materials? If available commercially, which supplier(s) are suggested and why? How expensive is the test material?
• What is the best way to monitor test animals to ensure intake of the compound produces the expected physiological or pharmacological effects in Caenorhabditis? How expensive is the monitoring test to conduct? If the test requires specialized expertise or equipment, is this available in the compound nominator's laboratory?
• QC for substances to be submitted.

5. Animal Toxicity Information

This section should describe what is known about potential harmful side effects the treatment might have on Caenorhabditis, or toxicity data related to other doses of the compound or to related compounds. If the applicant knows of any pilot data, the application should state this and describe any harmful side effects noted in the previous study. If applicable, the compound nominator should include information on what seeing toxicity would mean, and suggest ways to ameliorate the problem, such as dose reduction, more frequent dosing due to the accumulation of a toxic metabolite, etc.

6. Costs

The CITP provides all costs for testing and statistical analysis. It also includes a limited budget for purchase, or cost-shared purchase, of test substances.

• The applicant should indicate if the compound cannot be obtained commercially or must be obtained from the applicant.
• If the compound can be purchased from commercial sources, provide a justified estimate of the cost of obtaining a sufficient supply of the compound to complete the test at all three CITP testing sites.
• If the compound is not available commercially and cannot be provided to the CITP without charge, the applicant should: (1) provide a justified cost estimate of a sufficient supply of the compound for the test, and (2) state the proportion of the cost the CITP is expected to provide.

7. Statement of Understanding

The application should include the following statement of understanding:

In submitting this proposal, I agree to the following:

• I understand all information presented in the proposal can be freely shared with members of the CITP Steering Committee and Access Panel during their evaluation of proposals, but will otherwise be considered confidential.
• If my proposal, or a modification of it (such as altered dosage or frequency of administration), is accepted for inclusion in a research protocol, I may be asked to help evaluate the data and to prepare the data for written and oral publications, on each of which I will be offered coauthorship. I understand the CITP intends to submit the results for publication of all CITP-supported studies, irrespective of the outcomes on lifespan or health metrics.
• I understand that the molecular structure and/or composition of the tested compound(s)/ extract/diet as well as the data generated by CITP-supported experiments using the compound/diet proposed will be made publicly available and can be used in applications for further research supported by anyone. I also will be free to use CITP-generated data in the context of applications for research support or for any other purpose.
• Include only if applicable: The compound/diet proposed makes use of materials that are not yet freely available and whose production depends on proprietary or unpublished methods. If my application is approved for incorporation in the CITP, a mutually acceptable Materials Transfer Agreement (determined by the NIA Official on the CITP) that would permit me to provide the CITP with the compound(s) needed for the experimentation will be developed with the institutions involved in this program.

How to Apply

Submit proposals as a Word document, and include an NIH Biosketch or CV (Word or PDF) by email to Tracy Cope.

Deadline

The next deadline is June 30, 2020, 5:00 PM Eastern time.

For more information, contact:

Ron Kohanski, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging
Telephone: 301-406-6402
Email Ron Kohanski, Ph.D.

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