Virtual Consortium for Translational/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research (ViCTER) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding Agency:
- National Institutes of Health
The primary goal for creating this ViCTER program is to support the exchange of knowledge among individuals from a diverse set of disciplines and accelerate the translation of scientific research into meaningful improvements in human health in those areas where environmental factors are known or suspected to influence the development or progression of disease. To accomplish this goal, each newly established collaborative team is expected to initiate research in the development and application of novel approaches for understanding the etiology of environmentally-related disease and, where appropriate, explore clinical and public health implications for diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention.
Each ViCTER consortium must consist of at least three key participants (the PD/PI plus two scientists designated by the PD/PI as "co-investigators") that together represent a newly collaborative team. For the purposes of this FOA, a team is considered newly collaborative if there are no co-authored original research publications among the PD/PI and co-investigators within the last 5 years (excluding reviews, white papers, commentaries etc.). NIEHS strongly recommends but does not require that at least one co-investigator be at a different institution from the PD/PI. In addition, applicants are encouraged to assemble teams that bring diverse perspectives to the theme of the consortium, thus enhancing translational opportunities and broadening the public health impact.
A critical component of the ViCTER program, particularly in cases where team members are located at different institutions, is their virtual aspect. This allows researchers at remote locations to form a consortium to integrate their research through the development of a “virtual” center that coordinates the overall ViCTER project. The PD/PI serves as the Director of the consortium and is responsible for scheduling regular virtual (at least monthly) and in-person (at least yearly) meetings.
The PD/PI must propose a series of aims that are thematically related, foster collaboration among team members and reflect transdisciplinary/translational approaches to environmental health. The PD/PI and co-investigators should each have a substantial and meaningful role in developing and conducting the overall ViCTER project, demonstrated by each assuming primary responsibility for leading one or more of the proposed Specific Aims. The aims may include several research approaches to address a fundamental research question (i.e. moving within the TRF “fundamental questions” level), or may combine fundamental research questions with more intervention-, prevention-, and/or implementation-based approaches (i.e. moving from TRF “fundamental questions” towards “application and synthesis” and/or “implementation and adjustment”). NIEHS also particularly encourages applicants to propose research aims that are high risk/high reward which, if successful, are likely to contribute significantly to one or more areas of environmental science and/or be the motivator of future collaborative research. In addition, ViCTER teams present a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary training; hence, seeking opportunities to enhance and broaden skills of students is encouraged.
Applicants should prospectively plan for how scientific data generated from the proposed research project will be preserved and shared. Likewise, the team should develop a robust plan for data management and sharing to facilitate synthesis, integration, and translation of the individual aims. As applicable, applicants are highly encouraged to include an expert in data stewardship when data integration, sharing, and reuse are critical to achieving the goal of the consortium. For additional information, NIH has developed guidance for recommended elements of a Data Management and Sharing Plan (NOT-OD-21-014).
The proposed ViCTER project must fall within the NIEHS mission. Examples of environmental exposures relevant to the mission of the NIEHS include, but are not limited to the following: industrial chemicals or manufacturing byproducts; byproducts of formal or informal resource extraction activities (e.g. mining, e-waste); metals; pesticides; herbicides; air pollutants and other inhaled toxicants (including indoor air pollutants); particulates or fibers; and fungal, bacterial or biologically derived toxins. Applications that propose laboratory-based studies using only model compounds (i.e., those without potential for human exposure) must provide a clear, reasonable and specific description as to how research on the model compound will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in response to specific environmental agents which are included in the mission responsibility of the NIEHS. In addition, several exposure scenarios are of interest to NIEHS and may serve as the basis for developing a translational/transdisciplinary ViCTER project. Such exposure scenarios include environmental health impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities; health disparities among environmental justice communities; informal electronic waste (e-Waste) or other mining operations; food-born exposures to toxicants (including metals/metalloids in baby food, drinking water contaminants, pollutants in seafood); or one-health frameworks (e.g. intersection of human, non-human, environment).
The transdisciplinary/translational ViCTER framework creates an opportunity to incorporate new approaches into environmental health studies research. Investigators who propose studies with a primary focus on NIEHS mission relevant exposures’ impact on human health may include other relevant disciplines to understand the role(s) of cofactors/modifiers of the risk or protection associated with the primary exposure(s), to explore exposure processes, and/or identify patterns in data. Applicants may wish to incorporate, for example: machine learning/artificial intelligence; new approach methods (NAMs); epigenomic-epitranscriptomic crosstalk; meta-proteomics; fate, transport, and exposure modeling; integration of geospatial/satellite data streams; development and application of advanced sensor, imaging, or biomonitoring tools; infectious disease; mental health; mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) or behavioral/social sciences; and implementation science. Applicants may also incorporate individual and structural social determinants of health (for examples, please refer to NOT-MD-21-003) and the PhenX Social Determinants of Health toolkit (https://www.phenxtoolkit.org/collections/view/6).
Application budgets are limited to $475,000 direct cost per year and should reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
February 01, 2022
Heather Henry, Ph.D., National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Telephone: 984-287-3268, Email: heather.henry@nih.gov