The Role of Cellular Organelles in Alcohol-Induced Tissue Injury (R21)

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Purpose. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, encourages Research Project Grant (R01) applications that propose to study biological processes involving the cellular organelles in alcohol-induced tissue injury. Excessive alcohol consumption can damage many organ systems including the liver, heart, pancreas, brain, and lung. However, the mechanisms for these injuries are currently not fully understood. Cellular organelles play an important role in cellular functions and are significantly involved in alcohol-induced tissue injury. Thus, studies of alcohols effects on the structure and function of cellular organelles are critical to better understand the mechanisms of alcohol-induced injuries and to develop new strategies for their diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this FOA is to: (1) better understand how acute or chronic alcohol consumption affects the structure and function of cellular organelles, and in turn, how these changes contribute to alcohol-induced injury; (2) investigate how variations of proteins in cellular organelles, or their regulation and function, including cellular signaling pathways, contribute to an individuals response to acute or chronic alcohol intake and alcohol-induced tissue injury; (3) develop potential biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis of tissue injury, or identify new targets for therapeutic interventions. This FOA aims to foster the utilization of innovative experimental design and emerging technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, as well as novel microscopic imaging techniques that illuminate functions in intact cells and tissues, to generate new mechanistic and clinical insights into alcohol-induced tissue injuries. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will use the NIH Exploratory/Developmental (R21) award mechanism and runs in parallel with a FOA of identical scientific scope, PA-10-085, that encourages applications under the R01 mechanism. Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the mechanism numbers, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.

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