NICHD and NIDCD have just issued an RFA that could be great for Xenopus researchers. It's goals are to enable research groups to add additional models to their studies and to enable collaborations between groups who work in different models.

The complete RFA is at

http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-03-024.html

The RFA seeks applications from:

o An investigator or group of investigators requests support to examine the function and/or expression of specific genes in more than one model system (R01).

o An expert in one model organism examines the function/expression of specific genes in that system and includes a subproject in which the same genes are examined in a related animal model system by experts in that system (R01).

o An investigator who is funded to examine the function/expression of specific genes in one model system requests support to examine the same genes in another system (supplement to existing R01).

o An investigator requests support to determine whether a gene known to be important in one model is present in another model (supplement to existing R01 or R21).

The letter of intent is due on October 20, 2003, and the applications are due on November 19, 2003.