Notice Number: NOT-GM-15-113

Key Dates
Release Date: April 9, 2015
Response Date: May 15, 2015

Issued by
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Purpose

This is a time-sensitive Request for Information (RFI) directed at obtaining input to assist the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) in its consideration of whether to support one or more protein expression resources. These resources would offer the ability to express proteins for the research community as well as offering significant protein expression expertise.

Background

NIGMS supports a variety of resources for biology research. NIGMS believes it is important for the entire community to have the opportunity to offer comments on whether one or perhaps more protein expression resources could benefit their research and how the infrastructure might be developed to benefit the community.

Information Requested

NIGMS invites input on topics related the protein expression as described below. Of interest are ideas about novel collaborative approaches, types of expression issues that are hard for a single R01 laboratory to tackle, the scope of such potential protein expression research methods, and strategies to use these resources to accelerate progress toward findings that are of both scientific and public health impact.

Areas of possible comment include but are not limited to:

• The need in the biomedical community for one or more resources for the provision of protein expression production and expertise.
• The types of protein expression resources that are most beneficial; for example, expression of proteins from a large number of sequences, orthologs and homologs; prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression; special expression needs such as large numbers of mutants, proteins requiring anaerobic expression and incorporation of non-proteogenic amino acids, e.g., seleno-methionine.
• The perceived benefit to your research should such expression resources be established.
• Further suggestions relating to this topic.

How to Submit a Response

Responses to the RFI will be accepted until May 15, 2015. Respondents will not receive individualized feedback. No basis for claims against the United States government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the Unites States government’s use of such information. All comments must be submitted via email as text or as an attached electronic document. Microsoft Word documents are preferred. Please submit your response to: NIGMSexpressionRFI@mail.nih.gov

Response to this RFI is voluntary. All interested parties are invited to respond. Any personal identifiers (e.g., names, addresses, email addresses,) will be removed when responses are compiled. Only the de-identified comments will be used. Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should not be included in your response. The United States government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the United States government to provide support for any ideas identified in response to it. Please note that the United States government will not pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for its use of that information. Responses will be compiled and shared internally with staff from the NIGMS and with scientific working groups convened by these bodies as appropriate. In all cases where responses are shared, the names of the respondents will be withheld.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Ward Smith, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-443-9375
Email: ward.smith@nih.gov