The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is hosting, “Genomics: Gene Discovery and Clinical Applications for Cardiovascular, Lung, and Blood Diseases,” a symposium that will take place Sept. 12-13 at the Natcher Conference Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. The symposium will focus on cutting-edge findings in recent and ongoing genome-wide research studies, highlighting novel discoveries that include results from large-scale collaborative studies, new analysis techniques, novel directions in functional genomics, and translational research.

The Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Opportunity Network (OppNet) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a funding opportunity announcement (RFA-HD-12-204) for Research Project Grant (R21) applications that propose to investigate the reciprocal interactions of the processes of sleep and circadian regulation and function with behavioral and social environment processes. The grant offers a unique opportunity to link social environment factors that shape sleep behaviors with the direct neurobehavioral and circadian biology effects of sleep processes on individuals in the context of their social milieu.

Last week the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM) released a new consensus report, “Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies.” The IOM reviewed factors related to overweight and obesity from birth to age 5, recommending actions that health-care professionals, caregivers and policymakers can take to prevent obesity in young children.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a funding opportunity announcement to encourage research project grant (R01) applications to improve the design, implementation and effectiveness of preventive interventions for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and unintentional injury infant deaths associated with the sleep environment.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has issued two program announcements and two requests for applications related to Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes: a research project grant, an exploratory and development research grant award, a small business innovation research grant and a small business technology transfer grant.

A funding opportunity announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will utilize the NIH Clinical Trial Planning Grant to support the development of clinical trials in individuals with type 1 diabetes. These trials should be designed to improve glycemic control and/or treat or reduce diabetes complications. 

Philips Consumer Lifestyle is offering a research grant, or grants, of up to $100,000 to further the understanding of the effects of light on well-being.  Particular attention will be directed toward areas related to sleep, circadian regulation, alertness, learning and cognition.  All applications must be received by June 13, 2011. Find a link to the complete details within the article.