NIH Common Fund Grant for Establishing Centers for Producing Human Transcription Factor Affinity Reagents

It is anticipated that awarded applications will propose to create production centers capable of implementing a pipeline that would include acquisition and evaluation of human transcription factor immunogens, production and selection of affinity binding reagents, and the adequate biochemical characterization and validation of the affinity reagents. Because this FOA will support a production activity, it is anticipated that the center(s) will emphasize the advantages of high throughput and scalability to be achieved within a production effort, and will for example develop process improvements, thereby improving cost and quality over the duration of the award. At the same time, the production center must maintain a degree of scientific flexibility for example to develop approaches to producing affinity reagents to less tractable transcription factor protein targets as they are identified in the course of production.

Finally, because this FOA is intended to fund a broadly available community resource of research tools, applicants are expected to propose a viable distribution plan that is consistent with NIH policies, described below, and ensures broad availability and wide accessibility for future use of the reagents with minimal constraints, consistent with achieving the goals of this funding initiative.