Background
Many chemicals are known to cause allergic sensitisation and some of these cause sensitisation of the respiratory tract. Chemical respiratory allergy poses an important problem, because currently there are available no well validated or widely accepted methods for hazard identification. At the present time, several initiatives are investigating the utility of induced IgE responses (primarily induced increases in the total serum concentration of IgE) in this context, but it is uncertain whether these will result in the development of effective methods. There is a need is for the design and evaluation of alternative strategies that will permit identification of chemical respiratory sensitisers, and ideally facilitate determination of relative potency for the purposes of risk assessment.
Objectives
Development and validation of a robust method for the identification of chemicals that have the potential to cause respiratory allergy. Such methods should build upon, but not duplicate, current initiatives based on measurement of induced IgE responses (see LRI web site).
Investigations considering changes in gene expression associated with exposure to chemical respiratory allergens would be welcome.
Scope
Proposals submitted for consideration should address the following under individual headings:
- The title of the research proposal.
- The name and affiliation of the Principal Investigator of the laboratoryor laboratories in which the research will be conducted.
- Evidence of the Principal Investigator's expertise, and contributions to the areas of science relevant to this proposal.
- A clear definition of the research objectives (including a description of the mechanistic basis for any proposed research).
- An outline of investigation including milestones and critical decision points during the course of the proposed project.
- An indication of likely costs.
- All applications for CEFIC-LRI grants will be dealt with via a two-tiered selection process. Interested parties are invited to submit an initial expression of interest for preliminary evaluation by an ECETOC Selection Team. A form is available on the CEFIC-LRI web-site. Short-listed candidates will subsequently be requested to submit a more detailed proposal or invited to make a presentation to the Selection Team.
Monitoring:
The Principal Investigator will be required to submit a progress report at six-monthly intervals during the course of the programme. At the end of the project a detailed review of the research, and its accomplishments, will be provided by the Principal Investigator. It is expected that the results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and the investigators are encouraged to present their preliminary findings in appropriate scientific meetings.
