Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00188
Apply for P16AS00188
- The DOI-NPS in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Do Western Bat Species Possess Natural Defenses to White-nose syndrome?" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 23, 2016 and posted on May 23, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $154,399.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Department of the Interior, National Park Service (DOI-NPS) announced a cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Do Western Bat Species Possess Natural Defenses to White-nose syndrome?" (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00188). It focuses on White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a devastating wildlife disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) that has already impacted bat populations across much of the United States and has expanded westward (including detections as far as Oklahoma, Nebraska, and most recently Washington). The project is motivated by the expectation that WNS could reach New Mexico within roughly five years, making it urgent to study potential defenses before the disease arrives.
A central idea behind the project is that WNS-free regions offer a rare window to understand whether bats and their naturally occurring microbes have built-in protective mechanisms. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (often abbreviated as CAVE) is highlighted as an especially valuable study site because it is currently WNS-free and supports large bat populations. Prior work at CAVE produced promising preliminary results: researchers isolated 18 Actinobacteria from bats, a group well known for producing antibiotic and antifungal compounds, and laboratory screening suggested that about half of all bacterial isolates tested were able to inhibit Pd growth in vitro. These early findings suggest bats may carry beneficial bacteria that could help suppress the WNS fungus, but the grant aims to move beyond simple lab inhibition tests to identify what is actually happening on bats under real-world conditions.
The proposed research approach is heavily grounded in modern molecular biology. The team plans to use genetic sequencing, including whole-genome sequencing and transcriptomics, to pinpoint the specific antimicrobial compounds being produced by bat-associated bacteria. Genome sequencing can reveal the genetic potential of these bacteria to manufacture antifungal molecules, while transcriptomics can show which genes are actively being expressed, helping distinguish between compounds that could be produced in theory versus those that are being produced on bats in the wild. By identifying which bacteria are actively generating antifungal compounds under natural conditions, the project aims to narrow down the most promising candidates for a potential WNS biocontrol strategy, meaning a biologically based approach that could reduce Pd impacts without relying on broad chemical treatments.
The opportunity also places clear emphasis on public education and outreach, using the park's high visitor traffic as a platform for increasing understanding of bats, WNS, and conservation science. Planned outreach products include collaboration with local schools, the creation of an interpretive 360-degree panorama of Bat Cave to help visitors experience and understand the site, short "ranger minutes" style interpretive segments explaining bat biology and the park's WNS research, and a children's book focused on bats and White-nose Syndrome. In other words, the project is designed not only to advance applied disease ecology and microbial discovery, but also to translate that work into accessible educational materials for families, students, and park visitors.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies substantial involvement or partnership with the awarding agency during the project. The activity area is natural resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.945. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, signaling that the intended applicants are universities or similar public academic entities. The opportunity anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $154,399. The posting and creation dates were May 23, 2016, and the application closing date was June 1, 2016.
FAQs: Notice of Intent - Do Western Bat Species Possess Natural Defenses to White-nose syndrome? (P16AS00188)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Notice of Intent: Do Western Bat Species Possess Natural Defenses to White-nose syndrome?"
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is announced by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (DOI-NPS).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00188.
What is the main focus of the project?
The project focuses on White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a devastating wildlife disease affecting bats, and investigates whether western bat species (and their naturally occurring microbes) possess natural defenses that could help suppress the WNS-causing fungus.
What causes White-nose Syndrome (WNS)?
White-nose Syndrome is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd).
Why is the project considered urgent?
The project is motivated by the expectation that WNS could reach New Mexico within roughly five years, creating an urgent need to study potential defenses before the disease arrives.
How far has White-nose Syndrome spread, according to the opportunity description?
The opportunity notes that WNS has impacted bat populations across much of the United States and has expanded westward, including detections as far as Oklahoma, Nebraska, and most recently Washington.
Why are WNS-free regions important to this research?
The opportunity frames WNS-free regions as a rare window to understand whether bats and their naturally occurring microbes have built-in protective mechanisms, before the disease becomes established.
Which park is highlighted as a key study site?
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is highlighted as an especially valuable study site. It is often abbreviated as CAVE in the opportunity description.
Why is Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CAVE) considered especially valuable for this work?
CAVE is described as currently WNS-free and supporting large bat populations, which makes it a strong location for studying bat-microbe interactions and potential defenses prior to WNS arrival.
What preliminary results are mentioned from prior work at CAVE?
The opportunity states that researchers isolated 18 Actinobacteria from bats at CAVE. Laboratory screening suggested that about half of all bacterial isolates tested were able to inhibit Pd growth in vitro.
What are Actinobacteria, and why are they relevant here?
Actinobacteria are described in the opportunity as a group well known for producing antibiotic and antifungal compounds. Their relevance is that some isolates collected from bats appeared capable of inhibiting the WNS fungus (Pd) in lab testing.
What does "in vitro inhibition" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this opportunity, "in vitro" refers to laboratory screening tests showing certain bacterial isolates could inhibit Pd growth under lab conditions. The grant aims to go beyond these initial lab inhibition results to understand what is happening under real-world conditions on bats.
What is the project trying to determine beyond lab screening results?
Beyond simple lab inhibition tests, the project aims to identify which antimicrobial compounds are being produced by bat-associated bacteria and determine what is actually happening on bats under natural, real-world conditions.
What types of molecular biology methods are proposed?
The opportunity describes using modern molecular biology tools including genetic sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, and transcriptomics to identify antimicrobial compounds produced by bat-associated bacteria.
How is whole-genome sequencing expected to help in this project?
Whole-genome sequencing is described as a way to reveal the genetic potential of bat-associated bacteria to manufacture antifungal molecules.
How is transcriptomics expected to help in this project?
Transcriptomics is described as a method to show which genes are actively being expressed, helping distinguish between compounds that could be produced in theory versus those that are being produced on bats in the wild.
What is meant by a potential "WNS biocontrol strategy" in this opportunity?
The opportunity describes a biocontrol strategy as a biologically based approach that could reduce Pd impacts without relying on broad chemical treatments, by narrowing down the most promising bacteria that actively generate antifungal compounds under natural conditions.
Does the opportunity include education and outreach requirements?
Yes. The opportunity places clear emphasis on public education and outreach, using the park's high visitor traffic to increase understanding of bats, WNS, and conservation science.
What outreach or public-facing products are mentioned?
Planned outreach products mentioned include collaboration with local schools, an interpretive 360-degree panorama of Bat Cave, short "ranger minutes" style interpretive segments explaining bat biology and the park's WNS research, and a children's book focused on bats and White-nose Syndrome.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does a cooperative agreement imply for how the project is carried out?
The opportunity notes that a cooperative agreement mechanism typically implies substantial involvement or partnership with the awarding agency during the project.
What is the activity area associated with this funding opportunity?
The activity area is listed as natural resources.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.945.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning universities or similar public academic entities.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award.
What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed for the opportunity is $154,399.
When was the opportunity posted and created?
The posting and creation dates are listed as May 23, 2016.
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was June 1, 2016.
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