Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU | G19AS00022

Opportunity Information: Apply for G19AS00022

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU funding opportunity (G19AS00022) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary research award offered as a cooperative agreement to support targeted science on stony coral tissue loss disease (STLD). STLD is described as a newly emerging infectious disease with an unknown cause that is driving large-scale mortality of reef-building (scleractinian) corals along the Florida coral reef tract. The disease was first noticed in 2013 near the Port of Miami and has since spread both northward and southward through the Florida Keys. More than 20 coral species have been impacted, with reported mortality exceeding 80 percent in the most susceptible species, and surveys indicate the outbreak is likely to permanently change the species makeup and structure of Florida's coral reef communities.

The project focus is on the etiology and pathology of STLD, meaning the selected partner is expected to help determine what causes the disease and to characterize how it manifests and progresses in affected corals. USGS is specifically looking for a CESU partner with strong expertise in animal pathology and veterinary science, along with diagnostic approaches suited to investigating and defining new disease syndromes. In practical terms, this points to work such as detailed gross and microscopic pathology, histopathology-based lesion description, and broad diagnostic investigations that can help rule in or rule out likely infectious or environmental contributors and clarify consistent disease patterns across samples.

A major feature of this opportunity is the in-kind support and collaboration provided by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). The awardee would gain access to diseased coral samples submitted to NWHC by state and federal partners, as well as use of NWHC high-containment infrastructure and specialized laboratories. The facilities and resources named include office space with IT support, a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) necropsy suite, histopathology capabilities, and supporting diagnostic labs spanning microbiology, virology, parasitology, and chemistry. Access is also provided to a BSL-3 animal experimentation facility, indicating that some components of the work may involve high-containment procedures and controlled experimental or diagnostic activities aligned with rigorous biosafety requirements.

The work is intended to be highly collaborative rather than conducted in isolation. The CESU partner is expected to coordinate closely with USGS board-certified wildlife pathologists and to engage with key coral-reef stakeholders and programs, including the NOAA Coral Reef Program and the Florida Coral Reef Tract Disease Advisory Committee. This setup suggests the project is meant to connect diagnostic findings to ongoing management and response efforts, improving shared understanding of STLD and supporting decision-making for reef conservation and disease mitigation.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is issued by the Department of the Interior, USGS, under CFDA 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). It anticipates a single award with an award ceiling of $160,000. The opportunity was created on December 3, 2018, with an original closing date of December 17, 2018. Eligibility is limited to CESU partners (the listing notes "Others" with clarification in the eligibility text), consistent with CESU mechanisms that route certain federal research collaborations through established partner networks.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 03, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 17, 2018. (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 $160,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for G19AS00022

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