National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Natcher Building, Room 5AS-13A, 45 Center Drive, MSC 6500, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6500

A -- GENETICS OF FIBROMYALGIA POC Eileen Webster-Cissel, 301-594-2543 E-MAIL: webstere@mail.nih.gov, webstere@mail.nih.gov. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, to create a resource to facilitate genetic analysis on fibromyalgia (FMS) and to conduct genetic linkage analysis to identify FMS susceptibility loci. A five year contract award is anticipated during which time the contractor will support a core facility dedicated to the collection and characterization of FMS uni and multipex for FMS. The facility will operate two simultaneous activities. It will serve as a Registry of FMS pedigrees by collecting, validating and updating clinical, demographic and laboratory data on FMS families. The facility will also operate as a repository of sera, cells and DNA and will store and manage genotyping data of the sib pairs enrolled. In addition, the investigators will also conduct genetic linkage analysis. The contents of the database, cells, DNA samples and genotypes will be made available to basic and clinical researchers. The NIAMS expects that the availability of these resources will encourage and accelerate research in the genetic bases of FMS. A determination for the use of other than full and open competition has been made in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) as set forth in FAR 6.302-1. The Case Western Reserve University is considered the only responsible source available today that can accrue and characterize the necessary FMS families within a reasonable period of time, by virtue of their preliminary work, and their established enrollment and diagnostic criteria. See Numbered Note 22.***** Posted 06/23/99 (W-SN346113). (0174)

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