Validation Studies of Analytical Methods for Dietary Supplement Constituents (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The rigor and reproducibility of research on dietary supplements are enhanced by rigorous characterization of key experimental resources and biological samples. The dissemination of analytical methods that are validated to accurately and reliably characterize dietary supplements and quantify their constituents and/or metabolites is vital for both basic and clinical research. This FOA builds on existing NIH awards to support the performance and publication of formal single-laboratory validation studies of analytical methods for dietary supplements and other natural products. The method(s) proposed for validation must be used to identify and/or quantify dietary supplement-relevant ingredients or constituents (i.e., active or marker chemical compounds, adulterants, contaminants) or their metabolites in experimental reagents, raw materials, and/or clinical specimens (e.g., urine or plasma samples). The method(s) must already be developed or utilized in fulfillment of the active parent grant's specific aims. Candidate constituents for method validation studies include (but are not limited to): phytochemicals, nutrients, and potentially deleterious substances such as pesticides and mycotoxins. Multi-laboratory validation studies will not be supported through this FOA.