; and (2) to encourage a collaborative effort among academic medical centers with epidemiological study groups to gather comprehensive and detailed information for each patient enrolled in those groups, in order to investigate environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors with respect to, and the pathological and epidemiological characteristics of, NMO. 4. Establishment of the National Neu­ro­my­eli­tis Optica Consortium Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 409J the following new section: 409K. National Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium (a) Establishment of the National Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Director of NIH, and in coordination with the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, shall establish, administer, and coordinate a National Neuromyelitis Optica Consortium (in this section referred to as the NNO Consortium ) for the purposes described in paragraph (2). (2) Purposes The purposes of the NNO Consortium shall be the following: (A) Providing grants of not fewer than 5 years duration to eligible consortia for the purpose of conducting research with respect to the causes of, and the risk factors and biomarkers associated with, NMO. (B) Assembling a panel of experts to provide, with respect to research funded by the NNO Consortium, ongoing guidance and recommendations for the development of the following: (i) A common study design. (ii) Standard protocols, methods, procedures, and assays for collecting from individuals enrolled as study participants a minimum dataset that includes the following: (I) Complete medical history. (II) Neurologic examination. (III) Biospecimens, including blood, spinal fluid, DNA, and RNA. (IV) Radiological data, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). (iii) Specific analytical methods for examining data. (iv) Provisions for consensus review of