Group items tagged

We are interested in proposals that address memory or cognition under normal and pathological conditions. This includes proposals that address mechanisms of memory or cognition at the synaptic, cellular, or behavioral level in animals, including humans.We are particularly interested in proposals that incorporate fundamentally new approaches, as well as those that involve human experimentation. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary applications are encouraged.

This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is part of the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) Common Fund program. This FOA invites applications exclusively for non-clinical tests in animal models to obtain safety and efficacy data that support new market indications for a limited set of neuromodulation devices. Partnering companies (see Device Portal) have agreed to provide neuromodulation technology to investigators supported by the SPARC program. Pre-clinical developments supported by this FOA are expected to generate the necessary safety and efficacy evidence to enable an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) submission for a future pilot clinical study.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications that focus on clarifying the relationship between delirium and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Specifically sought is research focusing on understanding why persons with ADRD are at increased risk to develop delirium, often with a worse prognosis compared to those without antecedent ADRD, and why patients who experience delirium are at higher risk to develop subsequent short- and/or long-term mild cognitive impairment or ADRD, often with an accelerated rate of cognitive decline compared to those without preceding delirium. Relevant research projects may focus on, but are not limited to, those that A) provide insight into possible common, sequential, causative, contributory and/or synergistic pathways underlying both ADRD and delirium, B) elucidate mechanisms that lead to the development of delirium against the background of aging and/or neurodegeneration, with particular emphasis on use of appropriate animal models, C) identify risk factors for the onset and/or progression of delirium in those with ADRD and vice versa, D) diagnose and assess one condition in the setting of the other, E) identify putative phenotypes of patients with co-existing ADRD and delirium, or F) test pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic strategies to prevent, treat, or reduce the impact of delirium in patients with ADRD and vice versa. Research supported by this FOA is intended to provide mechanistic insight to improve risk assessment, diagnosis, phenotyping, prevention, and management approaches for both delirium and ADRD.

This FOA invites exploratory comparative biology research projects assessing how different animal species respond to challenges and damage to cellular physiology pathways that might influence the onset of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases as well as resilience to them, such as adaptation to stress, macromolecular damage, proteostasis and stem cell function and regeneration.    

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to advance research on male-females differences in drug and alcohol abuse and addiction and on factors specific to women.  Both human and animal model studies are sought. 

The Alternatives Research & Development Foundation, a U.S. leader in the funding and promotion of alternatives to the use of laboratory animals in research, testing, and education, is currently soliciting research proposals for its 2017 Alternatives Research Grant Program. For over 20 years, this innovative program has created opportunities for scientists who have interest and expertise in alternatives research.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is intended to stimulate model-driven research to understand the ways that people make decisions about engaging in behaviors that impact the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, or to adhere to treatments for HIV. Decision making processes may contribute to both substance use/abuse and other HIV acquisition or transmission risks. A better understanding of decision making processes in the context of brain neural networks and their associated functions would lead to the development of better strategies to reduce the frequency of HIV-risk behaviors. Therefore, this FOA encourages applications to study 1) cognitive, motivational or emotional mechanisms and/or 2) brain neuroendocrine and reinforcement systems that related to HIV-risk behaviors or treatment non-compliance. Interdisciplinary studies that incorporate approaches from psychology, economics, anthropology, sociology, decision sciences, neuroscience and computational modeling are encouraged. This FOA for R01 applications solicits empirical, hypothesis-driven, confirmatory research and modeling approaches. Exploratory, descriptive or hypothesis-generating research are more appropriate for the complementary FOAs using the R21 or R03 mechanisms. In no cases, should research involving animals be proposed.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is intended to stimulate model-driven research to understand the ways that people make decisions about engaging in behaviors that impact the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, or to adhere to treatments for HIV. Decision making processes may contribute to both substance use/abuse and other HIV acquisition or transmission risks. A better understanding of decision making processes in the context of brain neural networks and their associated functions would lead to the development of better strategies to reduce the frequency of HIV-risk behaviors. Therefore, this FOA encourages applications to study 1) cognitive, motivational or emotional mechanisms and/or 2) brain neuroendocrine and reinforcement systems that related to HIV-risk behaviors or treatment non-compliance. Interdisciplinary studies that incorporate approaches from psychology, economics, anthropology, sociology, decision sciences, neuroscience and computational modeling are encouraged. This FOA for R03 applications encourages small research projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources. The R03 activity code supports different types of projects including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology. In no cases, should research involving animals be proposed.

We are interested in proposals that address memory or cognition under normal and pathological conditions. This includes proposals that address mechanisms of memory or cognition at the synaptic, cellular, or behavioral level in animals, including humans.We are particularly interested in proposals that incorporate fundamentally new approaches, as well as those that involve human experimentation. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary applications are encouraged. Projects restricted to the creation of conventional mouse knockouts in candidate disease genes identified by association studies, or to broadly overexpress those genes, are discouraged. In addition, projects to perform genetic interaction screens on disease genes in model organisms (yeast, worm, fly, fish) will not be considered, unless the project includes substantive specific aims that investigate the disease relevance of any new genes so discovered in human or mammalian model systems.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) applications from institutions/organizations that propose to study the neuroimmune mechanisms of alcohol related disorders. Studies using animal models and post-mortem human alcoholic brains suggest that alcohol exposure alters the neuroimmune system in the brain. However, it remains unclear how the altered neuroimmune signaling contributes to brain functional and behavioral changes associated with alcohol dependence. Recent studies reveal that neuroimmune molecules are expressed in neurons and glia, and play an important role in modulating synaptic function, neurodevelopment, and neuroendocrine function. These neuromodulatory properties, together with their essential roles in neuroinflammation, provide a new frame work to understand the role of neuroimmune factors in mediating neuroadaptation and behavioral phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorders. Studies supported by this FOA will provide fundamental insights of neuroimmune mechanisms underlying brain functional and behavioral changes induced by alcohol.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) applications from institutions/organizations that propose to study the neuroimmune mechanisms of alcohol related disorders. Studies using animal models and post-mortem human alcoholic brains suggest that alcohol exposure alters the neuroimmune system in the brain. However, it remains unclear how the altered neuroimmune signaling contributes to brain functional and behavioral changes associated with alcohol dependence. Recent studies reveal that neuroimmune molecules are expressed in neurons and glia, and play an important role in modulating synaptic function, neurodevelopment, and neuroendocrine function. These neuromodulatory properties, together with their essential roles in neuroinflammation, provide a new frame work to understand the role of neuroimmune factors in mediating neuroadaptation and behavioral phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorders. Studies supported by this FOA will provide fundamental insights of neuroimmune mechanisms underlying brain functional and behavioral changes induced by alcohol.

The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) supports research aimed at understanding why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do. Proposals should focus on organisms as a fundamental unit of biological organization. Principal Investigators (PIs) are encouraged to apply systems approaches that will lead to conceptual and theoretical insights and predictions about emergent organismal properties. Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, developmental biology and the evolution of developmental processes, nervous system development, structure, and function, physiological processes, functional morphology, symbioses, interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic environments, and animal behavior.

DARPA seeks to develop a new understanding of complex, systems-based disorders of the brain. A major goal of this effort is to deliver a platform technology for precise therapy in humans living with neuropsychiatric and neurologic disease, including veterans and active duty soldiers suffering from mental health issues. Methods developed through this program will use neural recording and stimulation to close the loop on therapeutic treatment in individuals who receive minimal benefits from currently available treatments. This program could lead to improved knowledge of multiple neural subnetworks of the brain that are involved in disease and illness. This program combines novel device development, complex modeling of behaving human neural systems, clinical neurology, and animal research in order to advance the understanding and translation of safe, effective neurotechnological therapies.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) applications from institutions/organizations that propose to study the neuroimmune mechanisms of alcohol related disorders. Studies using animal models and post-mortem human alcoholic brains suggest that alcohol exposure alters the neuroimmune system in the brain. However, it remains unclear how the altered neuroimmune signaling contributes to brain functional and behavioral changes associated with alcohol dependence. Recent studies reveal that neuroimmune molecules are expressed in neurons and glia, and play an important role in modulating synaptic function, neurodevelopment, and neuroendocrine function. These neuromodulatory properties, together with their essential roles in neuroinflammation, provide a new frame work to understand the role of neuroimmune factors in mediating neuroadaptation and behavioral phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorders. Studies supported by this FOA will provide fundamental insights of neuroimmune mechanisms underlying brain functional and behavioral changes induced by alcohol.

This FOA encourages Research Project Grant (R01) applications from institutions/organizations that propose to study the neuroimmune mechanisms of alcohol-related disorders. Studies using animal models and post-mortem human alcoholic brains suggest that alcohol exposure alters the neuroimmune system in the brain. However, it remains unclear how the altered neuroimmune signaling contributes to brain functional and behavioral changes associated with alcohol dependence. Recent studies reveal that neuroimmune molecules are expressed in neurons and glia, and play an important role in modulating synaptic function, neurodevelopment, and neuroendocrine function. These neuromodulatory properties, together with their essential roles in neuroinflammation, provide a new frame work to understand the role of neuroimmune factors in mediating neuroadaptation and behavioral phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorders. Studies supported by this FOA will provide fundamental insights of neuroimmune mechanisms underlying brain functional and behavioral changes induced by alcohol. 

There is a need to develop technologies that support research using zebrafish models of biomedical value. The zebrafish has become increasingly important as a biological resource, because of its small size, short generation time, easy manipulation of embryos and optical transparency. This animal model is used to study aspects of gene structure and function that can be directly related to human genetics and disease. Zebrafish are also important for studies in diverse disciplines, including pharmacology, toxicology, neurobiology, behavior and developmental biology. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encourages applications from small business concerns (SBCs) for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects that propose innovative research and development of technology, including reagents and high throughput equipment, to support different aspects of the creation, detection, identification and characterization of zebrafish models of human disease and preservation of genetic stocks.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits research projects focused on the dynamic and mechanistic links between the maturation of brain circuits and behaviors across development in rodents and non-human primates. The goal is to build a foundation for understanding how interactions within and among brain regions change over pre- and post-natal development, allowing for the emergence of cognitive, affective and social behaviors. To this end, projects supported will focus on neurodevelopmental trajectories in rodents or non-human primates and investigate questions using in vivo neural measures in awake, behaving animals. This FOA uses the R01 grant mechanism, whereas its companion funding opportunity seeks shorter, higher-risk R21 grant applications.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites research projects focused on the dynamic and mechanistic links between the maturation of brain circuits and behaviors across development in rodents and non-human primates. The goal is to build a foundation for understanding how interactions within and among brain regions change during pre- and post-natal development, allowing for the emergence of cognitive, affective and social behaviors. To this end, projects supported will focus on neurodevelopmental trajectories and investigate questions using in vivo neural measures in awake, behaving animals. This FOA seeks shorter, higher-risk R21 grant applicationsþff, whereas its companion funding opportunity seeksþff R01 grant applications.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage investigators to pursue translational activities and clinical trials to treat pain with innovative, targeted, and non-addictive diagnostic and/or therapeutic devices that improve patient outcomes and decrease or eliminate the need to prescribe opioids. Activities supported in this program include implementation of clinical prototype devices, non-clinical safety and efficacy testing, design verification and validation activities, obtaining an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for a Significant Risk (SR) study or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for a Non-Significant Risk (NSR) study, as well as a subsequent small clinical trial (e.g., Early Feasibility Study). The clinical trial is expected to provide information about the device function or final design that cannot be practically obtained through additional non-clinical assessments (e.g., bench top or animal studies) due to the novelty of the device or its intended use. This is a milestone-driven cooperative agreement program and will involve participation of NIH program staff in the development of the project plan and monitoring of research progress. This FOA will leverage Public-Private Partnership Programs (PPP) initiated under the NIH BRAIN Initiative, the Office of Strategic Coordination The Common Funds Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) Program, and the HEAL Initiative. These programs include agreements (Memoranda of Understanding, MOU) with a number of device manufacturers willing to make such devices available, including devices and capabilities not yet market approved but appropriate for clinical research. In general, it is expected that the devices' existing safety and utility data will be sufficient to enable new IRB NSR or FDA IDE approval without the need for significant additional non-clinical data.

HIV-associated neurological disorders (HAND) persist in up to 50% of HIV-patients even when HIV replication is suppressed by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), which transformed HIV/AIDS from a fatal illness into a chronically managed long-term condition. HIV does not infect neurons, but infects microglia and macrophages in the brain, causing HAND associated neuropathology. HAND epitomizes a series of disorders include Asymptomatic Neurocognitive Impairment (ANI), Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (MND), and HIV-Associated Dementia (HAD). These neurocognitive deficits interfere with psychomotor speed and coordination, diminishing memory and executive functions, and reduce quality of life in long-standing aviremic HIV-positive patients. These clinical challenges mandate research for a better understanding of HIV neuropathology; however, currently there are no effective approaches for HIV-infected live human brain studies or realistic HIV-infected animal models for HIV neuropathology. Proposed projects MUST include the following components. Applications which lack these three components will be considered non-responsive to the FOA and will not be reviewed. The major thrust of the project MUST involve exploitation of induced microglia and cerebral organoids generated from patient derived iPSC lines to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND). At least one aim or sub-aim MUST also involve either 1. opioid, cannabinoid, methamphetamine, nicotinic, dopaminergic, or other signaling pathways relevant to addictive substance use, or 2. exposure to addictive substances, or 3. analysis of samples from patients that have used addictive substances or have SUDs.