Group items tagged

The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative is aimed at revolutionizing neuroscience through development and application of innovative technologies to map neural circuits, monitor and modulate their activity, and understand how they contribute to thoughts, sensations, emotions and behavior. NIH has issued a variety of Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that will support projects that apply technologies to understand neural circuit function in the context of specific circuits, resulting in a diverse portfolio of research into the fundamental biology of nervous system function. The purpose of this announcement is to notify the research community that NIH welcomes BRAIN Initiative applications targeting central nervous system nociceptive and pain circuits, as appropriate to the goals and requirements of specific BRAIN Initiative FOAs. Pain conditions represent an important public health problem and NIH continues to support research into pain pathologies through normal Institute and Center appropriations. However, pain and nociception are also components of normal nervous system function, and the BRAIN Initiative is committed to understanding pain circuits along with brain circuits underlying other sensory, motor, cognitive and emotional functions. It is expected that the unique opportunities of the BRAIN Initiative will enable production of detailed maps of pain circuits, and the adoption of powerful new tools for monitoring and modulating pain circuit activity, leading to significant advances in the understanding of pain and nociception. For a list of past and open BRAIN Initiative FOAs, see https://braininitiative.nih.gov/funding/.

The purpose of this FOA is to promote the integration of experimental, analytic, and theoretical capabilities for large-scale analysis of neural systems and circuits. This FOA seeks applications for exploratory research studies that use new and emerging methods for large scale recording and manipulation of neural circuits across multiple brain regions. Applications should propose to elucidate the contributions of dynamic circuit activity to a specific behavioral or neural system. Applications should seek to understand circuits of the central nervous system by systematically controlling stimuli and/or behavior while actively recording and/or manipulating relevant dynamic patterns of neural activity and by measuring the resulting behaviors and/or perceptions. Studies should incorporate rich information on cell-types, on circuit functionality and connectivity, and should be performed in conjunction with sophisticated analysis of complex, ethologically relevant behaviors. Applications should propose teams of investigators that seek to cross boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration by bridging fields and linking theory and data analysis to experimental design. Exploratory studies supported by this FOA are intended to develop experimental capabilities and quantitative, theoretical frameworks in preparation for a future competition for larger-scale, multi-component, Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs (U19).

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages collaborative, transdisciplinary research with both neuroscience and cancer elements, which together will advance current understanding of the nervous system contribution to cancer. Leveraging the knowledge, tools, experimental models and reagents in neuroscience research to uncover novel mechanisms used by the nervous system to promote tumor initiation, progression and metastasis can ultimately inform key areas of cancer research including the prevention and treatment of non-central nervous system tumors.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages collaborative, transdisciplinary research with both neuroscience and cancer elements, which together will advance current understanding of the nervous system contribution to cancer. Leveraging the knowledge, tools, experimental models and reagents in neuroscience research to uncover novel mechanisms used by the nervous system to promote tumor initiation, progression and metastasis can ultimately inform key areas of cancer research including the prevention and treatment of non-central nervous system tumors.

This funding opportunity supports projects that test whether modifying electrophysiological patterns during behavior can improve cognitive, affective, or social processing. Applications must use experimental designs that incorporate active manipulations to address at least one, and ideally more, of the following topics: (1) in animals or humans, determine which parameters of neural coordination, when manipulated in isolation, improve particular aspects of cognitive, affective, or social processing; (2) in animals or humans, determine how particular abnormalities at the genomic, molecular, or cellular levels affect the systems-level coordination of electrophysiological patterns during behavior; (3) determine whether in vivo, systems-level electrophysiological changes in behaving animals predict analogous electrophysiological and cognitive improvements in healthy persons or clinical populations; and (4) use biologically-realistic computational models that include systems-level aspects to understand the function and mechanisms by which oscillatory and other electrophysiological patterns unfold across the brain to impact cognitive, affective, or social processing.

With PEPFAR support, CDC Haiti works in close collaboration with Haiti’s Ministry of Health (MSPP) to increase access to quality HIV clinical services, prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and increase laboratory and strategic information capacity. In 2016, CDC Haiti adopted and implemented WHO’s Test and Start strategy, making treatment available to anyone who is HIV positive and reaching 80,000 people – over half of all people living with HIV in Haiti. The CDC program also led the development and implementation of key innovative approaches such as the biometric coding for unique patient identification and patient linkage and retention program. These interventions significantly improved the PEPFAR Haiti program performance. This NOFO aims to build upon these interventions and improve:Service delivery by providing technical assistance in the MSPP network to help strengthen HIV/AIDS-related services through clinical mentoring;Health workforce development by supporting both pre-service and in-service training efforts and working with MSPP in maintaining its national clinical guidelines; andHealth information systems by enhancing the iSanté Plus system, which includes patient care summaries, population-level data dashboards, automated program reports, epidemiological monitoring, and indicator reporting, and is linked to computerized lab results.

The purpose of this FOA is to promote the integration of experimental, analytic, and theoretical capabilities for large-scale analysis of neural systems and circuits. This FOA seeks applications for exploratory research studies that use new and emerging methods for large scale recording and manipulation of neural circuits across multiple brain regions. Applications should propose to elucidate the contributions of dynamic circuit activity to a specific behavioral or neural system. Applications should seek to understand circuits of the central nervous system by systematically controlling stimuli and/or behavior while actively recording and/or manipulating relevant dynamic patterns of neural activity and by measuring the resulting behaviors and/or perceptions. Studies should incorporate rich information on cell-types, on circuit functionality and connectivity, and should be performed in conjunction with sophisticated analysis of complex, ethologically relevant behaviors. Applications should propose teams of investigators that seek to cross boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration by bridging fields and linking theory and data analysis to experimental design. Exploratory studies supported by this FOA are intended to develop experimental capabilities and quantitative, theoretical frameworks in preparation for a future competition for larger-scale, multi-component, Team-Research Circuit Programs (U19) awards.

The goal of the Smart and Connected Health (SCH) Program is to accelerate the development and use of innovative approaches that would support the much needed transformation of healthcare from reactive and hospital-centered to preventive, proactive, evidence-based, person-centered and focused on well-being rather than disease. Approaches that partner technology-based solutions with biobehavioral health research are supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The purpose of this program is to develop next generation health care solutions and encourage existing and new research communities to focus on breakthrough ideas in a variety of areas of value to health, such as sensor technology, networking, information and machine learning technology, decision support systems, modeling of behavioral and cognitive processes, as well as system and process modeling.

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.

The purpose of this FOA is to provide resources for integrated development of experimental, analytic and theoretical capabilities for large-scale analysis of neural systems and circuits. We seek applications for exploratory studies that use new and emerging methods for large scale recording and manipulation of neural circuits across multiple brain regions. Applications should propose to elucidate the contributions of dynamic circuit activity to a specific behavioral or neural system. Studies should incorporate rich information on cell-types, on circuit functionality and connectivity, and should be performed in conjunction with sophisticated analysis of ethologically relevant behaviors. Applications should propose teams of investigators that seek to cross boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration by bridging fields and linking theory and data analysis to experimental design. Exploratory studies supported by this FOA are intended to develop experimental capabilities and theoretical frameworks in preparation for a future competition for large scale awards.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages exploratory/developmental research grant applications, proposing the development of innovative, collaborative research projects on brain and other nervous system function and disorders throughout life, relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Scientists in the United States (U.S.) or upper middle income countries (UMICs) are eligible to partner with scientists in LMIC institutions. Income categories used are as defined by the World Bank at http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications/country-and-lending-groups. These grants are expected to inform the development of more comprehensive research programs that contribute to the long-term goals of building sustainable research capacity in LMICs to address nervous system development, function and impairment throughout life and to lead to diagnostics, prevention, treatment and implementation strategies. The proposed work may also contribute to developing a base for research networking and evidence-based policy beyond the specific research project.

The HHPR Summit is an international meeting supporting human systems research held in Dayton, Ohio with the objective of linking defense and academic research to the commercial domains. The Summit is a forum to generate research knowledge and ideas, recruit and retain key organizations and researchers in the human systems domain, and link research to entrepreneurial outcomes, and diffuse information.

The SCIMS program is designed to provide a multidisciplinary system of rehabilitation care specifically to meet the needs of individuals with SCI. To be eligible for a SCI Model Systems grant, an applicant institution must encompass a continuum of care for people with SCI, including emergency medical services, acute care services, acute medical rehabilitation services, and post-acute services. For purposes of this program, SCI is defined as a clinically discernible degree of neurologic impairment of the spinal cord following a traumatic event. NIDILRR currently supports 14 SCIMS centers through this program. The funding for these Centers is primarily used to conduct SCI research and to collect and send data to the SCIMS longitudinal database. SCIMS Centers will be funded at varying amounts up to the maximum award based on the numbers of subjects eligible for follow-up in the existing SCIMS longitudinal database. Existing centers with significantly larger numbers of subjects will receive higher funding within the specified range, as determined by NIDILRR after the applicant is selected for funding. Applicants provide detailed budgets for each research project and for data collection costs associated with the longitudinal database. Funding will be determined individually for each successful applicant, up to the maximum allowed, based upon the documented workload associated with the follow-up data collection, the other costs of the grant, and the overall budgetary limits of the program

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages exploratory/developmental research grant applications, proposing the development of innovative, collaborative research projects on brain and other nervous system function and disorders throughout life, relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Research on neurological, mental, behavioral, alcohol and substance use disorders may span the full range of science from basic to implementation research. Scientists in the United States (U.S.) or upper-middle income countries (UMICs) are eligible to partner with scientists in LMIC institutions. Scientists in upper middle-income LMICs (UMICs) are also eligible to partner directly with scientists at other LMIC institutions with or without out a US partner. Income categories used are as defined by the World Bank at http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-classifications/country-and-lending-groups. These grants are expected to foster the development of more comprehensive research programs that contribute to the long-term goals of building sustainable research capacity in LMICs to address nervous system development, function and impairment throughout life and to lead to diagnostics, prevention, treatment and implementation strategies. The proposed work may also contribute to developing a base for research networking and evidence-based policy beyond the specific research project.

The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to support studies on the very early development of the immune system and the humoral and cellular communication that exists between the mother and fetus that may shape or impact immune system development and maturation.

The National Institute on Aging is seeking applications to develop systems biology approaches to understand the basic biology underpinning neurodegeneration which might ultimately contribute to Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, using non-mammalian laboratory animal models. It is expected that research carried under the auspices of this FOA will lead to discovery of new mechanisms that provoke neurodegeneration and to new molecular pathways that might be involved in causing, amplifying or protecting against neurodegeneration. Applications should propose to use established non-mammalian laboratory animals which have a history of contributions to our understanding of neurobiology or aging biology.  

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) intends to support a Brain Cell Data Center (BCDC) that will work with other BICCN Centers and interested researchers to establish a web-accessible information system to capture, store, analyze, curate, and display all data and metadata on brain cell types, and their connectivity. The BCDC is expected to: (1) lead the effort to establish spatial and semantic standards for managing heterogeneous brain cell census data types and information; (2) lead the effort to collect and register multimodal brain cell census data to common brain coordinate systems; (3) generate searchable 2D and 3D digital brain atlases for cell census data; and (4) generate a unified and comprehensive brain cell knowledge base that integrates all existing brain cell census data and information across diverse repositories.  A central goal of this and the three companion FOAs is to build a brain cell census resource that can be widely used throughout the research community.

The purpose of this FOA is to invite innovative research pre-applications from applicants who have an interest in submitting an application to "Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Technologies to Understand the Control of Organ Function by the Peripheral Nervous System (OT2)", companion announcement RFA-RM-16-003.  This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits pre-applications to develop new and/or enhance existing tools and technologies to be used to elucidate the neurobiology and neurophysiology underlying autonomic control of organs in health or disease, which will ultimately inform next generation neuromodulation therapies. These two-year projects will facilitate technology development for neural mapping activities through the NIH SPARC Common Fund program.

The purpose of this FOA is to invite innovative research pre-applications from applicants who have an interest in submitting an application to "Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Technologies to Understand the Control of Organ Function by the Peripheral Nervous System (OT2)", companion announcement RFA-RM-16-003.  This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits pre-applications to develop new and/or enhance existing tools and technologies to be used to elucidate the neurobiology and neurophysiology underlying autonomic control of organs in health or disease, which will ultimately inform next generation neuromodulation therapies. These two-year projects will facilitate technology development for neural mapping activities through the NIH SPARC Common Fund program.

Understanding the dynamic activity of neural circuits is central to the NIH BRAIN Initiative.  This FOA seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for large scale recording and manipulation of neural activity to enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the nervous system.  In particular, we seek exceptionally creative approaches to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, at or near cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain.  It is expected that the proposed research may be high-risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research.

Understanding the dynamic activity of neural circuits is central to the NIH BRAIN Initiative.  This FOA seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for large scale recording and manipulation of neural activity to enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the nervous system.  In particular, we seek exceptionally creative approaches to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, at or near cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain.  It is expected that the proposed research may be high-risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research.  

TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE AND THERAPEUTICS: The goal of the PhRMA Foundation's Translational Medicine and Therapeutics Program is to promote the development and use of experimental and computational methods in an integrative approach towards clinical needs in diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This can involve enhanced understanding of human biological and disease processes but requires a strong translational component. This program will support the concepts of Translational Medicine and Therapeutics as defined by the Foundation: "Translational medicine and therapeutics is a discipline focused on bridging experimental and computational technologies and discoveries in the research laboratory to their application in clinical practice. Examples of research components include activities in molecular and cellular biology, pathophysiology, systems biology, bioinformatics, modeling and simulation, and other quantitative sciences to connect basic biological concepts and entities to directly address unmet medical needs. The goals are to use clinical observation as the basis for hypothesis generation to further basic research and to efficiently advance the product of basic research to patients." Translational Medicine and Therapeutics awards will advance training and support career development of scientists engaged in research that significantly integrates cutting-edge technologies with advanced biological, chemical, and pharmacological sciences and engineering methodologies in such areas as (but not restricted to): * Genetics (Molecular, Pharmaco-, Population, Medical) * Genomics (Functional, Structural, Toxico-, Pharmaco-, Comparative) * Systems (Biology and Pharmacology) * Pathways and networks * Integrative biology * Modeling and simulation * Target Identification and Validation * Biomarker Discovery and Validation * Vaccine Development * Molecular Epidimiology * Imaging * Disease Modeling