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This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) supports Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that will develop and/or validate devices or electronic systems that can: 1) monitor biologically- or behaviorally-based processes applicable to mind and body interventions or 2) be used to assist in optimizing the practice or increasing the efficacy of mind and body interventions The applications should: 1) lead to the development of new technologies, 2) adapt existing innovative technologies, devices and/or electronic systems, 3) repurpose existing devices and electronic systems, or 4) conduct testing of single or combined components of an integrated, long term, automated, wearable monitoring, stimulation device or electronic system in order to monitor or enhance the mechanistic processes or functional outcomes of mind and body interventions For the purposes of this FOA, mind and body interventions are defined as non-pharmacological approaches that include mind/brain focused interventions (e.g., meditation, hypnosis), body-based approaches (e.g., acupuncture, massage, spinal manipulation/mobilization), or combined mind and body meditative movement approaches (e.g., yoga, tai-chi, qigong).

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encourages exploratory /developmental research grant applications (R21) to investigate the fundamental science of mind and body approaches, including mind/brain-focused practices (e.g., meditation, hypnosis), body-based approaches (e.g., acupuncture, massage, spinal manipulation/mobilization), meditative exercise (e.g., yoga, tai chi, qi gong), art and music therapies, or integrative approaches combining several components. Studies of pharmacologic approaches exclusively are not included in the scope of this FOA.

This FOA invites applications that propose the comprehensive functional validation of newly identified therapeutic target candidates for Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (ADRDs). This FOA seeks to promote critical target validation approaches to help de-risk subsequent translational research and accelerate the advancement of novel therapies for ADRD. Target(s) or molecular pathway(s) to be considered for validation must have been already identified using tissue expression or genetic data generated in human samples. In its initial phase, this FOA provided support for up to two years (UG3 stage) for the development of customized technologies, models, and protocols to modulate the expression or activity of target candidate(s) in cells or tissues and monitor their functional biological consequences in in vitro or in vivo disease models. Upon demonstration of technical feasibilities, a second phase (UH3 stage) will carefully and reproducibly measure and cross-validate the impact of the target modulation in different modalities across collaborating laboratories using the NIH rigor and reproducibility guidelines. Applicants responding to this FOA must address objectives for both the UG3 and UH3 phases and are expected to have a substantial collaborative effort between independents laboratories. This FOA is not specific for any one or group within the ADRD spectrum of disorders. Disorders covered in these applications are frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), Lewy body dementias (LBD) (including dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)), Parkinson disease dementia (PDD), vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), mixed dementias including the associated diagnostic challenges of multiples etiology dementias (MED).

NineSigma, representing a major global manufacturer of laboratory testing equipment/reagents, seeks joint research partners for providing evidence on association between heavy metals present in trace amounts in the body and the development of dementia / neurodevelopmental syndromes.   Heavy metals present in the environment, especially mercury and lead, are ingested daily through food, etc. and accumulated in the body. Although it has been suggested that excessive accumulation may cause damage to the cardiovascular and cerebral nervous systems, the mechanism of disease onset has not been elucidated.

The Joseph B. Gittler Award is presented to a scholar whose body of work or whose individual work is judged to be a significant contribution to the philosophical foundations of Psychology. The amount of the award is $7,500. Self-nominations are welcome.

The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to stimulate clinical research focused on biobehavioral or technological interventions to attenuate cognitive decline in individuals with dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or disease- or age-related cognitive decline. There is particular interest in interventions that can be implemented in community settings by the affected individual, informal caregivers, or others in the community. Research to inform the development of such interventions is also of interest, as well as research examining underlying mechanisms and biomarkers associated with response to interventions. It is anticipated that the results of this research will help affected individuals maintain independence and quality of life, improve their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and additionally help to reduce stress, burden, and other poor outcomes in their caregivers.   

The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to stimulate clinical research focused on biobehavioral or technological interventions to attenuate cognitive decline in individuals with dementia (such as Alzheimers disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or disease- or age-related cognitive decline. There is particular interest in interventions that can be implemented in community settings by the affected individual, informal caregivers, or others in the community. Research to inform the development of such interventions is also of interest, as well as research examining underlying mechanisms and biomarkers associated with response to interventions. It is anticipated that the results of this research will help affected individuals maintain independence and quality of life, improve their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and additionally help to reduce stress, burden, and other poor outcomes in their caregivers.

This FOA is intended to encourage exploratory studies to : (1) increase our understanding of how music affects the brain, body, and behavior and (2) use that knowledge to develop evidence-based music interventions to enhance health or treat specific diseases and disorders. Proposed R21 projects can investigate how music is processed by or modifies the brain, or how it affects specific biological functions during childhood development and learning, adulthood, and aging. Projects can also include preliminary interventions that provide a basis for therapeutic interventions. When appropriate, collaborations among basic researchers, technology developers, music intervention experts, or other clinical researchers are highly encouraged.

The program is open to citizens of the United States and Japan as well as to nationals of other countries who can demonstrate strong and serious long-term affiliations with research communities in Japan or the United States. Applicants must hold a PhD or the terminal degree in their field, or have attained an equivalent level of professional experience at the time of application. Applications from researchers in professions other than academia are encouraged with the expectation that the product of the fellowship will contribute to the wider body of knowledge on the topic specified.

NCCIH is issuing this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) to highlight the urgent need for research on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV, also known as COVID-19). Topics of specific interest for this NOSI include research on stress management strategies, including mind and body approaches, that individuals may engage in remotely to address stressors related to social distancing, as well as to address recovery and recurrence of symptoms during and after COVID-19 infections.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage grant applications to support the addition of measures of psychological and/or behavioral constructs or weight-related variables (e.g.; BMI, body composition) to existing or new research studies in humans with the goal of elucidating behavioral or psychological phenotypes that explain individual variability in weight trajectory or response to obesity prevention or treatment interventions. The intent is to support the addition of new measurement in domains other than those covered in the parent grant as a means of elucidating the behavioral and psychological factors that may explain individual differences in weight status. For the purposes of this FOA, behavioral factors related to energy intake include overt actions/behavior (e.g.; objective observation of eating event including measures such as quantity, selection/quality, and speed of intake) and underlying psychological processes related to self-regulation of intake such as cognitive control, affective response, learning, and motivation. The rationale is that an improved understanding of the individual characteristics and processes that explain energy intake patterns can lead to better matching of individuals to prevention or treatment approaches and identify novel targets for more efficacious individual and population level approaches to weight management.

The NSF Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) in collaboration with AAAS will offer an Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources (IUSE: EHR) webinar focusing on opportunities for funding in the IUSE: EHR program, specifically associated with expectations of the new IUSE solicitation, NSF 19-601. An audio archive and slides will be posted after the webinar at https://aaas-iuse.org. The IUSE: EHR program "seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for all undergraduates." The program supports proposals interested in improving undergraduate education, developing faculty expertise, preparing K-12 teachers, and providing all undergraduate students with STEM competencies and a basic understanding of STEM concepts and principles. All projects must contribute to the body of knowledge about what works in undergraduate STEM education and the conditions that lead to improved STEM teaching and learning. 

The NSF Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) in collaboration with AAAS will offer an Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources (IUSE: EHR) webinar focusing on opportunities for funding in the IUSE: EHR program, specifically associated with the Institutional and Community Transformation (ICT) track of the IUSE program. An audio archive and slides will be posted after the webinar at https://aaas-iuse.org. The IUSE: EHR program "seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for all undergraduates." The program supports proposals interested in improving undergraduate education, developing faculty expertise, preparing K-12 teachers, and providing all undergraduate students with STEM competencies and a basic understanding of STEM concepts and principles. All projects must contribute to the body of knowledge about what works in undergraduate STEM education and the conditions that lead to improved STEM teaching and learning. The ICT track seeks to fund innovative work on systemic change that may be measured at the departmental, institutional, or multi-institutional level, or across communities of STEM educators and/or educational researchers. ICT projects are expected to include one or more theories of change to guide the proposed work and this webinar will provide information about expectations for Identifying and incorporating these theories of change.

July 16 | 3:00-4:30pm ET The IUSE: EHR program seeks to promote novel, creative, and transformative approaches to generating and using new knowledge about STEM teaching and learning to improve STEM education for all undergraduates. The program supports proposals interested in improving undergraduate education, developing faculty expertise, preparing K-12 teachers, and providing all undergraduate students with STEM competencies and a basic understanding of STEM concepts and principles. All projects must contribute to the body of knowledge about what works in undergraduate STEM education and the conditions that lead to improved STEM teaching and learning.

Our focus on reducing inequality grew out of our view that research can do more than help us understand the problem of inequality-it can generate effective responses. We believe that it is time to build stronger bodies of knowledge on how to reduce inequality in the United States and to move beyond the mounting research evidence about the scope, causes, and consequences of inequality. Toward this end, we seek studies that aim to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people. We prioritize studies about reducing inequality on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic standing, language minority status, or immigrant origins.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), utilizing the U24 grant funding mechanism, encourages applications for a collaborating Data Coordinating Center (DCC) application that accompanies an investigator-initiated multi-site clinical trial (Phase Ill and beyond) application submitted under PAR-18-117 (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18- 117.html}. The DCC application must be specific to the collaborating Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) application. The objective of the DCC application is to propose a comprehensive plan that provides overall project coordination, and administrative, data management, and biostatistical support for the proposed clinical trial. Both a DCC application and a corresponding CCC application need to be submitted simultaneously for consideration by NCCIH. Trials for which this FOA applies must be relevant to the research mission of the NCCIH and considered a high priority by the Center. For additional information about the mission, strategic vision, and research priorities of the NCCIH, applicants are encouraged to consult the NCCIH website: (http://www.nccih.nih.gov (http://www.nccih.nih.gov)).