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This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits applications for planning and initial development of a large scale multi-site research study to prospectively examine human brain, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional development beginning prenatally through childhood (e.g., age 9-10), and the long-term impacts of pre/postnatal drug (expected oversampling for opioid prenatal exposures) and adverse environmental exposures on brain and behavioral health and risk for substance use and mental disorders. In addition to planning and testing the feasibility of study designs, awardees will be expected to participate in 2-3 grantee meetings to share lessons learned and to begin to form collaborations needed to establish the network of sites that will conduct this study.  

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is collecting data on health and mental health, cognitive function, substance use, cultural and environmental factors, and brain structure and function from youth starting when they are 9-10 years-old repeatedly for 10 years and makes that data available to the scientific community through the NIMH Data Archive. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage applications proposing the analysis of this public use dataset to increase knowledge of adolescent health and development. More information about the ABCD Study may be found on the ABCD Study web page (www.abcdstudy.org).

The NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS) award is intended to support the research and research career advancement of outstanding, exceptionally productive scientists who are in the early, formative stages of their careers and who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research in specific mission areas of the NIMH. This award seeks to assist these individuals in launching an innovative clinical, translational, basic, or services research program that holds the potential to profoundly transform the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of mental disorders. The NIMH BRAINS program will focus on the research priorities and gap areas identified in the NIMH Strategic Plan.

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.

"This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages research on the biology of high confidence risk factors associated with complex brain disorders, with a focus on the intracellular, transcellular and circuit substrates of neural function. For the purposes of this FOA, the term "complex" can refer to a multifactorial contribution to risk (e.g., polygenic and/or environmental) and/or highly distributed functional features of the brain disorder. Studies may be either hypothesis-generating (unbiased discovery) or hypothesis-testing in design and may utilize in vivo, in situ, or in vitro experimental paradigms, e.g., model organisms or human cell-based assays. While behavioral paradigms and outcome measures can be incorporated into the research design to facilitate the characterization of intracellular, transcellular and circuit mechanisms, these are neither required nor expected. Studies should not attempt to "model" disorders but instead should aim to elucidate the neurobiological impact of individual or combined risk factor(s), such as the affected molecular and cellular components and their relationships within defined biological process(es). This can include the fundamental biology of these factors, components and processes. The resulting paradigms, component pathways and biological processes should be disseminated with sufficient detail to enrich common and/or federated data resources (e.g., those contributing to the Gene Ontology, Synaptic Gene Ontology, FAIR Data Informatics) in order to bridge the gap between disease risk factors, biological mechanism and therapeutic target identification. The present announcement (R21 activity code) can be used for applications to develop early stage, high-risk, exploratory approaches or establish proof-of-concept where there is little or no preliminary data."

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 R21 applications is intended to encourage exploratory and developmental research projects by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of these projects. These studies may involve considerable risk but may lead to a breakthrough in a particular area, or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that could have a major impact.

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.

The McGovern Institute for Brain Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was established in 2000 by Patrick J. McGovern and Lore Harp McGovern, with the goal of improving human welfare, communication, and understanding through their support for neuroscience research. The institute has announced a call for nominations for its twelfth annual Edward M. Scolnick Prize in Neuroscience. Now in its fifteenth year, the Scolnick Prize is designed to recognize outstanding advances in the field of neuroscience. The prize, which is endowed through a gift from Merck to the McGovern Institute, consists of a $150,000 award, plus an inscribed gift. In addition, the recipient will present a public lecture at the McGovern Institute in spring 2018. A gala dinner for the recipient and invited guests follows the prize lecture. Candidates for the award must be nominated by individuals affiliated with universities, hospitals, medicals schools, or research institutes, with a background in neuroscience. Self-nomination is not permitted.

The Autism Science Foundation is inviting applications for its Pre- and Postdoctoral Training Awards from graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral fellows interested in pursuing careers in basic and clinical research relevant to autism spectrum disorders. The proposed training must be scientifically linked to autism and may be broadened to include training in a closely related area of scientific research, including but not limited to human behavior across the lifespan (language, learning, behavior, communication, social function, motor skills & planning, epilepsy, sleep, repetitive disorders), neurobiology (anatomy, development, neuroimaging), pharmacology, neuropathology, genetics, epigenetics, genomics, epigenomics, immunology, molecular and cellular mechanisms, studies employing model organisms and systems, and studies of treatment and service delivery. Special consideration will be given to projects focused on gender issues in autism. This includes studies examining the female protective effect, neurobiological and neuroanatomical examination of the female autism brain, diagnostic differences and challenges in females, the female phenotype, and health and lifespan issues, including vocational services and employment. ASF also invites studies focused on unaffected siblings and recurrence risk in the offspring of unaffected siblings. ASF is also interested in supporting research on the neurobiology and molecular biology of autism using post-mortem brain tissue. The one-year awards include $25,000 for predoctoral and medical students and $35,000 for postdoctoral students.

Applications to the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program (PH/TBIRP) in the area of Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism are being solicited for the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate, by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, Section 2358 (10 USC 2358). As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD[HA]), the DHA manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) provides PH/TBIRP execution management support aligned with specific DHP research program areas. The execution management agent for this Program Announcement is the CDMRP, with strategic oversight from the DHA. The PH/TBIRP was established by Congress in FY07 in response to the devastating impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health (PH) issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, on our deployed Service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. The PH/TBIRP mission is to establish, fund, and integrate both individual and multi-agency research efforts that will lead to improved prevention, detection, and treatment of PH issues and TBI. The vision of the PH/TBIRP is to prevent, mitigate, and treat the effects of traumatic stress and TBI on function, wellness, and overall quality of life for Service members as well as their caregivers and families. The DHA leverages PH/TBIRP funding to complement DHP core research and development funding assigned to study PH and TBI.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support investigators who have interest and capability to join efforts for the discovery of in vivo chemical probes for novel brain targets. It is expected that applicants will have, in hand, the starting compounds ("validated hits") for chemical optimization and bioassays for testing new analog compounds. Through this FOA, NIH wishes to stimulate research in 1) discovery and development of novel, small molecules for their potential use in understanding biological processes relevant to the missions of NIMH, NIDA, NEI, and/or NIA and 2) discovery and/or validation of novel, biological targets that will inform studies of brain disease mechanisms. Emphasis will be placed on projects that provide new insight into important disease-related biological targets and biological processes. The main emphasis of projects submitted under this FOA should be the discovery of in vivo chemical probes. Applicants interested in developing cell-based chemical probes may wish to apply using the companion R21 mechanism, (PAR-21-028).

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation recognizes outstanding research leadership and contributions to mental health research with a number of annual prizes.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages research grant applications directed toward developing next-generation human cell-derived microphysiological systems (MPS) with improved fidelity to complex human brain, spinal, peripheral nervous system and/or sensory end organ circuit physiology in vivo, which will ultimately facilitate analysis of higher order functional deficits relevant to complex nervous system disorders.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages research grant applications directed toward developing next-generation human cell-derived microphysiological systems (MPS) with improved fidelity to complex human brain, spinal, peripheral nervous system and/or sensory end organ circuit physiology in vivo, which will ultimately facilitate analysis of higher order functional deficits relevant to complex nervous system disorders.

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 Collaborative Research on Addiction at the NIH (CRAN) - composed of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and - along with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) intend to jointly fund the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study Consortium using the cooperative agreement award mechanism.  The objective of the consortium is to establish a national, multisite, longitudinal cohort study to prospectively examine the neurodevelopmental and behavioral effects of substance use from early adolescence (approximately age 9-10) through the period of risk for substance use and substance use disorders.

The FY18 PH/TBIRP CTRR-CTA is intended to support clinical trials focused on TBI cognitive rehabilitation interventions. The award mechanism supports small, Phase I clinical trials to advance the development of knowledge and materiel products for rehabilitation and restoration of function following TBI in Service members, Veterans, and other individuals.

The FY18 PH/TBIRP CTRR-CRA is intended to support clinical research focused on understanding the clinical sequelae and mechanisms of recovery associated with TBI and TBI rehabilitation interventions. The overarching goals of this award are to address TBI-related impairments and deficits, including multimodal, and cognitive dysfunction to (1) develop and validate rehabilitation outcome measures; (2) systematically analyze standard of care cognitive interventions to identify optimal treatment ingredients; and (3) improve clinician-driven assessment strategies to guide return-to-duty decision making.

The FY18 PH/TBIRP CTRR-CTDA mechanism is being offered for the first time in FY18 and is intended to support the development of clinical trials focused on TBI rehabilitation interventions in the FY18 PH/TBIRP CTRR-CTDA focus areas described in II.A.1. Development of clinical trials focusing on rehabilitation strategies in patients with mild TBI is highly encouraged. The proposed research must be relevant to active duty Service members, Veterans, and their beneficiaries. It is expected that any research findings will also provide benefit to the general population. The PH/TBIRP CTRR-CTDA mechanism supports the design and development of the research resources necessary to serve as a foundation for investigator-initiated clinical trials under future PH/TBIRP CTRR-Clinical Trial Award with the potential to develop knowledge and material products for rehabilitation and restoration of function following TBI. Principal Investigators (PIs) should explain how the proposed future clinical trial will inform the development, refinement, and/or revision of existing standards of care, clinical recommendations, or guidelines.

NIDA and the following NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), NIAAA, NICHD, NIMH, NIMHD, NINDS, OBSSR, and NCI intend to publish a Collaborative Research on Addiction at NIH (CRAN) funding opportunity announcement to solicit applications for research project sites in service of a nationwide, multisite, multi-modal, longitudinal cohort study to prospectively examine brain and behavioral development from late childhood (approximately age 9-10) through adolescence into early adulthood. Current primary awardees will be eligible to apply and this new award period will be extended to 7 years in duration.