Two NOFOs that fall under the umbrella of the BRAIN Understanding Circuits program are being re-issued with a new PEDP requirement.
The BRAIN Understanding Circuits program comprises notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) that broadly aim to support research into “Integrated and Quantitative Approaches to Understanding Circuits”. The two NOFOs emphasize the use of cutting-edge cellular, genetic and technological methods developed by the BRAIN Initiative to dissect circuit function in a diverse range of species. Additionally, applications submitted to this reissue require a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). Applications without this new component will be withdrawn prior to review. An investigator’s PEDP will be evaluated during peer review as part of scorable criteria and used to inform funding decisions. More information on the PEDP can be found here.
RFA-NS-22-026 Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects – Targeted BCPP (Re-issue of RFA-NS-21-014; R34)
This NOFO solicits applications designed to establish feasibility, validity, or other technical results that would lay the foundation for a potential subsequent Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects – TargetedBCP R01, as described in the companion NOFO below. Applications should include exploratory research projects that use methodologically integrated approaches to study the neural circuitry of cognition and behavior.
RFA-NS-22-027 Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects – TargetedBCP (Re-issue of RFA-NS-21-013; R01)
This NOFO supports projects that use innovative approaches to understand how neural circuit activity gives rise to cognition and behavior, as detailed above. Proposed experiments should address questions of fundamental neurobiology and identify, record, and/or manipulate neural circuits involved in behavior. The goal is to fund projects that can significantly advance our knowledge of circuit function within five years.
The application receipt dates for both NOFOs are July 1, 2022, and October 6, 2022. Visit the BRAIN Initiative’s Funding Opportunity webpage for more details on these and other awards. Also, be sure to check out the main BRAIN blog page here in case you missed previous posts on NOFOs for 2022.