A recently issued Notice (NOT-MH-21-155) increases the available funds and anticipated number of awards for the notice of funding opportunity BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Scalable Technologies and Tools for Brain Cell Census (RFA-MH-21-140).
As we announced earlier, Congress recently authorized an increase in appropriated funds to the NIH BRAIN Initiative in 2021 compared to 2020. This includes $40M for The Human Brain Cell Atlas, one of the transformative projects outlined in BRAIN 2.0: From Cells to Circuits, Toward Cures(pdf, 851 KB). With these funds now available, NIH has released a Notice (NOT-MH-21-155) increasing the available funds and anticipated number of awards for RFA-MH-21-140 (BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Scalable Technologies and Tools for Brain Cell Census (R01)). BRAIN intends to commit an estimated total of $12M per year to fund 6-10 awards.
This notice of funding opportunity aims to accelerate the integration and use of scalable technologies and tools to enhance brain cell census research. Funding can support the development of technology platforms and/ or resources that will enable a quick and comprehensive survey of brain cell types and circuits. Tools and technologies of interest can fit into the following themes: molecular profiling, cell morphology, neuron connectivity/ intercellular communication, cell lineage and/ or development.
In particular, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals aiming to set the stage and build capacity for the launch of The Human Brain Cell Atlas, in the context of creating comprehensive, anatomically informed, highly granular cell atlases of the whole human brain.
The application receipt date is March 10, 2021.