Notices of funding opportunities for 2023: Transformative projects and tools for cells and circuits

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Logo for The BRAIN Initiative Meeting: Open Science, New Tools

This week, we will highlight BRAIN Initiative notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) for fiscal year 2023. Today’s post features NOFOs for the three BRAIN Initiative transformative projects and tools for cells and circuits. 

Welcome to our annual NOFO week! Each day, we will summarize BRAIN funding opportunities for fiscal year 2023. Today we’re especially excited to highlight funding for tools to study specific cell types and circuits and three transformative projects--BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN), the BRAIN Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS) program, and the Armamentarium for Precision Brain Cell Access, which promise to transform neuroscience research, illuminating foundational principles governing the circuit basis of behavior and informing new approaches to the treatment of human brain disorders. 

BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) 

The goal of BICAN is to build reference brain cell atlases that will be widely used throughout the research community, providing a molecular and anatomical foundational framework for the study of brain function and disorders. 

RFA-MH-22-290 BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Comprehensive Center on Human and Non-human Primate Brain Cell Atlases (Reissue of RFA-MH-21-235; UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO funds large-scale Comprehensive Centers to expand the brain cell atlas and census research in humans to construct high-resolution, molecular and anatomical brain cellular atlases. Centers will establish advanced high-throughput imaging technology platforms and data pipelines for large-scale data production and optimize and streamline individual steps and processes. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due February 1, 2023

RFA-MH-22-291 BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Coordinating Unit for Biostatistics, Informatics, and Engagement (CUBIE) (Reissue of RFA-MH-21-237; U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports cooperative agreements to join the Coordinating Unit for Biostatistics, Informatics, and Engagement (CUBIE) to explore cloud-based common imaging data processing pipelines to uniformly process high-volume imaging-based brain cell atlas data. The purpose is to visualize, register, analyze, and integrate the cell atlas imaging data, and characterize molecular and anatomical phenotypes and features of brain cells. Please read the full NOFO for more information. Applications are due February 1, 2023

RFA-MH-22-292 BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Specialized Collaboratory on Human, Non-human Primate, and Mouse Brain Cell Atlases (Reissue of RFA-MH-21-239; R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports a group of Specialized Collaboratories that will complement the Comprehensive Centers in creating comprehensive and highly granular brain cell atlases in human, non-human primates, mouse, and other species in coordination and collaboration with other BICAN projects. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due October 24, 2023

BRAIN Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS) 

BRAIN CONNECTS is a BRAIN Initiative transformative project focused on developing the research capacity and technical capabilities to generate wiring diagrams that can span entire brains across multiple scales. The NOFOs below will support multiple approaches for imaging and reconstructing brain connectivity. 

RFA-NS-22-048 BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Comprehensive Centers for Mouse Brain (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO solicits applications for Comprehensive Centers to develop brain-wide coverage and comprehensive mapping of local and long-range cell-to-cell connectivity at the level of synaptic connections in mice. Applications must address the following five required research activity elements: (1) Sample Processing and Data Acquisition, (2) Data Processing and Management, (3) Integration and Dissemination, (4) Research Discovery, and (5) Feasibility Metrics and Milestones. Successful Centers will establish and scale complete pipelines from sample collection through data integration and dissemination, using state-of-the-art methods. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due June 13, 2023

RFA-NS-22-047 BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Comprehensive Centers for Human and Non-Human Primate Brain (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports Comprehensive Centers to develop brain-wide coverage and comprehensive mapping of region-to-region connectivity at the level of axonal projections in human and non-human primates. Applications must address the following five required research activity elements: (1) Sample Processing and Data Acquisition, (2) Data Processing and Management, (3) Integration and Dissemination, (4) Research Discovery, and (5) Feasibility Metrics and Milestones. Successful Centers will establish and scale complete pipelines from sample collection through data integration and dissemination, using state-of-the-art methods. Please read the full NOFO for more information. Applications are due June 13, 2023

RFA-NS-22-049 BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Specialized Projects for Scalable Technologies (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports Specialized Projects to develop technologies to generate comprehensive atlases of brain connectivity, with an emphasis on human, non-human primate, and mouse models. Applications may address any aspect of data collection, analysis, and dissemination. The proposed development should enable faster, more precise, and more cost-effective generation and interpretation of brain-wide wiring diagrams. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due June 13, 2023

Armamentarium for Precision Brain Cell Access 

The goal of the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium for Precision Brain Cell Access is to generate tools to specifically access, manipulate, and monitor brain cell types across multiple species. 

RFA-MH-21-180 Reagent Resources for Brain Cell Type-Specific Access and Manipulation to Broaden Distribution of Enabling Technologies for Neuroscience (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO funds applications to establish facilities at minority-serving institutions and Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible institutions for scaled production and distribution of brain cell type-specific access and manipulation reagents. Example reagents include viral vectors, nucleic acid constructs, and nanoparticles. Such reagents will enable neuroscientists to probe circuit function with high precision in experimental animals and ex vivo human tissue and cells.  Awardees will work with the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium to manufacture and distribute resources for use throughout the neuroscience community. Please read the full NOFO for more information. Applications are due October 24, 2023

RFA-MH-22-245 Engineering and Optimization of Molecular Technologies for Functional Dissection of Neural Circuits (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports the creation of Centers for accelerated engineering and optimization of high-impact, molecular technologies to monitor and manipulate brain cell activity in experimental animals. Each Center is expected to integrate: (1) sufficiently scaled molecular engineering, (2) in vivo validation of improvements seen in engineering assays in intact brains of experimental animals, (3) benchmarking throughout the technology development against existing best-in-class tools, and (4) adaptation of tools into easily produced and applied formats for neuroscience users. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due June 28, 2023

Tools for Cells and Circuits 

RFA-MH-21-175 Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (Reissue of RFA-MH-19-136; R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 

This NOFO supports research to develop and validate novel tools to facilitate the detailed analysis of complex circuits and provide insights into cellular interactions that underlie brain function. The new tools should inform or exploit cell-type or circuit-level specificity. Tools that can be used in several species/model organisms rather than those restricted to a single species are highly desired. Applications that provide approaches that break through existing technical barriers to substantially improve current capabilities are highly encouraged. Please view the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due June 7, 2023

RFA-MH-22-115 Development of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in Human and Non-Human Primate Brain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) 

This NOFO funds research to develop and validate novel tools to facilitate the detailed analysis and manipulation of complex circuits in humans and non-human primates and other mammalian brains (e.g., sheep, pig). This initiative is focused on developing tools that will enable anatomical mapping, activity monitoring, and functional manipulation of individual cells and defined groups of cells within neuronal circuits of the human brain. The tools sought through this NOFO can include novel genetic or non-genetic methods for targeted delivery of genes, proteins, and chemicals to specific cells or tightly defined cell types and circuits. Please read the full NOFO for more details. Applications are due June 7, 2023

As part of the NIH BRAIN Initiative’s efforts to promote more impactful science through the inclusion of diverse perspectives, these FOAS will require a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) as part of the application. 

Please visit the BRAIN Initiative’s Funding Opportunities webpage for more details on these and any additional opportunities that may arise. 

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