This week, a series of daily blog posts highlight 28 new and reissued BRAIN Initiative notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) for 2021. Today’s post summarizes four award opportunities focused on developing, improving, and advancing our understanding of neural recording, modulation, and stimulation methods in animals and humans.
The first two NOFOs aim to enhance our knowledge of the brain by funding research to develop and apply tools for neural recording, modulation, and stimulation. The awards build upon one another but fund separate projects. Proposed projects should involve invasive and/ or non-invasive in vivo technologies useable in behaving animals (vertebrates and invertebrates), and eventually in humans. Applications should include plans to develop new large-scale recording methods, develop tools for circuit manipulation, and/ or link brain activity to behavior.
RFA-NS-18-020 New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Large-Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (Reissue of RFA-NS-17-003; R01)
This NOFO supports proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and approaches for large-scale neural recording and modulation. This award encourages applicants to creatively address major challenges in this area of research. Proposed projects are expected to be high-risk and can incorporate diverse types of signaling beyond neuronal electrical activity, and may use modalities such as optical, magnetic, acoustic, and genetic recording/ manipulation. Applications are due on May 4, 2021.
RFA-NS-18-019 Optimization of Transformative Technologies for Large Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (Reissue of RFA-NS-17-004; U01)
This NOFO aims to optimize existing and emerging technologies related to recording and modulating neural activity. Funding is intended for the iterative refinement of tools that have already gone through proof-of-concept testing (see RFA-NS-18-020). Projects can utilize various modalities for neural signal recording and modulation. This award can support hardware/ software development and the broad dissemination of tools into regular neuroscience practice. Applications are due on May 4, 2021.
Despite recent advances in neurotechnologies, we know little about how they affect the brain at a basic cellular or circuit level. The next NOFO funds research to study the biological effects of novel neural perturbation technologies, or invasive and non-invasive tools that stimulate, inhibit, or modulate neural activity.
RFA-NS-20-006 Biology and Biophysics of Neural Stimulation (Reissue of RFA-NS-18-018; R01)
This NOFO seeks to systematically characterize, model, and validate the membrane, cellular, circuit, and adaptive biological responses of neuronal and non-neuronal cells to neural perturbation. Proposed projects to advance our understanding of the biological and bioinformatic content of these signals are also encouraged. Funding can support experiments designed to characterize responses in several model systems, including in vitro, animals, and humans. Proposals to develop new technologies, therapies, and disease models are not applicable to this NOFO. Application due dates are February 2, June 1, and October 1, 2021.
BRAIN Initiative vision for tool development, optimization, and dissemination.
Many NOFOs in the BRAIN Initiative are now subject to a data sharing requirement (see notice NOT-MH-19-010). Please view related notices in each NOFO to see if an award falls under this policy.
Please visit the BRAIN Initiative’s Funding Opportunities webpage for more details on these and other awards. Did you miss earlier posts this week on FY2021 NOFOs? If so, check out the main BRAIN blog page here.