From Research at med.fsu.edu Mon Nov 25 08:00:15 2019 From: Research at med.fsu.edu (Med Research) Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2019 13:00:15 +0000 Subject: Weekly Funding Opportunities Message-ID: <60E19361B71BE04F835C1FB3C18361BE0190457411@FSUCOM128.med.ad.fsu.edu> NSF: Understanding the Rules of Life: Epigenetics The purpose of the Understanding the Rules of Life: Epigenetics (URoL:Epigenetics) program is to enable innovative research and to promote multidisciplinary education and workforce training in the broad area of epigenetics. The URoL:Epigenetics program is a wide collaboration across Directorates/Offices within the National Science Foundation with a focus on understanding the relationship between epigenetic mechanisms associated with environmental change, organismal phenotype, and resultant robustness and adaptability of organisms and populations. Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype is one of NSF?s 10 Big Ideas and is focused on predicting the set of observable characteristics (phenotype) from the genetic makeup of the individual and the nature of its environment. The development of new research tools has revolutionized our ability to manipulate and investigate the genome and to measure multiple aspects of biological, physical, and social environments. The opportunity now is to assimilate this new information into causal, mechanistic, and/or predictive relationships among the genomic and epigenetic makeup, the environmental experience, and the phenotypic characteristics of biological systems. These relationships are the basis for the Rules of Life ? the theoretical constructs that explain and predict the characteristics of living systems, from molecular and sub-cellular components, to cells, whole organisms, communities and biomes. The recognition that heritable phenotypic properties can occur without modification of an organism?s genome sequence is changing the understanding of the way heritable traits come about and manifest themselves as observable phenotypes within a particular static or changing environmental context. The impact of epigenetic inheritance occurs at the molecular, cellular, and organismal scales, and may have profound consequences for the higher-order organization of living systems, including populations, communities, and ecosystems. Successful projects of the URoL:Epigenetics Program are expected to use complementary, interdisciplinary approaches to investigate how epigenetic phenomena lead to emergent properties that explain the fundamental behavior of living systems. Ultimately, successful projects should identify general principles ("rules") that underlie biological phenomena within or across scales of size, complexity (e.g., molecular, cellular, organismal, population) and time (from sub-second to geologic) in taxa from anywhere within the tree of life, including humans. URoL:Epigenetics projects must integrate perspectives and research approaches from more than one research discipline (e.g., biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics, physics, social and behavioral sciences). The interdisciplinary scope of URoL:Epigenetics projects also provides unique training and outreach possibilities to train the next generation of scientists in a diversity of approaches and to engage society more generally. The URoL:Epigenetics Program offers two submission tracks: Track 1 - for projects with a total budget of up to $500,000 and an award duration of up to 3 years, and Track 2 - for projects with a total budget of up to $3,000,000 and award duration of up to 5 years. Required letter of intent due December 20, 2019; proposal due February 6, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: December 9, 2019 / January 27, 2020. Elsa U. Pardee Foundation: Cancer Research Grants The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation funds research to investigators in United States non-profit institutions proposing research directed toward identifying new treatments or cures for cancer. The Foundation particularly encourages grant applications for a one year period which will allow establishment of capabilities of new cancer researchers, or new cancer approaches by established cancer researchers. It is anticipated that this early stage funding by the Foundation may lead to subsequent and expanded support using government agency funding. Project relevance to cancer detection, treatment, or cure should be clearly identified. By design, there are no limits set on the grant amount that can be requested. It must be reasonably and clearly supported by the scope of the project outlined in the application. Due December 31, 2019, April 30, 2020, August 31, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents for December 31 deadline: December 9, 2019 (accounting for holiday closure.) Aligning Science Across Parkinson?s: Collaborative Research Network Aligning Science Across Parkinson?s (ASAP) requests applications from multidisciplinary research teams interested in forming and participating in the ASAP Collaborative Research Network. Through the network, ASAP seeks to fund research projects that address key knowledge gaps in the basic mechanisms that contribute to Parkinson?s development and progression. Proposals must focus on one of the following scientific themes: biology of PD-associated genetics, and neuro-immune interactions. Through the RFA, up to $9 million over three years will be awarded to teams selected to participate in the network. Applications must be submitted by multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research teams consisting of three to five investigators. Teams may be from the U.S. or international in nature, and can include public and private nonprofit groups, agencies of the U.S. federal government, and for-profit entities. Pre-proposals due January 8, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. DKMS Foundation: John Hansen Research Grant -- Study of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapies in Hematologic Malignancies DKMS, the world?s largest bone marrow donor center, invites young researchers to apply for one of the four scholarships awarded by the DKMS Foundation for Giving Life through its John Hansen Research Grant program. Each of the four recipients of a Hansen grant will receive approximately $266,000 over a period of three years. The research should be in the field of stem cell therapy and have the goal of sustainably and effectively supporting and advancing the fight against blood cancer. Various aspects may be covered, including but not restricted to transplant immunology, stem cell donation, cell manufacturing, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Applicants must have a doctoral degree that was awarded within the past eight years. Due January 8, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. Multiple Sclerosis Society: Pilot Research on Effects of Aging on MS Through this RFA, the organization seeks to advance understanding of how aging contributes to the pathogenesis and natural history of MS progression and to use that knowledge to reveal potential targets and develop strategies that slow down or stop disability progression. To that end, grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to innovative, cutting-edge ideas or untested methods aimed at understanding the impact of aging on MS and to gather enough preliminary data to apply for longer-term funding. Areas of focus for this program include but are not limited to approaches directed at removing barriers to OPC maturation so as to improve remyelination and/or neuroprotection (including stimulation of endogenous repair and cell-based approaches); therapeutic regulation of senescence to enhance regenerative capacity of neural progenitor cells; determining the impact of senescence on microglial/macrophage functions such as clearance of myelin debris; evaluating T and B cell senescence and its contribution to the transition of MS from an inflammatory to a neurodegenerative condition; assessing astrocyte-endothelial integrity and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier; determining the contribution of senescent neurons/glial cells to neurodegenerative processes that lead to brain atrophy and disability progression; and understanding mechanisms whereby juvenile MS patients experience secondary progressive MS sooner than adult patients. Pre-applications due January 8, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. Johnson & Johnson: Diversity in Innovation QuickFire Challenge Grants Johnson & Johnson invites applications for its Diversity in Innovation QuickFire Challenge. Through the program, grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to multicultural innovator(s), including black/ African American, Hispanic/ Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native, with the best idea, technology, or solution aimed at improving human healthcare. In addition to funding, awardees will be given access to the global JLABS network and mentorship from experts at the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. While innovations in all aspects of healthcare are encouraged, J&J is particularly interested in the pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare, health technology, medical device, and cross-sectoral initiatives. Due January 9, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. William T. Grant Foundation: Research Grants We fund research that increases understanding in one of our two focus areas: * programs, policies, and practices that reduce inequality in youth outcomes, and * strategies to improve the use of research evidence in ways that benefit youth. The Reducing Inequality program supports high-quality field-initiated studies from a range of disciplines and methodologies that are relevant to policies and practices that affect the lives of young people between the ages of 5 and 25 in the United States. Through the program, grants of up to $600,000 over a period of up to three years will be awarded in support of major research designed to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices with the potential to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people. Descriptive studies that clarify mechanisms for reducing inequality or elucidate how or why a specific program, policy, or practice operates to reduce inequality are welcomed. The foundation prioritizes studies about reducing inequality on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic standing, language, minority status, or immigrant origin. It also welcomes studies from a range of disciplines, fields, and methodologies and encourages investigations into various systems, including justice, housing, child welfare, mental health, and education. Competitive proposals often incorporate data from multiple sources and often involve multidisciplinary teams. In addition to financial support, grantees receive significant time and capacity-building resources from the foundation. Projects led by African American, Latinx, Native American, and Asian Pacific American researchers are encouraged. The Improving the Use of Research Evidence program supports high-quality field-initiated studies that identify, build, and test strategies to enhance the use of research evidence in ways that benefit youth (ages 5 to 25 in the US). We are particularly interested in research on improving the use of research evidence by state and local decision makers, mid-level managers, and intermediaries. Some investigators will focus on the strategies, relationships, and other supports needed for policy and practice organizations to use research more routinely and constructively. Others may investigate structures and incentives within the research community to encourage deep engagement with decision makers. Still other researchers may examine activities that help findings inform policy ideas, shape practice responses, and improve systems. Letters of inquiry to either program due January 9, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI): Research Award Grants awarded through this RFA are intended to provide support for the investigation of key unresolved research questions in autism, particularly those that connect etiology to brain function and behavior. SFARI welcomes risk and novelty in Research Award proposals, but potential impact on the autism research field will be the most important criterion. Competitive applications will have preliminary data or other relevant groundwork that justifies substantial investment on the proposed topic. The maximum budget is $1,300,000, including indirect costs, over a period of up to four years. Due January 10, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 2, 2020. Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Theory and Mechanisms (URoL:MTM) Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype is one of NSF's 10 big ideas (https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/) and is focused on predicting the set of observable characteristics (phenotypes) based on the genetic makeup of the individual and the nature of its environment. The Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Theory and Mechanisms (URoL:MTM) program is an integrative collaboration across Directorates and Offices within the National Science Foundation. The objective of URoL:MTM is to understand and establish the theory and mechanisms that govern the structure and function of microbiomes, a collection of microbes in a specific habitat/environment. This may include but is not limited to host-associated microbiomes, such as those with humans and other organisms, where i) the microbiome impacts host physiology, behavior, development, and fitness; ii) the host influences the metabolic activity, dynamics and evolution of the microbiome, and iii) the environment (biological, chemical, physical, and social) influences and is influenced by both the host and the microbiome. Recent progress has transformed our ability to identify and catalogue the microbes present in a given environment and measure multiple aspects of biological, chemical, physical, and social environments that affect the interactions among the members of the microbiome, the host, and/or habitat. Much descriptive and correlative work has been performed on many microbiome systems, particularly those in the human, soil, aquatic, and built environments. This research has resulted in new hypotheses about the microbiome's contributions to potential system function or dysfunction. The current challenge is to integrate the wide range of accumulated data and information and build on them to develop new causal/mechanistic models or theories of interactions and interdependencies across scales and systems. Elucidating these relationships informs our understanding of the Rules of Life ? the theoretical constructs and models that explain and predict the characteristics of living systems, spanning from molecular and sub-cellular components, to cells, whole organisms, communities, and biomes. The URoL:MTM program invites integrated, interdisciplinary proposals that develop theoretical predictive frameworks with well-designed experimental and/or computational approaches to generate and test hypotheses about the causal relationships within the microbiome, and among the microbiome, host, and environment. How these relationships affect robustness, resilience, and adaptability of individual organisms, populations, and communities are also of interest. Projects may apply existing ecological and evolutionary theory or develop new experimental, computational, or mathematical tools, models, and theory to: i) explain function and interactions in natural, experimental, and model microbiomes; ii) elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie communication between the host and the microbiome and among the members of the microbiome; and/or iii) comparatively analyze microbiomes to discover emergent properties that provide insight into the behavior of living systems. Successful projects will contribute to a portfolio of research that identifies general principles ("rules") that underlie a wide spectrum of biological phenomena across spatial, temporal (from sub-second to geologic), and/or complexity (molecular, cellular, organismal, population) scales. URoL:MTM projects must integrate perspectives and research approaches from more than one research discipline (e.g., biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geosciences, mathematics, physics, social and behavioral sciences). They must also incorporate best practices regarding protocol documentation, sample selection, data collection and analysis, model/algorithm development, as well as data sharing and accessibility. The interdisciplinary scope of URoL:MTM projects should provide unique training and outreach opportunities to train the next generation of scientists in a diversity of scientific approaches and to engage society more generally. URoL:MTM supports basic science research projects of different scales and scope. The URoL:MTM Program offers two submission tracks: Track 1 for projects with a total budget of up to $500,000 and an award duration of up to 3 years and Track 2 for projects with a total budget of up to $3,000,000 and award duration of up to 5 years. Required letter of intent due January 17, 2020; proposals due March 2, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 6 / February 18, 2020. American Heart Association: Transformational Project Award Purpose * To support highly innovative, high-impact projects that build on work in progress that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research. * Research deemed innovative may be built around an emerging paradigm, approaching an existing problem from a new perspective, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities. * Successful applications are likely to be those building on strong preliminary data supportive of the hypothesis. * This program aims to provide funding that should lead to successful competition for additional funding beyond the award period. The principal investigator (PI) is responsible for clearly and explicitly articulating the project?s innovation and the potential impact on cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research. Science Focus The AHA funds basic, clinical, behavioral, translational and population research, bioengineering/biotechnology and public health problems broadly related to fulfilling our mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Annual Award Amount: $100,000, including 10% IDC. Award Duration: Three years. Total Award Amount: $300,000 Due January 22, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: January 13, 2020. Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI): Addressing Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interaction The vision of the HABRI is for the human-animal bond to be universally embraced as an essential element of human wellness. To that end, HABRI works to establish the vital role of companion animals in the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. HABRI is calling for research proposals to investigate the health outcomes of pet ownership and/or animal-assisted activity or therapy, both for the people and the animals involved. Proposals should have a strong theoretical framework and focus on innovative approaches to studying the health effects of companion animals on humans within the following broad categories: * Child Health and Development * Healthy Aging * Mental & Physical Health and Wellness In an effort to help address larger societal challenges, proposals that have potential to impact current public health crises or issues at the forefront of public concern are welcomed. Topics include (but are not limited to) social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention, addiction, trauma and/or post-traumatic stress, obesity and heart health. Due February 13, 2020. Med-RA deadline to receive draft documents: February 3, 2020. To search for additional funding opportunities, please visit CoM?s unofficial funding opportunities blog. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: