The Emory NeuroNetworks Initiative (NNI): Seed Funding
Deadline: June 15, 2024
5 pm
Amount: These awards will be made in two phases.
• A planning phase supported by $25,000 in funds. During this planning phase, the scientific team will develop an abbreviated NIH R21-style proposal with concrete aims and deliverables to be reviewed by the oversight group to be considered for Pilot phase
funding. Funding for the planning phase does not guarantee funding for the pilot phase. Specific instructions for the Pilot Phase proposals will accompany award notifications for the planning phase
LOIs.
• A pilot phase supported by up to $100,000 in funds is designed to enable the generation of key data, reagents, and other resources that will then catalyze the submission of programmatic grants to
extramural agencies.
Purpose
The Emory NeuroNetworks Initiative (NNI) will provide seed funding to increase the number of extramurally funded cross-disciplinary neuroscience-related grants to Emory investigators. This funding will stimulate transformative translational research in the neurosciences. These funds will support grant planning and collection of key preliminary data and are intentionally focused on supporting cross-departmental, translational, multi-scale, multi-PI research.
A standard R01 is not the goal of these applications. Rather, more programmatic grants such as MPI R01s, P, and U grants. Although a main target will be NIH funding, other initiatives that target DOD, ARPA-H, or equivalent (e.g., >$750K total funds/yr.) are responsive. Multiple entities at Emory have committed to supporting the NNI. Dr. Todd Golde, working closely with Dr Guido Silvestri, will oversee these funds' competition, award, and distribution. An oversight committee composed of individuals from each entity who financially supported this initiative will work with Drs. Golde and Silvestri to award and steward these funds.
Responsive applications to this internal funding mechanism will meet the following criteria.
• Have at least 3 PIs from at least 2 Departments. We encourage the team to be composed of investigators that include a mix of career stages. However, as this initiative is designed to support programmatic activities, there needs to be evidence that one of the PIs can serve as a programmatic grant leader.
• Outline transformative high-impact, long-term, objectives.
• Clearly delineate milestones for an initial planning phase and then a strategy for seeking extramural funding in phase 2.
• Timeline for all activities. We encourage Investigators to consider the following when competing for these funds.
• How do the proposed studies build bridges between departments especially basic and clinical?
• Do they leverage unique core infrastructure at Emory (e.g., Primate Facility, Various Omic Cores, Imaging, Cyclotron, Therapeutic Discovery Initiatives, Pediatrics Cores)?
• How is the research proposed transformative?
Neuroconnections Town Hall Meeting
Topic: NeuroNetworks Initiative
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
5:00-6:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
HSRB2, room N600
or
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98800276019?pwd=NTNJZzNkY1RjUk5KdVpCWnhNMGE1Zz09
Meeting ID: 988 0027 6019
Passcode: 743541
LOI format for phase 1 studies 2 pages maximum. 11-point Font, Narrow margins.
I. Title
II. PI team (list all PIs, identify contact PI, along with departmental and school affiliations)
• Provide Biosketches for all PIs as a separate single pdf attachment.
• All PIs must hold a faculty position at Emory.
• Investigators that are part of the oversight committee are not eligible to seek funds through this mechanism.
III. Transformative Science Statement (do not exceed 300 words)
• What is the objective of the study? What critical gap in knowledge will this study try to address? Why is the team uniquely positioned to carry out these studies at Emory. An additional graphical abstract is welcome (and will not count against page limit).
IV. Draft Aims (please Provide an Aim for the planning phase and Draft Aims for the Pilot Phase) (do not exceed 250 words).
V. How do the proposed studies build connections across units at Emory? Do they utilize unique resources at Emory (cores, data, etc)? (do not exceed 300 words)
VI. How will the 25K planning phase funds be used (do not exceed 200 words)? VII. Provide Milestones with timelines for Planning Phase activities and Draft Milestones for Pilot Phase Activities. Include in these milestones the target funding agency and if available or known a specific funding opportunity RFA or PAR. For grants that require permission to submit (e.g., many PO1s), a milestone outlining the timing for discussion/communication with program officer(s) at a funding agency is strongly encouraged. VI. Financial Contact Name and Department. Out intent is to create a single speed type for the fund distribution, but we will need a primary departmental administrative point of contact
More Info: https://zoom.us/j/98800276019?pwd=NTNJZzNkY1RjUk5KdVpCWnhNMGE1Zz09