21st Century Cures Act - Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies

To provide extramural research support for the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative's aim of revolutionizing our understanding of the brain and its function in unprecedented detail. The NIH BRAIN Initiativ

The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative aims to accelerate the development and application of innovative neurotechnologies, enabling researchers to produce a new dynamic picture of the brain that reveals how individual cells and complex neural circuits interact in both time and space. It is expected that these advances will ultimately lead to new ways to treat and prevent brain disorders.

Interstate, Intrastate, State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated Indian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Sponsored organization, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other public institution/organization, U.S. Territories and possessions, U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Individual/Family, Minority group, Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans), Small business (less than 500 employees), Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other private institutions/organizations, State Research Grants: Any public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit institution is eligible to apply. For-profit institutions are not eligible for Institutional National Research Service Awards but are eligible for Individual NRSAs. All proposals are reviewed for scientific merit, for evaluation of the qualifications of the investigators, for adequacy of the research environment, and for significance of the problem. Approved proposals compete for available funds. All Career Development Program awardees, with the exception of awardees of the Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), must be citizens or have been admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Candidates must be nominated for the program by a nonfederal public or private nonprofit institution located in the United States, its possessions or territories. To be eligible, postdoctoral NRSA trainees or fellows must have a professional or scientific degree (M.D., Ph.D., D.D.S., D.O., D.V.M., Sc.D., D. Eng., or equivalent domestic or foreign degree). SBIR grants can be awarded only to domestic small businesses (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed, and have no more than 500 employees). Primary employment (more than one-half time) of the principal investigator must be with the small business at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. In both Phase I and Phase II, the entire research must be performed in the United States. To be eligible for funding, a grant application must be approved for scientific merit and program relevance by a scientific review group and a national advisory council. STTR grants can be awarded only to domestic small business concerns (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed and have no more than 500 employees) which "partner" with a research institution in cooperative research and development. At least 40 percent of the project is to be performed by the small business concern and at least 30 percent by the research institution. In both Phase I and Phase II, the research must be performed in the U.S. and its possessions. To be eligible for funding, a grant application must be approved for scientific merit and program relevance by a scientific review group and a national advisory council.

U.S. Territories, Small business, Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization, Quasi-public nonprofit organization, Other private institution/organization, Native American Organizations, Health Professional, Student/Trainee, Graduate Student, Scientist/Researchers, State, U.S. Citizen, Local, Public nonprofit institution/organization, Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Health professionals, graduate students, health professional students, scientists, and researchers.

Health/Medical, Higher Education (includes Research), Science and Technology, Training Research grants and cooperative agreements may be used to provide salaries, equipment, supplies, travel and other expenses for research. The grantee institution is obliged to expend grant funds prudently for the purposes stated in the application and award document. Cooperative Agreements support single or a group of related research activities with greater involvement of federal staff. National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) are made directly to individuals for research training in specified biomedical shortage areas, or to institutions, to enable them to make NRSAs to individuals selected by them. Each individual who receives a NRSA may be obligated upon termination of the award to comply with service and payback provisions. SBIR and STTR grants are awarded in two stages: Phase I grants are awarded to establish the technical merit and feasibility of a proposed research and development effort; only Phase I awardees are eligible to receive Phase II support.

Research grant awards are typically made for a 12-month period with recommendation of up to 4 years of additional support. Career Program awards provide support for 3 to 5 years. Training Program awards are usually for a 12-month period with recommendation of additional support of up to a total of 5 years for predoctoral training and no more than 3 years for postdoctoral training. SBIR: Normally, Phase I awards are for 6 months; normally, Phase II awards are for 2 years. STTR: Normally, Phase I awards are for 1 year; normally, Phase II awards are for 2 years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly

Preapplication coordination is required.

The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of: (1) the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; (2) the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; (3) the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; (4) the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; (5) the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and (6) the relevance and importance to announced program objectives. The following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: (1) the soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; (2) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (3) the technological innovation of the proposed research; (4) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (5) the appropriateness of the budget requested; (6) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and (7) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. Phase II grant applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) the degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; (3) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (4) the technological innovation, originality, or societal importance of the proposed research; (5) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (6) the reasonableness of the budget requested for the work proposed; (7) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and 8) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment.

Research Grants, Training, Fellowship, SBIR/STTR and Cooperative Agreements are funded based on scientific merit, program relevance, and program balance and are made annually. The initial grant award provides funds for the first budget period (usually 12 months) and letter Notice of Award indicates support recommended for the remainder of the project period, allocation of Federal funds by budget categories and special conditions, if any. Approved applications will compete on a merit basis for available funds. Formal award notices are transmitted to the grantee or awardee.

Research Grants, Career Program, SBIR/STTR applications: Approximately 10 months

By application and review in same manner as new applications. Applicants should consult the specific NOFO to determine if a particular grant is renewable.

A principal investigator may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH home page www.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html