The Dana Foundation Program in Brain and Immuno-Imaging

WHAT:        Limited Submission Proposal for The Dana Foundation Program in Brain and Immuno-imaging. 

WHO:          Texas A&M University faculty, including TAES, TEES and TTI personnel, with an interest in brain research.   

WHY:          Track A awards may total between $100,000 and $200,000 for three years, while Track B awards may total up to $200,000 for three years. 

WHEN:        Internal proposal deadline of April 28, 2008. 

HOW:          Faculty should submit internal proposal via email for review by the internal selection committee.   

THE FINE PRINT:

The funding agency below has limited the number of proposals to one for Texas A&M University and one for the Health Science Center.  One proposal may be Track A and one may be Track B.  However, TAMU and HSC cannot each submit the same type of Track for a proposal.  If the number of faculty wishing to submit a proposal exceeds the number allowed by the agency, we will conduct an internal selection process. Below are due dates for the program, including the due date of the internal proposal for review by the internal selection committee, the date for announcement of the internal selection and the due date for submission to the agency.                                                       

AGENCY:  The Dana Foundation

AGENCY PROGRAM TITLE:  Brain and Immuno-imaging Program  

BRIEF PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:  The Dana Foundation Brain and Immuno-imaging Program focuses on improving human brain and immune system functioning in health and disease.  The study may involve human tissues or animal models.  The program is designed to enable investigators to obtain pilot data more quickly than is possible through other funding processes.  In addition, investigations must be applicable to human brain or brain-immune functioning or malfunctioning to be considered for funding.  Research that can be supported through clinical income should not be submitted.   

The program has two tracks, Track A and Track B.  Track A is for conventional systems imaging (anatomical imaging of white or gray matter and measures of physiological functioning) and should involve patient-oriented clinical research.  Track B is for the evolving field of cellular and molecular imaging of the biochemical actions of specific brain cells, or their interactions with immune cells in the nervous system, and should have direct clinical relevance. 

A priority of the program is to make support available to researchers early in their career, at the assistant professor level, or early in their associate professor career.  Post-doctoral fellows are not eligible.  Proposals from senior investigators generally will be considered only if they represent a new direction of research.   

Projects previously selected for funded have focused primarily on:  understanding normal brain functioning, how it is altered by disease or injury, and how it recovers or repairs; assessing and improving diagnostic and therapeutic approaches; and refining and advancing imaging technologies to address specific clinical questions.  Certain ideas are not appropriate for consideration:  ideas for which there is no preliminary data and instrument development without initial evidence of feasibility and clinical applicability.  Further, for all proposals that do not propose to undertake studies in humans, the direct relevance to human health and functioning needs to be explicitly stated. 

More information can be found here.      

AGENCIES ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT:  The Brain and Immuno-imaging Program is open only to U. S. medical schools and invited biomedical research institutions. 

AWARD INFORMATION:   Track A awards may total between $100,000 and $200,000 for three years, while Track B awards may total up to $200,000 for three years. 

ELIGIBLE PROJECT COSTS:   Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:  No indirect costs are allowed.  Up to 10% of the total grant award may be used to purchase equipment for the project.  The balance is to be used to meet direct research costs.  

COST SHARING:  NONE.     

Internal Selection Procedures and Deadlines

April 25, 2008:  Deadline for an email of intent, including the names of the PI and co-PIs, title of internal proposal and a 1-3 sentence description of the project.  Send email of intent.

April 28, 2008: Deadline to obtain signatures of approval from your department head, college dean and medical school dean, Dr. Christopher Colenda, and to submit an internal proposal to the Office of Sponsored Projects for review by the internal selection committee.  The internal proposal should include:

(1)     An executive summary, up to three pages, based on the proposal description as outlined in the Dana Foundation program announcement;

(2)     Summary budget;

(3)     Project and Management Plans (including team members);

The form for completing the internal proposal is here.

This completed form should be submitted electronically for review by the internal selection committee.

Please read the RFP carefully for specific requirements of the program here.     

Selection of a proposal will be based on Dana Foundation guidelines.  The needs of the university’s reinvestment plan will also be taken into account. 

During the selection process, the internal selection committee may contact departments and colleges for their opinions and comments.  They may also request additional information from PIs.

May 9, 2008: The Internal Selection Committee will notify PIs of the result of the internal competition.

May 20, 2008:  Dana Foundation deadline:  Preliminary Proposal

deadline (due by 12:00 p.m. EST). 

Applicants will be informed by Dana Foundation within twelve weeks about

whether they are being invited to prepare full proposals.  Selected grants will be

funded starting January 2009.