Brain Research Foundation
Scientific Innovations Award

Limited $150K funding opportunity for full-time Stanford Professors and Associate Professors with PI eligibility (UTL and UML appointments). Studies should be related to either normal human brain development or specifically identified disease states. This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning in health and disease. A university-wide internal selection process is required.

Internal Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute deadline: May 22, 2023 (see internal submission guidelines below)
Applicant notified by Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute: June 7, 2023
For applicant selected (LOI submission must include an institutional signature to verify nomination):
Applicant submits LOI to RPM/RMG or CGO/OSR for brief nomination letter preparation: June 15, 2023
Sponsor's letter of intent and brief nomination letter deadline: Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. CT
Sponsor's full application deadline (by invitation only): Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. CT

Scientific Innovations Award

A PDF file of the guidelines may be downloaded here.

Each total award is limited to $150,000 (direct costs) for a two year grant period. Indirect costs are not permitted.

• Full-time Stanford Professors or Associate Professors with PI eligibility (UTL and UML appointments) working in the area of studies of brain function in health and disease.
• Current major NIH or other peer-reviewed funding is preferred but evidence of such funding in the past three years is essential. 
• Studies should be related to either normal human brain development or specifically identified disease states. This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning in health and disease.
• The grant proposal must detail a new research project that is not funded by other sources.
• This grant is not to be used as bridge funding.
• Only one PI may apply per application.
• Scientists that have previously received a BRF Scientific Innovations Award may not receive the award for a second time until five years has elapsed since the beginning date of the prior award.

The objective of the SIA is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings. It is expected that investigations supported by these grants will yield high impact findings and result in major grant applications and significant publications in high impact journals.

Funding Preferences: 

• Funding is to be directed at projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings. This should be a unique project for senior investigators who are encouraged to stretch their imagination into areas that can substantially change an area of research.
• Funding of research projects that will likely lead to successful grant applications with NIH and other public and private funding entities.

By May 22, 2023, please submit one PDF file containing the following, in the order listed below, to: 

Chiara Bertipaglia
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute 
bertipag@stanford.edu

File name:   Last Name_BRF_SIA.pdf 

Institutional representatives: please do submit internal proposals through your institutional representative (RPM/RMG or CGO/OSR) for institutional approval. Please submit your proposal directly to the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute per these instructions. 

1) Title Page

Brain Research Foundation Scientific Innovations Award (SIA)
Title of proposal 
PI name, academic title, department, mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and email address

2) Project summary

No more than 1400 words and including closing paragraph that explains how this research will develop (next steps)
(Format: double-spaced, 1/2 inch margins, Arial or Helvetica, min. size 11 font)
References may be included on an additional page(s)
List of current grants (include abstracts, specific aims, and indicate if there is any overlap)

3) NIH-style Biographical sketch 

Selection process:

Internal proposals will be reviewed by a Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute internal committee. That committee will select the applicant to represent the university. . 

Institutional representative: not applicable. You do not need to send your internal proposal to your RPM/RMG or your CGO/OSR for institutional review and approval. For inquiries regarding the internal selection process, please contact:

Chiara Bertipaglia
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute 
bertipag@stanford.edu