The Dana Foundation Program in the Neuroimmunology of Brain Cancers and Infections
R E Q U E S T F O R P R O P O S A L S
PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT CHAIRS AND SPONSORED RESEARCH OFFICES
Application Deadline: Tuesday, February 22nd at Noon
The Dana Foundation is pleased to announce a call for proposals for its Neuroimmunology program, focusing on brain cancers and infections. Individual grants will total up to $200,000, payable over three years. Specifically, the Foundation is inviting studies of 1) immune-based therapies for primary brain tumors, and for metastases to the brain of other cancers; 2) immune responses to infections in the brain, including but not limited to viral encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral malaria, and prion diseases; and 3) how immune functions are carried out and modified in the brain.
Please note that due to financial constraints, this will be the Program’s only solicitation this year, and selection will be extremely competitive with fewer than 10 percent of preliminary proposals likely to receive funding.
The following are examples of the areas of focus:
• Exploring ways to stimulate immune cell recognition and attack of primary brain tumors and metastases.
• Measuring responses to therapeutic vaccines or other immunotherapies for treating brain tumors.
• Determining ways to prevent and defend against viral infections in the brain.
• Examining ways to treat infections in the brain, including cerebral malaria.
• Characterizing the roles of immune cells in normal brain and how these functions are modified under abnormal brain conditions.
While in recent years there has been progress in the field of Neuroimmunology, new ideas and approaches are needed to accelerate clinical advances in brain infections and cancers, and to understand immune functions in the brain and how these are modified by disease and injury. This program seeks such new ideas and ways to test them.
As with each of the Dana-supported research programs, this program prioritizes on clinical studies in humans or human tissues.
Animal studies, however, that are directly relevant to human disease, but not yet feasible to be undertaken in humans or human tissues, will also be considered. Studies with direct relevance includes research on animal models of brain cancers or infections that directly relate to the human condition; and, studies of normal brain anatomy and physiology in the animal model that can help to better understand the functions of immune cells in the brain and how these roles are altered by brain disease or injury.
Proposals for research that can be supported through clinical income should not be submitted.
Eligibility:
Each U.S. medical school dean, and each president of the few selected biomedical research institutions that have been invited by letter, may nominate one proposal. Investigators at institutions that are affiliated with a medical school are eligible to apply only through their affiliated medical school, by submitting an application to the medical school dean. Projects involving collaborations with NIH intramural researchers or industry scientists are acceptable.
Emphasis is placed on providing support to faculty tenure track researchers who are early in their career, at the assistant professor level, or early in their associate professor career.
Applying:
All applications should be in the form of a two-page preliminary proposal, using at least 11-point font size (font sizes smaller than that will not be reviewed) and .5 inch margins in all directions with numbered pages. This should include:
Cover Page:
On institutional letterhead, please write “The Dana Foundation Program in Neuroimmunology” and follow with the project title, investigator(s’) name(s), title(s), phone and fax numbers, e-mail, and street addresses. The institution name and PI’s name must be on each copy of your proposal. A clear cover page is critical for review of your submission.
Contact information for a sponsored research officer must be included. All proposals must be countersigned by the dean of a U.S. medical school or president of a specifically invited research institution to be considered eligible.
Pages 1-2:
Section I: A clearly and succinctly stated hypothesis.
Section II: The aims of the proposed research project: how does this proposal advance our understanding of brain cancers, infections, or immune functions in the brain?
Section III: The research significance and its potential clinical application(s).
Section IV: The methods. What specific tests or studies are proposed to develop the pilot data? If human participants are planned, please provide preliminary evidence that the number required can be recruited from the participating institution(s).
Section V: The qualifications of the primary investigator(s) for undertaking the proposed research. What facilities and resources at the applicant institution(s) would be used in the research? Please provide evidence that required technologies would be available for this project.
Additional Pages:
Appendix A: A list of all active grants and pending proposals by the applicant(s). Please include an abstract, specifying the aims, for any existing or pending grants, and indicate any potential overlaps between these sources of support and the proposed Dana project.
Appendix B: Please provide a standard NIH four-page format CV for the primary investigator(s).
Please note: At this time, do not send any other supporting documents, or a budget, although you may use up to two more pages for references.
Studies should be designed to feasibly obtain meaningful data within the limit of $200,000 total over a period of up to three years. Please note that the Foundation does not provide support for indirect costs. As much as 10 percent of the grant amount may be used to purchase equipment. The balance is to be used to meet direct research costs.
Proposal Review and Notification of Grants:
Preliminary proposals received by the February 22nd deadline will be considered for further development. Late submissions will not be considered. Applicants will be informed within approximately eight weeks from receipt of proposals on whether or not they are being invited to prepare full proposals.
Grants will be awarded on a “rolling” basis, with the first group of approved studies to be announced in September 2011 and the second group to be announced in December 2011.
Please refer to the FAQ’s section of the Dana Foundation Web site www.dana.org/grants for any questions you may have regarding the proposal process.
The original application and ten copies, each stapled, should be sent to:
Angie Marin
Program Associate
The Dana Foundation
505 Fifth Avenue, 6th floor
New York, NY 10017
Staff is unable to respond to inquiries regarding application content.
The Dana Foundation, founded in 1950, is a private philanthropic foundation with major program interests in science, health, and education. This RFP and other information about the Foundation's programs may be found on our web site at www.dana.org