The Office of Foundation Relations is pleased to share this open call for funding from the McKnight Foundation.
UCSC Contact: Caroline Rodriguez | caroline@ucsc.edu
Funder: McKnight Foundation
Opportunity: Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award
Deadline: November 4, 2024
Overview
The McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award (NBD Award) assists scientists working to apply the knowledge achieved through basic research to human brain disorders, and who demonstrate a commitment to equitable and inclusive lab environments.
McKnight is interested in proposals that address the biological mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders. This includes proposals that provide mechanistic insights into neurological functions at the synaptic, cellular, molecular, genetic or behavioral level across different species, including humans and vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms. A new additional area of interest is the contribution of the environment to brain disorders. The Foundation is particularly interested in proposals that incorporate new approaches and in those that provide potential paths for therapeutic interventions. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary applications are encouraged.
Environmental Contributions to Brain Disorders
Early-life environmental stress is a powerful disposing factor for later neurological and psychiatric disorders. Studies show communities of color are at higher risk for these stressors, which range from environmental (e.g. climate, nutrition, exposure to chemicals, pollution) to social (e.g. family, education, housing, poverty). From a clinical perspective, understanding how environmental factors contribute to brain disease is essential for developing effective therapies. As 2023 is the first year of this new additional focus, McKnight welcomes inquiries about the relevance of a particular research proposal to this focus.
Award Amount & Terms
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$100,000 per year for three years.
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Up to four awards will be made.
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Funds may be used toward a variety of research activities. They may not be used for the recipient’s salary.
Eligibility
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A candidate for a McKnight Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award must work as an independent investigator at a not-for-profit research institution in the United States, and must hold a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher. Those holding other titles such as Research Professor, Adjunct Professor, Professor Research Track, Visiting Professor or Instructor are not eligible.
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A candidate may submit separate applications to both Scholar Awards and Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards during the same cycle. If the applicant receives a Scholar Award and becomes a finalist for NBD, their application to NBD would be rescinded as they cannot hold two awards simultaneously.
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There is no limit to the number of times that a candidate may apply for a Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award.
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There is no limit for how many applications we can receive from the same institution in the same funding round, and while we strive for institutional diversity there have been cases when more than one applicant from the same institution has been awarded in the same grant period.
See here for a list of previous awardees.
Timeline
- November 4, 2024 3 p.m. PT LOI deadline
- Early March 2025 Finalists notified
- Mid-April 2025 Finalists full proposals due
- June 2025 Award decisions
Special Instructions
Please notify the Office of Foundation Relations if you are interested in applying to this opportunity (fr@ucsc.edu). For support developing your proposal, please contact the Research Development Specialist assigned to your unit or send a request to resdev@ucsc.edu.
Call Sent: October 14, 2024
The Office of Foundation Relations is a unit of University Advancement. The FR team creates and maintains mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with private organizations, matching grant initiatives with educational and research programs and centers. FR supports faculty and staff to identify and approach these and other private foundations for funding, to assist in strategic positioning of the grant application, and to facilitate funder campus visits. For a list of recent funding opportunities, please visit the FR website. FR Calls for Funding