Grant Funding Opportunities: 4/27/12
Visit the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s Funding Gateway page to get more information on funding announcements, links to opportunity search databases, and grant development tips!
Funding Opportunity Deadline Extended: The Department of Energy’s Advancements in Sustainable Algal Production (ASAP) deadline has been extended from 4/18/12 to 5/2/12. The objective of ASAP is to support outdoor phototrophic algae research and development in two areas: 1) nutrient and water use in algal production systems and 2) the development of algal technology testbed facilities. This research will support the Biomass Program’s goals to model pathways for significant (>1 billion gallons per year) volumes of cost-competitive algal biofuels by 2022. For program details visit the website at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
Deadline: 5/8/12 (Letter of Intent Due—optional but suggested); 6/8/12 (Proposal Due)
Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Program: NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Grand Challenge: Discovering Novel Drugs for Disorders of the Nervous System (U01)
Description: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces a unique opportunity for investigators working with small molecule compounds to gain access to a robust virtual pharma network to discover neurotherapeutic drugs. Successful applicants to this FOA will become collaborative participants in this network, receiving both funding and no-cost access to contracted drug discovery services that are not typically available to the academic research community. Funding will be provided through a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism to conduct biological testing of compound analogs in disease assays and models in the investigators laboratory. No-cost drug discovery services will also be provided, including medicinal chemistry optimization, IND-directed pharmacology and toxicology, and Phase I clinical testing. Researchers in possession of disease assays and small molecule compounds that show promise for treating nervous system and psychiatric disorders, but that are not yet suitable for clinical testing, are strongly encouraged to apply.
Award Amount: Application budgets are not limited, but need to reflect actual needs of the proposed project. Applicants are encouraged to keep direct costs to no more than $125,000 per year for in vitro bioactivity screening, in the early years of the project. However, because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Project duration can be up to five years
Website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-13-003.html
Eligibility: Higher Education Institutions, Non-Profits, For-Profits, Governments
Deadline: 6/5/12
Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Program: Technology Development for High-Throughput Structural Biology Research (R01)
Description: This FOA encourages grant applications from institutions and organizations that propose to develop novel technologies and methodologies underpinning high-throughput structural biology. Applications for new ideas and approaches for protein production and structure determination for classes of challenging proteins are appropriate. Projects related to high-throughput structure determination by X-ray crystallography and NMR, as well as projects addressing other constituent tasks of structural biology, including structural genomics, are relevant to this FOA. Applications should focus on methods development to solve challenging proteins that are not currently amenable to high-throughput structural biology. These challenging proteins include, but are not limited to, membrane proteins, small protein complexes, and proteins from human and other higher eukaryotes.
Award Amount: The maximum project period allowable is five years. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary.
Website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-073.
Eligibility: Higher Education Institutions, Non-Profit, For-Profit, Government, Other
Deadline: 7/10/12 (Full proposal deadline. LOIs due at least 2 weeks before the application deadline. After review of the LOI, ADDF may invite a full application. The ADDF will attempt to make a determination of interest within 90 days of receipt of the application.)
Agency: Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)
Program: 2012 General RFP and Funding Priorities
Description: ADDF funds drug discovery and development research programs in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD), related dementias and cognitive aging. The ADDF seeks to fill the critical translational funding gap between basic research and later stage drug development by funding promising drug discovery and development programs. In addition to funding academic programs, the ADDF also invests in and creates early stage biotechnology companies. The ADDF also co-sponsors conferences to stimulate new ideas and approaches in areas of interest to the Foundation. Academic Drug Discovery and Development Program seeks to create and support innovative translational programs in academic medical centers and universities. Biotechnology Development Program supports qualified scientific projects in existing, private, early-stage biotechnology companies. The ADDF will provide support for qualified projects in more advanced companies if a clear need for nonprofit funding to support the project can be demonstrated and justified. Funding is typically made as a program-related investment. Biotechnology Founders Technology Transfer Program supports academic programs that are eligible for technology transfer and the start-up of new biotechnology companies. Up to 35% of funds from these awards may be employed for expenses related to company formation, such as administrative, legal, patent and third-party vendor costs. Conference Grants support innovative scientific conferences that stimulate discussion around novel targets. With regards to potential drug targets, the ADDF is interested in novel targets and therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease, related dementias and cognitive aging. These areas include, but are not limited to: Energy utilization/mitochondria function, insulin sensitivity, protein degradation/autophage, ApoE function and cholesterol metabolism, vesicular trafficking, inflammatory pathways, synaptic function/morphology, calcium regulation, myelin changes, ischemia and oxidative stress, vascular injury, the blood-brain barrier interface, and translatable biomarker.
Award Amount: The ADDF typically supports one year of research at a time, with potential for future follow-on funding. Funding averages $150,000 per year and must be justified based on the scientific work plan.
Website: http://www.genzyme.com/commitment/community/grant_application.asp
Eligibility: ADDF funds drug discovery research programs from domestic and international investigators in academia and biotechnology companies.
Deadline: 8/5/12
Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Program: SHIFT Award: Small Businesses Helping Investigators to Fuel the Translation of Scientific Discoveries [SBIR: R43/R44]
Description: The primary objectives of the SHIFT SBIR initiative are: (1) to foster research that is translational in nature and (2) to transform academic scientific discoveries into commercial products and services. Academic researchers can be a driving force for new products and services in a small business concern (SBC). A major feature of the SHIFT program includes the requirement for an investigator who is primarily employed by a United States research institution at the time of application to transition to a small business concern (SBC) and be primarily employed (more than 50% time) by the SBC by or at the time of award. A SHIFT SBIR grant enables an SBC to increase both its scientific research staff and its core competencies. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) may also facilitate SBC licensing of intellectual property (IP) from the PD/PI’s prior academic institutions, promote collaboration opportunities with academic investigators, and enable better access to academic resources.
Award Amount: Phase I awards normally may not exceed $100,000 total for a period normally not to exceed 6 months. Phase II awards normally may not exceed $750,000 total for a period normally not to exceed 2 years.
Website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-122.html
Eligibility: Small Business Concerns
Deadline: 9/18/12
Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Program: Biophotonics
Description: Biophotonics applies photonics technology to the fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology. Basic research and innovation in photonics that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation for new technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application in medical diagnostics and therapies. Advances are needed in nanophotonics, optogenetics, contrast and targeting agents, ultra-thin probes, wide field imaging, and rapid biomarker screening. Low cost and minimally invasive medical diagnostics and therapies are key goals. Examples of topics include Macromolecule Marker, Low Coherence Sensing at the Nanoscale, Neruophotonics, Micro- and Nano-photonic, and Optogenetics.
Award Amount: The duration of unsolicited awards is generally one to three years. The average annual award size for the program is $100,000 for individual investigators and $200,000 for multiple investigators.
Website: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501025
Eligibility: Unrestricted
Deadline: Rolling
Agency: Bayer USA Foundation
Program: Bayer CropScience
Description: The Foundation’s giving areas include Education and Workforce Development, Environment and Sustainability, Health and Human Services, and Arts and Culture. Under Education and Workforce Development, Bayer believes in access to a well-educated, highly-trained skilled workforce. That is why innovative, hands-on, inquiry-based science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs, are one of the Foundation’s key focus areas. STEM education is vital in creating citizens who can think critically and creatively, and who can adapt to change. Building a scientifically-literate citizenry also enables scientifically-sound decision-making to occur.
Award Amount: Unspecified
Website: http://www.bayerus.com/Foundation/Guidelines/Geo.aspx
Eligibility: Non-Profits (Bayer USA Foundation provides funding to organizations that serve these communities and society at large. Raleigh-Durham, NC area is part of the Bayer CropScience region eligible to submit funding requests.)
Giving Area: Charlotte
Deadline: Rolling
Agency: US Airways
Program: Corporate Giving
Description: This corporate giving program supports nonprofits in the communities immediately surrounding hubs of US Airways, including: Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. The US Airways Corporate giving program includes three principle funding mechanisms: Corporate Giving, Education Foundation, and the Community Foundation. Corporate giving supports education, community development, and the arts. There are separate applications for each of the three funding mechanisms.
Award Amount: Unspecified
Website: http://www.usairways.com/en-US/aboutus/corporategiving/default.html
Eligibility: Non-Profits