NIH’s Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is launching a $30 million project to use cutting edge brain imaging technologies to map the circuitry of the healthy adult human brain. By systematically collecting brain imaging data from hundreds of subjects, the Human Connectome Project (HCP) will yield insight into how brain connections underlie brain function and will open up new lines of inquiry for human neuroscience.
Investigators are invited to submit proposals to carry out the HCP which will be funded for up to $6 million per year for five years. The HCP is the first of three Blueprint Grand Challenges projects to address issues in neuroscience research.
The HCP will optimize and combine state-of-the-art brain imaging technologies to probe axonal pathways and other brain connections and researchers will combine brain imaging technologies to map the brain’s connections. The HCP will develop new data models, informatics, and tools to help researchers make the most of the data. Funds will help build an on-line platform to disseminate HCP data and tools.
All institutions of higher learning, nonprofits, for profits, small businesses, and Federal, state, and local governments are eligible to apply. Letters of intent are due October 26, 2009 with applications due November 11, 2009. For more information go to www.nimh.nih.gov and click on Request for Applications or call Daniel Stimson, NINDS at (301) 496-5751.
In another effort to study the brain, the Department of the Army USAMRAA released information on July 10th on the Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program with program funding of $24,000,000.
This grant award program supports research on promising new products, pharmacologic agents, behavioral interventions, devices, clinical guidance, and or emerging approaches and technologies. These awards are expected to yield potential products, approaches, or technologies to treat, prevent, detect, and diagnose psychological health and traumatic brain injuries relevant to the military.
Each principal investigator must be able to provide a transition plan including funding and resources to show how the product will progress to clinical trials and be able to deliver to the military market after the completion of the research.
The closing date for applications is October 28, 2009. There will be three grants awarded. For more information on the grant opportunity “Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program” go to www.grants.gov.
