Innovative Research Program

Calls for Proposals

Deadline for proposals: January 15, 2010

The Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind solicits proposals for the support of innovative interdisciplinary research during 2009-10. Preference will be given to proposals from several disciplines or laboratories and for projects that catalyze new collaborative research.

The purpose of the KIBM Innovative Research Program is to catalyze research focused on ideas that bridge different levels of organization of brain and mind. A goal of this program is to stimulate testing of hypotheses for which no standard funding stream is available. A further goal is to assist in generation of preliminary data that will enable funding from other agencies. Extensions of ongoing research programs are not likely to be favorably considered.

Proposals will be accepted from any of the participating institutions in the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind (UCSD, The Neurosciences Institute, and The Salk Institute).

Purposes for which funds may be spent include purchase of equipment, supplies, salary support, and usage of facilities. Examples include support for a graduate student or partial support for a postdoctoral fellow, payment for imaging time for fMRI, and purchase of gene chips for specific experiments.

Amount: Support for up to $30,000 is available. In exceptional cases higher levels of support may be considered.

Proposal format and criteria:

• Page 1: Précis. The first page should contain a title and a 1-2 paragraph executive summary of the proposed research. If funded, this abstract will be used in a press release announcing the KIBM awards. The abstract should therefore be written in a language that is clear, accessible to the educated layperson, and avoids unnecessary technical terms.

• Pages 2-3: Description of research. This section should describe the proposed research and address its importance and novelty. In addition, proposals should explain (a) the ways in which the research will help bridge the brain-mind gap; (b) how the research is interdisciplinary and will involve investigators from different laboratories or disciplines; and (c) what follow-on funding sources might be available should the research be fruitful;

• Page 4: Scientific team and laboratories. This section should describe the research team and laboratories.  A letter of intent to collaborate (or e-mail) should be attached to proposal for each listed eam member.

• Page 5: Budget. The final page should contain a budget and budget justification. Proposals should be single spaced.  Please indicate if human or animal subjects will be involved.

ANNUAL REPORT:  One page summary at the end of the funding year to include any publications, presentations, press releases, and follow-on grants that may have resulted from the research.

In addition, grant recipients will be asked to attend the KIBM Innovative Research Symposium on May 1, 2010.

Proposals for 2009-10 should be submitted electronically at http://kibm.ucsd.edu/irg.

Announcements regarding awards will be made in March 2010.  The awards will be disbursed in biannual increments starting on April 2010.