Website Brain Research Foundation
The Brain Research Foundation has invited UCI to nominate a senior faculty member (Associate Professor/Full Professor) for the Scientific Innovations Award (SIA), which provides funding for innovative science in both basic and clinical neuroscience. This program is designed to support creative, exploratory, cutting-edge research in well-established research laboratories, under the direction of established investigators.
The objective of the SIA is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings. It is expected that investigations supported by these grants will yield high-impact findings and result in major grant applications and significant publications in high-impact journals.
Each total award is limited to $150,000 (direct costs) for a two-year grant period. The program does not support indirect costs.
The nominee must be a full-time associate professor or full professor working in brain function in health and disease. Current major NIH or other peer-reviewed funding is preferred, but evidence of such funding in the past three years is essential. Studies should be related to either normal human brain development or specifically identified disease states. This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning in health and disease.
The grant proposal must detail a new research project that is not funded by other sources. This grant is not to be used as a source of bridge funding. Scientists who have previously received a BRF Scientific Innovations Award may not receive the award for a second time until five years have elapsed since the beginning date of the prior award.
The campus may submit no more than one proposal. Interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to the Office of Research by April 14, 2025, at 11:59PM (via the UCI Review application portal), with the following information:
- Program project summary (1400 words; figures and references on one additional page)
- PI’s NIH Style Bio-sketch
If necessary, an ad hoc committee will convene to review the preliminary proposals. The selected PI will be notified in time to meet BRF’s letter of intent deadline on June 3, 2025; full proposals will be by invitation and are due in September.
Please refer to BRF 2026 guidelines for detailed information about the program.
To apply for this funding opportunity please visit uci.infoready4.com.