To:         School of Medicine Faculty

From:    Katherine L. Nathanson, MD and Scott D. Halpern, MD, PhD 

Co-Chairs, PSOM Limited Applications Selection Committee

Re:         Brain Research Foundation (BRF) Seed Grant Program

               https://www.thebrf.org/for-researchers/fayfrank-seed-grant-program/

Date:     October 20, 2022

The University has been invited to nominate one faculty member to submit a letter of intent for the 2023 Brain Research Foundation (BRF) Seed Grant Program. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) is coordinating the final candidate review and selection process.  Each school within the University may put forth one candidate. 

The purpose of the program is to provide start-up monies for new research projects in the field of neuroscience that will likely lead to extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other outside funding sources.  

Objectives:

The objective of the BRF Seed Grant Program is to support new and innovative projects, especially those of junior faculty, who are working in new research directions. BRF Seed Grant awards are not intended to supplement existing grants. To be eligible, PI must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor on the tenure or clinician educator tracks, working in the area of studies of brain function. This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral and emotional health and disease. The grant proposal must detail a new research project that is not funded by other sources.

Funding and award period:

• Each total grant is limited to $80,000 (direct costs) for a two-year grant period. The first grant payment of $40,000 will be made upon completion of the Seed Grant Acceptance Form (June 2023). The final payment of $40,000 will be made contingent upon receipt of a preliminary progress and financial report (June 2024).

Eligibility:

• To be eligible, PI must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor on the tenure or clinician educator tracks, working in the area of studies of brain function. 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.
• Research assistant professors and research associate professors are not eligible.
• Please see program guidelines for full details regarding eligibility.

Funding specifics:

• Funding is to be directed at pilot research projects that are both innovative and will likely lead to successful grant applications to NIH and other public and private funding entities.
• Assistant Professor (on the tenure or clinician educator tracks) – Junior faculty with a new research project that will generate pilot data that will lead to RO1 funding or a comparable outside grant will be first priority. Must provide abstract and specific aims for current grants and indicate if there is any overlap.
• Associate Professor (on the tenure or clinician educator tracks) – Faculty who are pursuing new research directions. Must explain how the project is a new research direction. Must provide abstract for current grant(s) and indicate if there is any overlap.
• Note: A new technique is not considered a new direction unless it pertains to a different area of study.
• Seed Grants are NOT to be used for bridge funding between grants.
• 100% of these BRF Seed Grant funds must be utilized for direct costs (please see program guidelines for full details).

PSOM Review Process:

Each candidate must submit:

• Cover page with name, title, academic rank, department, date of appointment to faculty, contact information: including email address, phone number, title of research proposal.
• A letter of nomination from Department Chair or Division Chief
• A research proposal, no longer than 1,400 words (figures/images and references are not included as part of the 1,400 word limit).
  • NOTE: Include closing paragraph that explains how this research will develop next steps.
• List of current grants, including award amounts (direct dollars per year); include abstracts, specific aims, and indicate if there is any overlap.
• A Biographical sketch (using current NIH format) with other support page (five page maximum).  

Submission should be in a single pdf file in the following order: cover page, letter of nomination, research proposal, Biosketch. 

The pdf document should be titled as follows: BRF__InvestigatorSurname_Investigator first name. For example: BRF_Doe_Jane. 

Proposals must be submitted to Kaitlyn Hagarty at kaitlyn.hagarty@pennmedicine@upenn.edu by 9:00am, Friday, November 11, 2022.