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The purpose of the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NIH-supported, independent investigators. This program is designed to facilitate a timely transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers from mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions, and to provide independent NIH research support during the transition that will help these individuals launch competitive, independent research careers. Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts.

The purpose of the NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is to provide support to mid-career health-professional doctorates or equivalent who are typically at the Associate Professor level or the equivalent (see Section III. Eligible Individuals) for protected time to devote to patient-oriented research (POR) and to act as research mentors primarily for clinical residents, clinical fellows and/or junior clinical faculty. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the relevant NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts.

The purpose of the NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) is to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research. The K02 award provides three, four, or five years of salary support and protected time for newly independent (see IC provisions) scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. Each independent scientist career award program must be tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the relevant Institute or Center (IC) staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts.

The purpose of the NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to support the career development of individuals with a clinical doctoral degree who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on patient-oriented research. Individuals with a clinical degree who are interested in further career development in biomedical research other than patient-oriented research should refer to the Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development (Parent K08) Award. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the relevant NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts.

This funding opportunity announcement, in support of the NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative aims to pilot classification strategies to generate a systematic inventory/cell census of cell types in the brain. Pilot projects are sought that would 1) provide cell census data in the whole brain, a brain region, or a significant functional circuit in the vertebrate nervous system; 2) integrate molecular identity of cell types with connectivity, morphology, and location; 3) apply statistical methods for creating a taxonomy of cell types based on molecular identity and connectivity; 4) provide realistic estimates on the number/percentage of defined cell types in specific region(s) and/or circuit(s); and 5) provide a basis to map cell types based on molecular identity and connectivity onto a reference brain atlas. These pilot projects and methodologies should be designed to demonstrate their utility and scalability to ultimately complete a comprehensive cell census of the human brain in the future.

Although invention and proof-of-concept testing of new technologies is a key component of the BRAIN Initiative, to achieve their potential these technologies must also be optimized through feedback from end-users in the context of the intended experimental use. In this FOA we seek applications for the optimization of existing and emerging technologies and approaches that have potential to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, with cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain. This FOA is intended for the iterative refinement of emergent technologies and approaches that have already demonstrated their transformative potential through initial proof-of-concept testing, and are appropriate for accelerated engineering development with an end-goal of broad dissemination and incorporation into regular neuroscience practice.

The purpose of this Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative is to encourage applications that will develop and validate novel tools to facilitate the detailed analysis of complex circuits and provide insights into cellular interactions that underlie brain function. The new tools and technologies should confer a high degree of cell-type and/or circuit-level specificity. Validation of the utility of the tool/technology is an essential feature. A particular emphasis for this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is the development of new genetic and non-genetic tools for delivering genes, proteins and chemicals to cells of interest; new approaches are also expected to target specific cell types and or circuits in the nervous system with greater precision and sensitivity than currently established methods. Tools developed through this initiative that can be used in a number of species/model organisms rather than those restricted to a single species are highly desired. Applications that provide approaches that break through existing technical barriers to substantially improve current capabilities are also encouraged.

The purpose of this FOA is to provide resources for integrated development of experimental, analytic and theoretical capabilities for large-scale analysis of neural systems and circuits. We seek applications for exploratory studies that use new and emerging methods for large scale recording and manipulation of neural circuits across multiple brain regions. Applications should propose to elucidate the contributions of dynamic circuit activity to a specific behavioral or neural system. Studies should incorporate rich information on cell-types, on circuit functionality and connectivity, and should be performed in conjunction with sophisticated analysis of ethologically relevant behaviors. Applications should propose teams of investigators that seek to cross boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration by bridging fields and linking theory and data analysis to experimental design. Exploratory studies supported by this FOA are intended to develop experimental capabilities and theoretical frameworks in preparation for a future competition for large scale awards.

This funding opportunity announcement, in support of the NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative aims to support planning activities and the initial stages of development of entirely new or next generation brain imaging technologies and methods that will lead to transformative advances in our understanding of the human brain.

Understanding the dynamic activity of neural circuits is central to the NIH BRAIN Initiative. This FOA seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for large scale recording and manipulation of neural activity, to enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the nervous system. In particular we seek exceptionally creative approaches to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, with cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain. It is expected that the proposed research may be high risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research.