Find Funding Opportunities

Functional Neurological Disorders (FNDs) are characterized by symptoms of altered voluntary motor or sensory function with clinical findings providing evidence of incompatibility between the symptoms and recognized neurological or medical conditions. FNDs are highly prevalent and associated with significant morbidity, health care costs, and even mortality. In some respects, this group of conditions sits at the intersection of neurology and psychiatry, but the majority of cases first come to the attention of neurologists. Management is complex and requires interdisciplinary approaches. Given the disability caused by the symptoms, and the high cost in healthcare utilization and loss of productivity, FNDs amount to a significant missed opportunity for therapeutic intervention and therefore, a healthcare crisis. Diagnosis and management of FNDs remain very challenging. Diagnostic criteria have been proposed but they are not universally agreed upon. Diagnosis is based on positive clinical findings, and can be supported by laboratory or ancillary investigation findings. Certain FND subtypes are more difficult to correctly diagnose than others. More importantly, laboratory-supported diagnosis is possible, and biomarkers can be developed, but significantly more research is needed in these areas to advance clinical management of FNDs. Therapies exist and have been studied in select populations but gathering high-level evidence through clinical trials is hampered by limitations in available outcome measures. Differential responses to treatments have been recorded, and thus, prediction of aggregate treatment response has been difficult. This FOA invites researchers to submit prospective clinical projects that address critical needs for clinical trial readiness in FNDs. Projects appropriate for this FOA include the validation of biomarkers, endpoints and clinical outcome assessments (COA) that are fit-for-purpose and have a defined context of use for clinical trials.

The purpose of this Notice is to inform potential applicants an area of special interest to NHLBI, NINDS and NIA in research to understand mechanisms of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and to develop new approaches for the treatment of VCID.

NINDS is issuing this Notice of Special Interest to encourage the submission of applications focused on the development and validation of biomarkers for functional neurological disorders (FND). FND are a complex and heterogeneous group of neuropsychiatric syndromes. They are characterized by symptoms of altered voluntary motor or sensory function and frequently have comorbid medical, neurological, and psychiatric disorders. Although patients with FND represent the second commonest category of referrals to neurology outpatient clinics after headache, management is complex and requires interdisciplinary approaches. The high prevalence of FND, the disability caused by symptoms, high cost in healthcare utilization and loss of productivity points to an important opportunity for development of effective therapeutic interventions. This common, disabling, and costly group of conditions sits at the intersection of neurology and psychiatry. In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) the term functional is used as the primary descriptor in the term for this group of conditions, although the term conversion disorder is still accepted as an alternative expression that acknowledges unconscious processes in patients, though it emphasizes the implicit inference of causative psychological stressors, which are not always present or may not be readily identifiable. Diagnostic criteria for FND have been proposed, but are not universally accepted, and have varying rates of interrater reliability, depending on the symptom presentation (high for non-epileptic psychogenic seizures; poor for other FND). For this reason, diagnosis remains very challenging. Recent recommendations suggest that diagnosis should be based on positive clinical findings and supported, when necessary, by laboratory or ancillary investigation findings. Certain FND subtypes are more difficult to correctly diagnose than others.

The objective of the NIH Career Transition Award (K22) is to provide support to outstanding basic or clinical investigators to develop their independent research skills through a two phase program: an initial period involving an intramural appointment at the NIH and a final period of support at an extramural institution. This NINDS K22 is specifically designed to facilitate the transition of NINDS intramural neurologist- and neurosurgeon-scientists to independent, academic faculty positions that support clinician-scientists to engage in independently funded scientific research as well as clinical activities.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hereby notify Small Business Concerns (SBCs) holding Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants that funds are available for administrative supplements to improve the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from groups that have been shown to be nationally underrepresented in health-related research or in the SBIR and STTR programs. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

The objective of the NIH Career Transition Award (K22) is to provide support to outstanding basic or clinical investigators to develop their independent research skills through a two phase program: an initial period involving an intramural appointment at the NIH and a final period of support at an extramural institution. This NINDS K22 is specifically designed to facilitate the transition of NINDS intramural neurologist- and neurosurgeon-scientists to independent, academic faculty positions that support clinician-scientists to engage in independently funded scientific research as well as clinical activities.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) hereby notify Small Business Concerns (SBCs) holding Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants that funds are available for administrative supplements to enhance the diversity of the research and entrepreneurial workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related research or in the SBIR and STTR programs. This supplement opportunity is also available to PD(s)/PI(s) of research grants who are or become disabled and need additional support to accommodate their disability in order to continue to work on the research project. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

The purpose of the NINDS Alzheimers Disease and Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00) program is to support of a cohort of new and talented, independent investigators from diverse backgrounds conducting AD/ADRD research. The program is designed to facilitate a timely transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds (e.g., see NIHs Interest in Diversity) from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. The program will provide independent NIH research support during this transition in order to help awardees establish independent research programs in the AD/ADRD field. This FOA is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

This Notice encourages eligible awardees in the BRAIN Initiative community to apply for administrative supplements in response to PA-21-071, Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The NIH has a strong interest in the diversity of the NIH-funded workforce (see NOT-OD-18-210) and encourages institutions to diversify their populations by enhancing the participation of individuals from groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage applications from Small Business Concerns (SBCs) to pursue translational activities and limited-size clinical studies to advance the development of therapeutic and diagnostic devices for disorders that affect the nervous or neuromuscular systems. Activities supported in this program include implementation of clinical prototype devices, non-clinical safety and effectivenesting, design verification and validation activities leading to submission of an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the FDA or Institutional Review Board (IRB) application for a Non-Significant Risk (NSR) study. The clinical study is expected to provide information about the device function or final design that cannot be practically obtained through additional non-clinical assessments (e.g., bench top or animal studies) due to the novelty of the device or its intended use. This FOA is a milestone-driven cooperative agreement program and will involve participation of NIH program staff in negotiating the final project plan before award and monitoring of research progress. Participants in Blueprint MedTech receive funding for all activities to be conducted in their own laboratories. In addition, applicants will collaborate with NIH-funded consultants to receive assistance with specialty areas including regulatory, reimbursement, intellectual property, commercialization, and strategic partnerships. Participants can also augment their project with NIH contract research organizations that specialize in large animal testing, sterilization testing, biocompatibility assessment, manufacturing, and medical monitoring. SBCs developing their own devices or that already have established collaborations with device manufacturers are welcome to apply directly to this FOA or any of the companion opportunities. For more information see: https://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/neurotherapeutics/blueprint-medte…