Animal Models Grants

The 26th Annual Symposium for Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS

We are pleased to announce that the NIH’s Office of AIDS Research has provided expanded support for a Young Investigator Scholarship Program at this year’s meeting. The Scientific Program Committee will provide a limited number of young investigator awards for early career scientists.

AWARD
There are two types of awards available for young investigators: registration waivers and full scholarships. Although the total number of awards has not yet been determined, please be aware that we will be able to accommodate more registration waivers than full scholarships. You will need to specify whether you are a more suitable candidate for the registration waiver or the full scholarship.

Registration waiver: For this award, the registration fee will be waived for the young investigator. The recipient will still be responsible for all other costs associated with travel to/from San Juan and attending the meeting.

Full scholarship: This award includes transportation to/from San Juan (economy airfare fare prepaid by the conference up to $800, or reimbursed mileage), waiver of the conference registration fee, and three nights of hotel accommodations. Scholarship recipients will be responsible for incidental costs (meals, local transportation, etc.) incurred during the meeting.

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be the presenting author on an abstract accepted at the conference and commit to attend full meeting.

Scientists who are younger than 35 years of age as of December 1, 2008 are eligible. Special consideration will be given to young scientists from Puerto Rico, as we want to ensure that local participants are able to benefit from the intellectual environment of the meeting. Women and underrepresented minorities are particularly encouraged to apply.

SELECTION
Awards will be based upon the quality of the submitted abstract and the recommendation form.

REQUIREMENTS
Awardees are required to complete a Conference Evaluation at the close of the meeting.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Applicant must submit both a meeting abstract and Young Investigator Program application by August 1, 2008. The Young Investigator Program application consists of:

1) A current CV.

2) A letter (one page, single spaced, max.) describing why you should be considered for a Young Investigator award. This letter should indicate whether a registration waiver or full scholarship is requested.

3) (Students and fellows) A letter from your mentor verifying your trainee status, years in training, and an evaluation of your research and prospects for future success. Please note: there is a limit of 2 awards per mentor.

(non-students/fellows) A letter of support from a scientific mentor or colleague familiar with your research

4) A copy of your submitted abstract for the meeting. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL ABSTRACTS MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE OFFICIAL ONLINE SUBMISSION SYSTEM

The four required documents must be compiled into a SINGLE PDF and attached to an email. Send the application email to Edi Chan chan@primate.wisc.edu.

DEADLINES
The deadline for Young Investigator Program applications is August 1, 2008. Applicants must also have their abstracts submitted via the online registration form by the Young Investigator Program deadline.

QUESTIONS
Any questions about the Young Investigator Program should be sent to Edi Chan (chan@primate.wisc.edu).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Frontotemporal Dementia Drug Discovery Program
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and The Association for Frontotemporal Dementias (AFTD) seek to accelerate and support drug discovery for FTD and related dementias through this Request for Proposals (RFP.
Research investigating the pathologic mechanisms of neurodegeneration in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and related disorders has advanced recently, creating new potential targets for drug discovery.
Examples of programs appropriate for this RFP include, but are not limited to:
• Identification and in vitro testing of potentially disease modifying lead compounds
• Development and testing of novel high throughput screening assays
• Medicinal chemistry on lead compounds
• Testing of lead compounds in a relevant animal model for preclinical proof of concept
• ADME, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics on lead compounds
• Development and testing of targeted gene delivery strategies
• Development of biomarkers to accelerate drug development and early diagnosis
PLEASE NOTE: THIS FUNDING WILL NOT SUPPORT APPLICATIONS FOR BASIC RESEARCH
MECHANISM(S) OF SUPPORT
ADDF/AFTD will provide individual grants for one year duration with the possibility of follow on funding. Applications may be submitted by non-profit academic institutions and for-profit biotechnology companies, both public and private, worldwide. Collaborative teams of neuroscientists and researchers in drug discovery disciplines such as medicinal chemistry and drug delivery are also encouraged to apply.
REVIEW PROCESS
The deadline date for applications is September 22nd, 2008. Applications will be confidentially reviewed by ADDF and an external Scientific Review Committee, including AFTD scientific advisors. Applications from biotechnology companies will also be reviewed by ADDF’s external Business Advisory Board. Award-winners will be publicly announced in April 2009.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
All applications must be submitted electronically at www.AlzDiscovery.org.

Request for Skin Cancer Career Development Awards: SPORE—Skin Cancer
The SPORE in Skin Cancer is seeking one (1) career development project for funding in the sixth year of the grant. SPORE’s are large NCI interdisciplinary program grants which focus on translational research in a specific human disease field (e.g. skin cancer, including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, etc.). They emphasize the rapid movement of discoveries made in the lab to the clinical setting, and promote laboratory investigations seeking to explain clinical observations.

Specifically, independent investigators with an interest in studying biologic, epidemiologic, preclinical or therapeutic modalities, which are directly or potentially applicable to human skin cancer, are encouraged to apply. All career development projects must have a goal to be translatable in the study of human skin cancer. Awardees will be expected to participate in the activities of the SPORE, including attending research retreats and presenting research accomplishments. The goal of the Career Development Award Program is to attract basic, translational and clinical investigators into skin cancer research, to enrich their foundation of knowledge about human skin cancer, mentor them in their chosen career pathways, and integrate the recipients into the translational mission of the SPORE.

Candidates may be either clinicians or basic scientists with an MD or PhD degree, who are interested in translational research and in pursuing a career as an independent investigator in cutaneous oncology research. We will consider senior level postdoctoral fellows who are moving into faculty status and instructor level junior faculty within three years of completing their training who are interested in pursuing hypothesis driven research. The typical applicant is a junior faculty member with a strong program of research, a secure position in a mentoring environment, and the need for funding as a bridge to independence. Consideration is also given to established investigators interested in shifting their research focus to skin cancer.

Examples of projects, which might be suitable for developmental projects, include:
• New diagnostic tests/techniques for identifying or characterizing skin cancer
• Work with animal models of skin cancer
• Study potential genes and/or proteins important in skin carcinogenesis
• Therapeutic trials

Applications should be no more than 5 pages. Please follow the format outlined below.

• Detailed Budget (not counted in the 5 page limit)
• Introduction and Specific Aim
• Preliminary data
• Experimental design
• References (not counted in 5-page limit)

Application Timelines:

Applications are due July 15, 2008
Funding will begin September 1, 2008

Applications should be sent to:

Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Michelle Gagne
Department of Dermatology
801 Massachusetts Ave. Suite 718
Boston, MA 02118

For additional information please contact Michelle Gagne at 617-582-0080 or mgagne1@partners.org

Critical Challenges in PD 2008

06/03/2008

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) is launching this funding initiative to promote development and testing of technologies to image alpha-synuclein and/or Lewy body-related pathology associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in living brain tissue. Projects can include the development and/or testing of specific probes (e.g., small molecule compounds or modified peptides/antibodies) or methods for detecting alpha-synuclein/Lewy body components appropriate for use in MRI, PET/SPECT or other imaging modality. Depending on the stage of technology development, work can include pre-clinical or clinical studies. However, the ultimate deliverable of the study must include an in vivo test of the imaging approach either in a PD-relevant mammalian model or human PD patient.

Studies appropriate for this RFP may include:
• Development of technologies (e.g., small molecule ligands, peptide/antibody approaches, etc.) that can be used to visualize alpha-synuclein/Lewy body pathological features and are detectable with an appropriate imaging modality.
• Examination of the sensitivity and selectivity of alpha-synuclein/Lewy body imaging technologies to detect alpha-synuclein in human PD postmortem samples.
• Optimization studies to make technologies appropriate for eventual in vivo preclinical or clinical testing, including for example determination of pharmacokinetic parameters, toxicity, blood-brain barrier permeability, target engagement, and clearance times.
• In vivo testing of technologies in preclinical animal models of alpha-synuclein/Lewy body pathology.
• Clinical testing of technologies in living human PD patients, including possible ‘Hospice studies’ to confirm imaging results to postmortem examination.

A strong, collaborative and appropriately skilled investigator team will be a major criterion for successful funding in this program.

Applicants may request a project period of up to two years and direct costs appropriate and justifiable for the work proposed, in addition to indirect costs of up to 25 percent of direct costs.

Please note that a ‘Technology Summary’ is a required element of this program’s application process and is different from a standard pre-proposal. All Technology Summaries received in response to this MJFF RFP will be subjected to a review process. Only a small subset of applicants will ultimately be selected to work with MJFF staff to develop full proposals for final funding consideration.
MJFF employs an expedited, abbreviated granting mechanism to accelerate discoveries and ultimately translate findings to PD patients more quickly. 

For additional information about this initiative, contact the Foundation at research@michaeljfox.org.

Conference Call
MJFF will hold a 45 minute long conference call on June 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time to clarify and explain the Critical Challenges in PD 2008 program and to answer applicants' questions. To participate in this call, you must RSVP via email to conferencecalls@michaeljfox.org. Participants will receive a reply with call-in details.

For additional information about this initiative, contact the Foundation at research@michaeljfox.org.

The Neuroradiology Education & Research Foundation Awards

About The NER Foundation and Its Awards

The American Society of Neuroradiology was founded in 1962, and its Foundation was founded in 1995. Their mission is to promote education and research in the field of Neuroradiology and the development of clinician scientists who will become an innovative core for the development of new ideas and academic excellence in this specialty. Neuroradiology must foster both scientific and clinical excellence if it is to maintain the leadership role that the founding fathers of our specialty fought so hard to attain.

The NER Foundation funds three awards -- Scholar Award in Neuroradiology Research, Bayer */NER Foundation Fellowship in Basic Science Research, and NER Foundation/Boston Scientific Fellowship in Cerebrovascualr Disease Research. For information on other grant funding resources, please see ASNR’s Neuroradiology Research Funding Resources Wiki.

Scholar Award in Neuroradiology Research

This $60,000 award was created for investigators in the early phase of their careers (including junior faculty) to enhance competency in areas important to the future of Neuroradiology, including health services research, physiological imaging and interventional neuroradiology. These projects allow a young investigator to develop a research project in a well-focused area of Neuroradiology that will ultimately enhance patient care. In the recent past, successful applications have focused on such topics as (1) flow dynamics in aneurysms, (2) exploration of the use of diffusion tensor imaging in premature newborns, and (3) validation of CT perfusion algorithms in animal models.

Bayer*/NER Foundation Fellowship in Basic Science Research (* Formerly Berlex)

The purpose of this fellowship is to support research and education in any Basic Science topic relevant to the discipline of Neuroradiology. This fellowship has continuously been supported by a grant from Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. Awards in this category are typically given to applicants who have a well-defined project performed in controlled environment such as a laboratory setting, often using animal models of human diseases. Recent awards have been given to projects such as (1) correlation of MR perfusion imaging data and histological findings in a rodent brain tumor model and (2) use of diffusion tensor imaging and functional MR imaging to assess functional correlates of traumatic diffuse axonal injury. For 2008, the Foundation and Bayer will support two fellowships in the amount of $60,000 each.

NER Foundation/Boston Scientific Fellowship Award in Cerebrovascualr Disease Research

This $60,000 award was created to provide an opportunity for a young neuroradiologist (including junior faculty) to pursue research in a topic that will advance the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular disease. Our understanding of the mechanisms of cerebrovascular disease are continually changing and new methods for treatment of these disease entities continue to be developed. For many reasons, it is important that neuroradiologists continue to be in the forefront of development and testing of new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in cerebrovascular disease. The research project should specifically focus on an aspect of cerebrovascular disease that is likely to be important in patient care. Recent awardees have performed research on such topics as (1) clinical assessment of aneurysms treated with endovascular coils using 3T MR scanners and (2) assessment of methods to improve MR perfusion imaging in patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease.

American Society of Neuroradiology
2210 Midwest Road, Suite 207
Oakbrook, IL 60523
Tel: 630-574-0220 //// Fax: 630-574-0661

Research grants

The focus of the Hereditary Disease Foundation is on Huntington's disease. Support will be for research projects that will contribute to identifying and understanding the basic defect in Huntington's disease. Areas of interest include trinucleotide expansions, animal models, gene therapy, neurobiology and development of the basal ganglia, cell survival and death, and intercellular signaling in striatal neurons.

Anyone accepting funding from the Hereditary Disease Foundation must agree to abide by the following policy: Propagatable materials (including monoclonal antibodies and recombinant DNAs) should be freely available to other investigators following publication. The Foundation's position is that there be no restrictions or proprietary rights in materials produced with our support.

Deadlines for applications are February 15, June 15 and October 15. Applications will be reviewed in May, September and January. To obtain an application, please submit a letter of intent no more than one page long. It may be submitted at any time to following address,

Hereditary Disease Foundation
Attn: Carl D. Johnson, PhD
3960 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10032
USA

The maximum award for research grants is $50,000. Grants are usually for one year with a possibility of renewal. Grants are considered seed money. If the project shows promise, it is hoped that other institutions will fund it thereafter. The Foundation does not generally include the salary of the principle investigator. Indirect costs are not allowed, but fringe benefits are considered part of personnel costs and are allowed.

Grant applications should be submitted by email and five hard copies. Supplemental material and reprints should be submitted with a file type of PDF(.pdf).

Applicants are notified of funding decisions by letter only.

To apply:

· Submit a letter of intent: There is no deadline – submit anytime, electronically using the form on the Foundation’s website:
http://www.hdfoundation.org/funding/intent.php.

The letter of intent should include:

o Contact information

o A summary of your proposed research project – 500 words or less

· Letter of Intent Review: Letters of intent are reviewed by a triage group. Turn-around is usually less than two weeks and the primary consideration is relevance to finding treatments and cures for Huntington’s disease. If a proposal is accepted, an application form for a full proposal is sent to the applicant by email. Applicants are encouraged to interact by email or phone with Carl Johnson, Ph.D., the Executive Director for Science, while preparing their application

Applications require:

· Administrative contact: Name, title, email address, phone & fax numbers and mailing address of the institutional representative who will manage the project. The application must be approved and signed by the institution.

· Project summary: Not to exceed 200 words.

· Budget (for Grants only): Grant funding is limited to $50,000. Except in unusual circumstances, salary support is not provided for the Principal Investigator. The Foundation does not provide funds for indirect costs or overhead. Postdoctoral Fellowship salaries are determined by the Foundation, based on number of years after receipt of a doctoral degree. Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards include $8,000 for supplies.

· Other current and pending support: Please provide a complete list (NIH format) indicating aims of each project and potential overlap with the current proposal.

· Biographical sketch: Attach a two-page biographical sketch (NIH format) for the Principal Investigator and other professional personnel. Include training, experience, recent publications and patent filings. Any supplemental materials, manuscripts or papers should be submitted electronically in PDF format.

· Protection of Human Subjects: Any study using human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the applicant institution. Please attach the completed “Protection of Human Subjects Assurance/Certification/Declaration” form.

· Protection of Animal Subjects: The transportation, care, and use of animals must be in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et. seq.) and other applicable Federal laws, guidelines, and policies.

· Study Proposal: Not to exceed 10 pages, including references. There is no need for an extensive, NIH style, introduction, but be sure to include a description of critical details of the proposed plan as well as documentation of research experience. Particular attention should be paid to the aims and anticipated outcomes of the study and on how they will help discover or develop treatments for Huntington’s disease.

Application Review:

Applications are reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Hereditary Disease Foundation. The SAB meets three times each year: in January, May and October. Applications received at least six weeks prior to the meeting are considered. Applicants will receive written notification of the funding decision shortly after the review meeting.

Award Payment:

If the application is approved for funding, payment will be made in two equal installments. Awardees must arrange, via email or in writing, activation of the Award. The first payment is sent immediately; the second will be made six months later, upon receipt of a progress report via email. A final report including a financial statement is also required.

Please submit completed applications both by email and five hard copies to:

Hereditary Disease Foundation
Attn: Carl D. Johnson, Ph.D.
Executive Director for Science
3960 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10032

John J. Wasmuth Postdoctoral Fellowships

The John J. Wasmuth postdoctoral fellowships are named in honor of the late John Jacob Wasmuth who was an essential member of the Huntington's Disease Collaborative Research Group and a long-term and valued member of our Scientific Advisory Board. John was a superb mentor. It is our hope that those granted fellowships bearing his name will seek the same level of creativity, imagination, rigor and esprit de corps that characterized John.

The Hereditary Disease Foundation offers support for research projects that will contribute to identifying and understanding the basic defect of Huntington's disease. Areas of interest include trinucleotide expansions, animal models, gene therapy, neurobiology and development of the basal ganglia, cell survival and death, and intercellular signaling in striatal neurons.

Anyone accepting funding from the Hereditary Disease Foundation must agree to abide by the following policy: Propagatable materials (including monoclonal antibodies and recombinant DNAs) should be freely available to other investigators following publication. The Foundation's position is that there be no restrictions or proprietary rights in materials produced with our support.

Deadlines for applications are February 15, June 15 and October 15. Applications will be reviewed in May, September and January. All John Wasmuth Fellowships are automatically considered in January of every year for the Milton Wexler Fellowship award.

To obtain an application, please submit a letter of intent no more than one page long. It may be submitted at any time to the following address,

Hereditary Disease Foundation
Attn: Carl D. Johnson, PhD
3960 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10032
USA

John J. Wasmuth Postdoctoral Fellowship awards are based on the following scale which includes all university fringe benefits plus $8,000 for supplies:

0 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $40,500

1 year since Ph.D. = Stipend of $43,000

2 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $46,000

3 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $48,200

4 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $50,200

5 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $52,400

6 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $54,500

7 years since Ph.D. = Stipend of $56,000
Indirect costs are not allowed, but fringe benefits are considered part of personnel costs and are permitted.

Funded fellowships will be renewed for a second year, subject to satisfactory progress reports.

The completed application packet will consist of the application, the curriculum vitae of the applicant and the applicant’s research sponsor, a letter of support from the sponsor, and two letters of recommendation from two others familiar with the applicant, one of whom is normally the applicant’s PhD. sponsor.

Note: Completed applications should be submitted by email and five (5) hardcopies. Supplemental material and reprints should be submitted with a file type of PDF (.pdf).

Applicants are notified of funding decisions by letter only.

A list of previous Postdoctoral Fellows is available on request.

Hereditary Disease Foundation
3960 Broadway, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10032
Voice: (212) 928-2121
Fax: (212) 928-2172

http://www.hdfoundation.org

Please feel free to contact the Hereditary Disease Foundation by phone at
1 (212) 928-2121 with questions or comments regarding the application process

Scleroderma Foundation Established Investigator Grant

Purpose: The Scleroderma Foundation is seeking applications from promising established investigators both inside and outside the field of SSc research who wish to propose pilot studies to obtain preliminary data dealing with a highly innovative and/or highly relevant theme related to SSc. This grant will support pilot research that is likely to lead to more substantial unlimited research project grants from federal or non-federal sources.

Eligibility Requirements: Applications may be submitted by domestic non-profit organizations, public and private such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories. Foreign organizations and institutions are eligible. Applicants must have a doctorate degree in Medicine, Osteopathy, Veterinary Medicine or one of the sciences, must have completed a postdoctoral fellowship, have been Principal Investigator on grants from the Scleroderma Foundation or other national, private or government agencies in the past.

Investigators who have questions about eligibility should contact the Scleroderma Foundation (see below).

Mechanism of Support: Applicants may request up to $75,000 (Up to 8% of the Direct Costs per year of award may be set aside as indirect costs. The indirect cost amount will be subtracted from the yearly total [up to $75,000) of the award) per year for up to two years (total for 2 years not to exceed $150,000). These awards are not renewable. Before completion of this grant, investigators are encouraged to seek more substantial continuing support for research through other grant mechanisms through private or government agencies. Replacement of the Principal Investigator on this award is not permitted. There will be no routine escalation for future years.

Awards are contingent on the availability of funds and the receipt of sufficiently meritorious applications meeting the stated eligibility requirements.

Research Objectives: The Scleroderma Foundation Innovative Grant is designed to facilitate highly innovative or highly relevant and meritorious pilot projects by established investigators in areas of research related to SSc that will culminate in more substantial funding from Federal or non-federal granting agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs.

Vascular manifestations.
Studies of animal models.
Therapeutic modalities.
Mechanisms of end organ damage.
Immunologic studies.
Endothelial cell biology.
Fibroblast biology.
Models and markers of gender and genetic factors.
Cell signaling.
Epidemiology studies.
Matrix biology.
Stem cell biology.
Health services research (e.g. quality of life, health care delivery.)
Study of clinical manifestation.

300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923 · Phone 978-463-5843 · 800-722-HOPE (4673)

Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation Research Grant Program

Through its annual research program, the RLS Foundation honors promising scientists whose work addresses the goals of the Foundation. The RLS Foundation encourages grant applications for basic and clinical research studies of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Basic science leading to a better understanding of RLS, innovative approaches, interdisciplinary studies, and support of promising postdoctoral candidates is given funding priority.

The RLS Foundation encourages grant applications for basic and clinical research studies of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Areas in need of further research include, but are not limited to:

Epidemiology: Ascertain the prevalence and incidence of RLS, including:

Percentage of seriously affected individuals
Racial, gender, or geographic variations
Percentage of genetic versus other causes
Age of onset
Degree of association with comorbidities (such as ESRD, pregnancy, lumbosacral disease, Parkinson’s disease, and ADHD)
Neurophysiology

Identify neurophysiologic correlates in individuals with RLS and periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), those with RLS and no PLMD, and those with PLMD and no RLS
Investigate the sensorimotor physiology associated with RLS symptoms
Dopamine: Investigate the dopaminergic regulation of movement and determine the receptors most associated with RLS

Genetics: Develop strategies for identifying the genes responsible for RLS

Iron: Examine the role of iron metabolism in RLS

Treatment models: Evaluate drug effects on RLS in vitro, using an animal model, or with advanced technology (i.e., MRI, PET scan)

Circadian rhythm: Identify, quantify, and correlate the role of circadian rhythms in RLS

Postdoctoral candidates: Support of the work of promising postdoctoral candidates or fellows working under the direction of established investigators on topics of potential relevance to RLS

Application Process: Initial contact should be through a letter of intent, containing the following: a one-page abstract of the proposed project, including its clearly stated relevance in addressing one or both of the RLS Foundation’s goals of finding a cure and developing effective treatments; a copy of the principal investigator’s NIH-style bio-bibliography; and a tentative budget as well as a list of other sources of funding.

Basic science leading to a better understanding of RLS, innovative approaches, interdisciplinary studies, and support of promising postdoctoral candidates will be given priority.

The Foundation will fund three to five grants of $20,000 to $35,000 each for one year with a potential for renewal of support for an additional year. The Foundation will not fund indirect costs. Payments will be made directly to the principal investigator’s institution.

The RLS Foundation
Contact us

LEGAL NAME: Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation, Inc

ADDRESS: 1610 14th St NW Suite 300 / Rochester, MN 55901

PHONE: 507-287-6465

INFO LINE: 877-INFO RLS

FAX: 507-287-6312

EMAIL: rlsfoundation@rls.org

WEBSITE: www.rls.org

TAX STATUS: 501 (c)(3)

Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) Program Guidelines: The Shaffer Fund for Innovative Glaucoma Research

Glaucoma affects an estimated 67 million people worldwide. The Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) supports new, novel and high impact clinical, epidemiological and laboratory research. Successful projects target one or more of GRF’s Strategic Research Goals, with an emphasis on collaborative pilot projects across disciplines.

Strategic Research Goals

Protect and restore the optic nerve.
Accurately detect glaucoma and monitor its progression.
Find the genes that cause glaucoma.
Understand intraocular pressure and develop better treatments.
Determine the risk factors for glaucoma damage using systematic outcomes data.
Core Values

Involve people with glaucoma in the design, implementation and evaluation of programs.
Encourage collaboration among experts in many fields of study to achieve GRF goals.
Communicate research goals and results to the scientific community and the public.
Ensure that new glaucoma treatments maintain or improve individuals’ quality of life.
Encourage innovative clinical trial studies and laboratory research.
Develop cell and animal models of glaucoma to support research studies.
Facilitate and support the development of physician-scientists to advance glaucoma research.
Shaffer Fund for Innovative Glaucoma Research
GRF’s Pilot Project Grant Program

The Glaucoma Research Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for grant applications. Researchers interested in applying for a grant are asked to submit a Preliminary Proposal Form. Preliminary proposals are distributed to the Scientific Advisory Committee for review annually, based upon a submission deadline the first week of August. Within a month of this deadline, successful applicants will receive a GRF grant application. To be included in the grant cycle for awards made in mid-January, formal applications must be received no later than the first week of October.

Shaffer Grants are typically awarded in the range of $15,000 to $40,000 and are awarded for one year. If an award is made, a competitive renewal application may be submitted for a second year. Funding for more than two years will not be awarded. Investigators must possess a graduate or post-doctoral degree to apply for support. We encourage interdisciplinary teams and collaborations that may lead to new glaucoma treatments. Any papers and abstracts resulting from research funded by us must acknowledge the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

Restrictions

A piece of equipment that exceeds $12,000 (waivers may be granted on a case-by-case basis).
Salaries for principal investigators with an established track record in glaucoma.
Projects with overt commercial applications.
Indirect costs.
Preliminary Proposal form

Interested researchers may download a Preliminary Proposal form (Microsoft Word document).

The completed proposal must be emailed to research@glaucoma.org by August 1, 2008.

For additional information on GRF’s grant program, please email Jennifer Rulon, Assistant to the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee at the Glaucoma Research Foundation.

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