Neuropharmacology Grants

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowships

With the increasing number of new therapies being developed for use in MS, there is a need for physicians trained in conducting clinical trials. To this end, the National MS Society established the Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship Program in honor of its founder. Clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of therapies for multiple sclerosis are highly complex and require special expertise and knowledge to monitor this highly variable disease. This program provides the individual with an MD or equivalent medical degree with up to 3 years of formal training, under the tutelage of an established investigator, in key elements associated with conducting clinical trials in MS.

Before submitting a proposal for fellowship support, the investigator must consult the Research & Clinical Programs Department by phone or email to determine whether the training plan is appropriate and relevant to the mission of the Society.

Deadline: August 13

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer Stark, PhD
Director of Research Training Programs
(212) 476-0462
jennifer.stark@nmss.org

P.B. Dews Lifetime Achievement Award for Research in Behavioral Pharmacology

Deadline for submission of nominations is September 15, 2011

ASPET’s Division of Behavioral Pharmacology sponsors the P. B. Dews Award for Research in Behavioral Pharmacology to recognize outstanding lifetime achievements in research, teaching and professional service in the field of Behavioral Pharmacology and to honor Peter Dews for his seminal contributions to the development of behavioral pharmacology as a discipline. The biennial award is supported by an endowment made possible by contributions from Aventis, Centre de Recherche Pierre Fabre, Eli Lilly, Harvard University, International Life Sciences Institute Caffeine Committee, Merck (San Diego), Pepsi Cola Company, Pfizer Central Research and Pfizer Global Research and Development, Pharmacia, Wyeth Research, and ASPET members. Contributions to the endowment fund are also welcome.

The Award consists of $750, a plaque, and partial travel expenses to the award ceremony at the ASPET annual meeting. The recipient will be invited by the Chair of the Division of Behavioral Pharmacology to deliver a special lecture on this occasion. The lecture will be published subsequently in an appropriate ASPET-sponsored publication. The awardee in 2008 was Dr. Charles Schuster , from Wayne State University.

There are no restrictions on nominees for this award. Nominations may be made by members of ASPET or of any relevant scientific society. Selection will be made by the P.B. Dews Award Committee, appointed by the President of ASPET with input from the Division for Behavioral Pharmacology.

Nominations shall be submitted electronically to jane.nelson@aspet.org and shall consist of:

Description of the candidate’s major contributions, including scientific, teaching and professional achievements.
Candidate’s curriculum vitae and bibliography.
List of the candidate’s trainees.
Brief biographical sketch of the candidate.
Five major publications (provided as PDFs or as hyperlinks to the article). Submit each manuscript PDF as a separate attachment.

Request for Proposals: Novel Approaches to Drug Discovery for Alzheimer’s Disease

ADDF funds drug discovery research programs from domestic and international investigators in academia and biotechnology companies. In addition, ADDF initiates, sponsors, and co-sponsors conferences to stimulate new ideas and approaches in areas of interest to the Foundation, bringing together physicians, scientists, and policy makers worldwide.

As a biomedical venture philanthropy, ADDF seeks to fill the critical translational funding gap between basic research and later stage drug development. We fund high risk, early stage drug discovery and development projects and catalyze scientists to enter the drug discovery field. We have adapted the operating model and principles of venture capital investing to our philanthropic mission in biomedical research. We help to create new biotechnology companies, and to fund early stage biotechnology companies, with programs dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery. We seek a return on investment for all of our grants based on the achievement of scientific milestones. When these milestones are met, funds return to the Foundation to increase our ability to support more research.

ADDF FUNDING PROGRAMS
• ADDF Academic Drug Discovery and Development Program seeks to create and support innovative translational programs for Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and cognitive aging in academic medical centers and universities. Biomarker development studies and innovative proof of concept pilot clinical trials of new approaches to treatment, prevention and early detection are also supported.

• ADDF Biotechnology Development Program supports qualified scientific projects in existing, private, early-stage biotechnology companies. ADDF will provide support for qualified projects in more advanced companies if a clear need for non-profit funding to support the project can be demonstrated and justified.

• ADDF Biotechnology Founders Technology Transfer Program supports academic programs that are eligible for technology transfer and the start-up of new biotechnology companies. Up to 35% of funds from these awards may be employed for expenses related to company formation, such as administrative, legal, patent and third-party vendor costs.

RESEARCH FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive aging: ADDF supports drug discovery and drug development efforts towards novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and cognitive decline associated with aging. These may include disease modifying agents for preventing or delaying progression as well as cognitive enhancers. ADDF provides funding for target validation and proof-of-concept studies, high throughput screening of chemical libraries, lead discovery and optimization, rational medicinal chemistry, and pre-clinical drug development. ADDF also supports small proof-of principle clinical research studies.

• Early detection and prevention: ADDF supports the development of biomarkers, such as advanced brain imaging technologies, CSF and blood tests for the early detection of mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. ADDF also supports clinical research projects to improve early detection of cognitive impairment through population-based approaches that can impact large numbers of individuals at risk.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Grant applications are usually solicited by private invitation. Unsolicited proposals are also accepted, but inquiries with ADDF staff are encouraged to determine the Foundation’s interest prior to application. ADDF provides support for 1 year of research with potential for future follow-on funding. We seek successful long-term partnerships with investigators and research organizations.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Full application guidelines and further information can be found on our website (www.alzdiscovery.org). All applicants are required to complete an electronic "Letter of Intent" (LOI) available on our website. After review of the LOI, we may invite a full application via email with a link to the electronic application form. ADDF will attempt to make a determination of interest within 90 days of receipt of the application.

ADDF accepts grant applications for the “General Request for Proposals” research award programs throughout the year (2010 deadlines for full proposals are January 7, April 1, July 1, and October 1).

If you would like to contact the Foundation, please call (212) 935-2402, or contact us by regular mail at the following address:

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
1414 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1502
New York, NY 10019

Epilepsy Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Pharmacology of Antiepileptic Drugs

(Deadline for submission of nominations is September 15, 2010)

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) has sponsored an award of $2,000 and a Certification of Citation to be awarded by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, for the purpose of recognizing and stimulating outstanding research leading to better clinical control of epileptic seizures. This research may include the basic screening and testing of new therapeutic agents, studies on mechanisms of action, metabolic disposition, pharmacokinetics, and clinical pharmacology studies.

The recipient will be selected by the Epilepsy Award Committee appointed by the President of ASPET, with representation of ILAE. Judgment will be based upon the significance of the candidate’s contribution to the treatment of epileptic seizures in human subjects. Selection will be free of restrictions on age, sex, nationality, institutional affiliation, or membership in scientific societies. The nominee must be actively engaged in research for which the Award is made, and primary emphasis will be placed upon work accomplished in the five-year period prior to each Award.

Nominations for the Award may be submitted by members of any recognized scientific association, domestic or foreign.

Nominations shall be submitted electronically to jane.nelson@aspet.org and shall consist of:

1. A summary describing the nominee’s major achievements.
2. Candidate’s curriculum vitae and bibliography.
3. Six of the nominee’s most significant papers, published or accepted for publication (provided as PDFs or as hyperlinks to the article). Submit each manuscript PDF as a separate attachment.

The biennial award shall be presented to the recipient at the annual meeting of ASPET. Hotel and economy airfare to the annual meeting for the recipient and his/her spouse will be provided.

Receipt date for nominations for the Epilepsy Research Award will be 5:00 pm on September 15, 2010 for an award to be presented at Experimental Biology ’11 in Washington, DC.

American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3995
(301) 634-7060 info@aspet.org