ZI Friday Funding Monthly Digest: Dr. Losonczy wins BRAIN Initiative award to study local circuit control of rapid plasticity in the hippocampus

By
V. Zhuravleva and A. Uhimov
September 15, 2023
ZI Friday Funding Monthly Digest: Dr. Losonczy wins BRAIN Initiative award to study local circuit control of rapid plasticity in the hippocampus September 15, 2023͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏‌  ͏


Pre-Award and Research Development

September 15, 2023 

News and Updates

Congratulations, Dr. Losonczy!


Dr. Attila Losonczy received a BRAIN Initiative Targeted Circuits Program R01 award to investigate "Local Circuit Control of Rapid Plasticity and Tunable Ensemble Formation in the Hippocampus".

Congratulations to Dr. Erin Flaherty on her NIMH MOSAIC K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award!


Dr. Erin Flaherty (Maniatis Lab), received a MOSAIC K99/R00 award to investigate "The role of the protocadherin gene cluster in neurodevelopment and the implications for neurodevelopmental disorders". She will receive funding for the final 2 years of her postdoc and first 3 years as an independent investigator.

Support for undergraduate and postbaccalaureate research


Dr. Ashok Litwin-Kumar and Dr. Ishmail Abdus-Saboor received funding to support undergraduates and postbaccalaureates in their labs.


Dr. Litwin-Kumar received the Simons Foundation Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) to support undergraduates Anietie Ekanem and Arjun Dibya. Dr. Manuel Beiran Amigo, a postdoc in the lab, will also be training these students.


Dr. Abdus-Saboor received the NIH/NINDS Research Supplement to Promote Diversity to his HEAL Initiative DP2 "Using Mouse Pain Scales to Discover Unusual Pain Sensitivity and New Pain Targets" to support postbaccalaureate Alexis Knight.

Weekly Office Hours

Every Thursday, 2:00-3:00 pm:

Meet the team and ask any questions during office hours on Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

Click here to join the Zoom meeting. 

Schedule time to meet with the team

Congratulations to our recent award recipients!

August 19 - September 15, 2023

Postbaccalaureate Awards

Alexis Knight: NIH/NINDS Research Supplement to Promote Diversity to Dr. Ishmail Abdus-Saboor's HEAL Initiative DP2 "Using Mouse Pain Scales to Discover Unusual Pain Sensitivity and New Pain Targets" (Abdus-Saboor Lab)

Postdoc Awards

Erin Flaherty: NIH/NIMH MOSAIC K99/R00 "The role of the protocadherin gene cluster in neurodevelopment and the implications for neurodevelopmental disorders" (Maniatis Lab)

Early Career Investigator Awards

Ashok Litwin-Kumar: Simons Foundation Shenoy Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Neuroscience (SURFiN) to support undergraduates Anietie Ekanem and Arjun Dibya

Established Investigator Awards

Attila Losonczy: NIH/NINDS/BRAIN Initiative RF1 "Local Circuit Control of Rapid Plasticity and Tunable Ensemble Formation in the Hippocampus"

Upcoming funding opportunities

Team Grants


Want to write a huge grant? Come talk to us about planning and executing team grant applications. Schedule a meeting with our team here!


New/Highlighted Team Grant Opportunities

  1. BRAIN Initiative U19: Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - TeamBCP. Integrated, interdisciplinary research teams that focus on examining dynamic circuit functions related to behavior, using advanced and innovative technologies. September 13, 2024
  2. NINDS RM1: Collaborative Opportunities for Multidisciplinary, Bold, and Innovative Neuroscience (COMBINE). Integrated team effort from 3-6 PD/PIs who will each bring a distinct scientific viewpoint or expertise necessary to pursue the interdisciplinary approach. October 20 2023, October 8 2024
  3. BRAIN Initiative U01: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - eTeamBCP: Team effort from 3-6 PIs to enable a large-scale analysis of neural systems and circuits within the context and during the simultaneous measurement of an ethologically relevant behavior. June 14 2024

Established Investigators (view full list on our website)


New/Highlighted Funding Opportunities

  1. BRAIN Initiative R01Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects - TargetedBCPOctober 4, June 28 2024
  2. BRAIN Initiative R34Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects -TargetedBCPPOctober 4, June 28 2024
  3. BRAIN Initiative R01: Integration and Analysis of BRAIN Initiative Data: October 13, June 7, 2024

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

  1. NIH Parent R01New: October 5, February 5, June 5; Renewal/Resubmission:
    July 5, November 5, March 5
  2. NIMH Basic Neurodevelopmental Biology of Circuits and Behavior  -  R01/R21R01October 5, February 5, June 5. R21October 16, February 16, June 16
  3. NIMH Temporal Dynamics of Coordinated Neural Activity - R01/R21R01October 5, February 5, June 5. R21October 16, February 16, June 16
  4. NIH Parent R21NewOctober 16, February 16, June 16; Renewal/Resubmission: July 16, November 16, March 16
  5. NIH Diversity Supplement: Salary/stipend support for trainees at all career stages. Deadline varies by funding agency. (Quarterly, monthly, rolling)

Early Career Investigators (view full list and timeline on our website)

  1. Research With Activities Related to Diversity (ReWARD) R01: Provides support for the health-related research of scientists who are making a significant contribution to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and who have no current NIH research project grant funding. The ReWARD program provides funding for both the scientific research and the DEIA activities of investigators. October 5, February 5, June 5
  2. Moore Inventor Fellowship: No more than 10 years since terminal degree received. Internal application for nomination. Call for submissions expected: Early-Mid September. Internal application expected deadline: Early-Mid October
  3. Irma T. Hirschl Research Awards: Tenure-track assistant professor for at least a year;
    Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Appointment. Call for submissions expected: Early – Mid October. Internal application expected deadline: Late October

Post-Docs (view full list and timeline on our website)

  1. NIH F32 NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship
  2. NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence (1-2 years of postdoc + 3 years of faculty funding)
    • NIH Parent K99/R00: Transition to faculty. International applicants eligible. 3rd - 4th year postdocs. New: October 12, February 12, June 12. Resubmission: July 12, November 12, March 12 

    • NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 : Transition to faculty. 3rd - 4th year postdocs under-represented in sciences (all women included). New: October 12, February 12, June 12; Resubmission: July 12, November 12, March 12

    • NIH BRAIN Initiative K99/R00: Transition to faculty. 3rd - 4th year postdocs under-represented in sciences (all women included). New: October 13, February 13; Resubmission: July 13, November 14, March 14
    • NIH HEAL Initiative K99/R00 or HEAL Initiative K99/R00 to Promote Diversity: Transition to faculty. International applicants eligible. Pain and substance use disorder research. 3rd - 4th year postdocs. For diversity track application, must be from a group under-represented in sciences (all women included), and U.S. citizen/permanent resident. New: October 11, February 9

  3. NIH K01 Career Development Award

    • NIH/NINDS K01: 2nd - 4th year postdocs. New: October 12, February 12, June 12. Renewal/Resubmission: July 12, November 12, March 12.

    • NIH Parent K01: 2nd - 5+ year postdocs. New: October 12, February 12, June 12. Renewal/Resubmission: July 12, November 12, March 12.

  4. Life Sciences Research Foundation Postdoctoral Research Award: Must apply within 5 years of receiving Ph.D. or M.D.; must have begun (or will begin) working in your proposed postdoc lab between August 1 of the previous year and July 31 of the upcoming year; Post-doc must be in different lab than Ph.D. October 1

  5. NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB): Biological sciences. US Citizen/permanent residents only; Cannot have worked in any position that requires the doctoral degree for a combined total of more than 15 full time months prior to the deadline. Late October - Early November
  6. NSF SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (SPRF): Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. US Citizen/permanent residents only; Must have obtained a doctoral degree in the SBE sciences within the 3 years prior to the proposal deadline or will obtain a doctoral degree within 12 months after the proposal deadline but before the anticipated start date. November 1
  7. NIH Diversity SupplementSalary/stipend support. For all career stages. Deadline varies by funding agency. (Quarterly, monthly, rolling)

   *Check with us regarding eligibility window extensions for NIH grants

Graduate Students (view full list and timeline on our website)

  1. NIH F31 or F31 Diversity NRSAFor U.S. citizens/permanent residents. December 8, April 8, August 8
  2. NIH Dissertation Grants
    • NIMH R36: Mental health research. Must be: U.S. Citizen/Permanent resident; from a background under-represented in the health sciences (race/ethnicity, disability, disadvantaged background); at the dissertation stage of training (must have an approved dissertation proposal at the time of award). December 11, April 11
    • NIDA R36: For substance-use disorder related dissertation research. Must be at the dissertation stage of training (must have an approved dissertation proposal at the time of award). October 16, February 16, June 16
    • NIA R36: For aging-related dissertation research. Must be: U.S. Citizen/Permanent resident; from a background under-represented in the health sciences (race/ethnicity, disability, disadvantaged background); at the dissertation stage of training (must have an approved dissertation proposal at the time of award). October 16, February 16, June 16
  3. NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): Pre-grad, first or second year Ph.D.; U.S. citizen/permanent resident; Cannot have a master’s degree. Mid-October
  4. Hertz Foundation FellowshipPre-grad or first year; U.S. citizen/permanent resident. Expected deadline: Mid - late October
  5. NIH/NIA F99/K00Transition to Aging Research for Predoctoral Students. must be a U.S. citizen/permanent resident OR non-U.S. citizen with a valid U.S. visa; for grad students with 1.5-2 years left of PhD (typically 3rd or 4th year students). October 20
  6. Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans: First or second year Ph.D.; Less than 31 years old; Must be an immigrant or child of immigrants; U.S. citizen/permanent resident, DACA, asylee, refugee. October 26
  7. HHMI Gilliam Fellows Program: U.S. citizen/permanent resident, or undocumented childhood arrival/DACA; second or third year Ph.D.; adviser-student pairs must be committed to advancing equity and inclusion in science. December 7
  8. NIH F99/K00 D-SPAN: Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience; must be a U.S. citizen/permanent resident; for grad students from an under-represented backgrounds, with 1.5-2 years left of PhD (typically 3rd or 4th year students). December 15
  9. Ford Foundation Predoctoral or Dissertation Fellowship: U.S. citizens/nationals/permanent residents; individuals granted deferred action status under DACA (whether current or lapsed); Indigenous individuals exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; individuals granted Temporary Protected Status; asylees; and refugees; as of Fall 2023, must have 3+ years left in the program. Early-Mid December
  10. NIH Diversity SupplementSalary/stipend support. For all career stages. Deadline varies by funding agency. (Quarterly, monthly, rolling)