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Workshop on International Funding Opportunities and Grantsmanship for Neuroscientists from Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Sixth IBRO World Congress:  Prague, Czech Republic; July 13, 2003

At the 6th IBRO Congress, the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) organized a workshop on Funding Opportunities and Grantsmanship for Neuroscientists from Low- and Middle-Income Countries.  In the first hour, representatives of four organizations presented overviews of the opportunities available from their grants programs.  In the second hour, representatives from NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Mental Health gave a presentation on Grant Review Procedures and Writing Strategies, with special emphasis on the procedures at the NIH.  Highlights of these presentations are summarized below.

Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP):  Dr. Martin Reddington

The Human Frontier Science Program promotes international collaboration in interdisciplinary, basic research in the life sciences.  Research into the complex mechanisms of biological systems is emphasized.

  • Research Grants: For international multi-laboratory collaborations to carry out novel, innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to basic biological research.  Encourages the involvement of other disciplines such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering.  Young Investigator Grants are given to teams in which all members are within 5 years of obtaining an independent position and not more than 10 years after PhD.  Support is for 3 years with up to $450,000/year.  Program Grants are for scientists at any stage of their careers, but team members are expected to embark upon new projects.  Support is for 3 years with up to $450,000 per year.
  • Long-term Fellowships:  To enable scientists to obtain postdoctoral training abroad.  3 year fellowships of which the 3rd year can be used for repatriation to the home country.  Repatriating fellows are eligible to apply for an HFSP Career Development Award to enable them to develop independent research programs upon returning to their home country.
  • Short-term Fellowships:  To enable scientists to establish new collaborations or to learn new techniques.  Provides travel and per diem for periods of 2 weeks to 3 months in a laboratory in a foreign country.
  • For country eligibility and full information on these programs see: http://www.hfsp.org.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI):  Dr. Charles Schultz.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute was established in 1953 with the mission to improve the quality of life through biomedical research and education.  While it's main activity is to support biomedical research in the United States, it carries out international activities through the International Program within the HHMI office of Grants and Special Programs.

  • International Research Scholar (IRS) Program.  The objective of the IRS Program is to support the research of non-U.S. scientists working outside the U.S.  To be eligible, an individual must not be a U.S. citizen or resident, must have published at least three papers within the last five years in international peer-reviewed, English language journals and, at the time the award is accepted, must have a position without major administrative duties at a not-for-profit research institution in a country eligible under a specific initiative.  The IRS Program currently gives five-year grants ranging from a total $250,000-$450,000 to institutions to support the research of the awarded Scholar.  20% of the funds must be expended on department-shared resources.  One hundred thirty two Scholars located in 29 countries are in the midst of their five-year grant term for the following 3 initiatives:  2000 Parasitology and Infectious Diseases; 2000 Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union; and 2002 Canada and Latin America.
  • Further information on the IRS Program and other activities carried out by the HHMI Grants office, including contact information, can be found at the following URL: www.hhmi.org/grants/.

Fogarty International Center, NIH:  Dr. Kathleen Michels

The mission of the Fogarty International Center of the NIH is to reduce disparities in global health and advance health research in low- and middle-income countries.  It currently has 28 research and research training programs directed toward this goal.  Programs that are currently available for competitive application and may be of particular interest to neuroscientists are the following:

  • Brain Disorders in the Developing World:  Research Across the Lifespan.  For collaborative research between high-income and low- to middle-income country scientists (either partner may be the principal investigator) to carry out research on nervous system function and disorders relevant to developing countries.  Planning grants are currently being reviewed.  A Request for Applications for full research grants is expected within two years.  Contact:  BRAINFIC@NIH.GOV. 
  • FIRCA.  Supports international research partnerships between NIH-funded U.S. scientists and collaborators in low- and middle-income countries.  All areas of biomedical research are eligible, including basic neuroscience research.  $32,000/year for 3 years to support the foreign lab and investigator.
  • Informatics Training for Global Health.  Applications are invited to develop training programs to enhance global health informatics capacity in low- and middle-income countries through collaborations with US institutions.  Training areas include neuroinformatics and informatics in support of neuroscience research.  See RFA:  http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-TW-03-008.html.    News release:  http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jun2003/fic-30.htm .
  • Trainees:  Individuals who wish to become trainees in any of our 17 training programs must apply to the Project Director of an awarded grant directly.  Project directors are listed under the appropriate programs on the FIC website.
  • For detailed information on all Fogarty programs see: www.fic.nih.gov/programs.html.  To sign up for a Fogarty Neuroscience listserv contact BRAINFIC@NIH.GOV.  To contact a program officer for your region see: www.fic.nih.gov.

IBRO:  Dr. Y.S. Chan

IBRO offers an array of funding opportunities, education and training programs, and resources for the international neuroscience community.

  • Funding opportunities include Research Fellowships, Travel Grants, INSERM/IBRO Travel Fellowships for work in France, and Society for Neuroscience/IBRO Travel Fellowships to attend the Society of Neuroscience Meetings.  Regional funding for symposia and workshops is also available and discussions should be initiated with the appropriate IBRO regional representative.  The IBRO website also contains quick links to other international funding opportunities for neuroscience.
  • Education and Training programs include the Visiting Lecture Team Program, Neuroscience Schools, the Education Resource Project (organized access to educational materials already available on the web), and Cyber-Journal Clubs.  The Library Projects support the development of library resources in regions where journals, books and materials important for learning are needed but cannot be purchased, including free and low-cost journals, book donations, and book translations. 
  • The Equipment Exchange facilitates the optimal use and delivery of used, donated equipment in good working condition to interested labs in economically underprivileged countries.
  • For more information on all of these programs and other resources, see:  http://www.ibro.org/

The Wellcome Trust:  Written materials were available

The mission of the Wellcome Trust is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health.  To this end, it supports "blue skies" research and applied clinical research.  It also encourages the exploitation of research findings for medical benefit.

  • Training Fellowships for Scientists from Tropical and Developing Countries:  To provide opportunities for training and undertaking research projects in tropical and/or developing countries to support research in tropical medicine.  Studies of all aspects of health and disease in developing regions are encouraged.  The training can take place at international centers of excellence in any developing country, in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, with a substantial period of research undertaken in the applicant's home country.  Applications are invited from postdoctoral basic scientists, medical, dental, or veterinary graduates. Contact:  tropical@wellcome.ac.uk or see:  www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/biosfginttrpfunpertrf.html.
  • Collaborative Research Initiative Grants:  To enable research workers based in developing or restructuring countries to undertake a research program to be carried out in their home laboratory, in conjunction with a collaborating laboratory in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.  The overseas applicant must hold an established post.  Proposals that address scientific or health issues relevant to the region of origin of the overseas applicant are encouraged.  Contact:  international@wellcome.ac.uk or see: www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/1/biosfgintintfuncolcrg.html. 

Grantsmanship:  Drs. Yuan Liu and Dennis Glanzman

This portion of the workshop walked a potential applicant through the grant submission and review process at NIH, and offered tips and strategies for putting together a grant application for NIH.  Links to relevant URL's for NIH grant application and for grantsmanship issues in general, common mistakes in NIH Grant Applications, and a technical checklist for writing a grant application were presented (please visit below link to view PowerPoint presentation).  

PowerPoint Presentation on Granstmanship

Updated September 2003

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