The purpose of this solicitation is to invite pre-applications from senior faculty brain researchers at UM and UMMC to be considered for institutional nomination for the 2014 Scientific Innovations Award (SIA) in Neuroscience Award competition, sponsored by the Brain Research Foundation.

One-page pre-applications (brief summary of program project) are solicited for institutional consideration from full-time associate professors or full professors at UM or UMMC studying brain function in health and disease. Pre-applications should propose projects that are "innovative and speculative" but which may yield "high impact findings.” Current major NIH or other peer-reviewed funding is preferred but evidence of such funding in the past three years is essential.

Internal UM/UMMC one-page pre-applications should be accompanied by a current biosketch in NIH format and submitted by 5:00 p.m., Friday, May 17, 2013.  UMMC pre-applications should be e-mailed to Leslie Musshafen, UMMC Director of Sponsored Programs, at lmusshafen@umc.edu; Pre-applications from the UM Oxford campus should be e-mailed to Jason Hale, UM Director of Research Resources, at jghale@olemiss.edu. An internal committee at each campus will review the pre-applications and select the strongest applicant from each by May 31. UM Vice Chancellor Alice Clark and UMMC Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, John Hall, will then select one pre-application of the two remaining by early June and notify the selected applicant. The selected applicant/institution will submit a Letter of Intent to the Brain Research Foundation by their July 1 deadline. If reviewed favorably by the Foundation, the PI will be invited to submit a full application due in October.

If the UM/UMMC nominee is fortunate enough to win the national competition, the award will be for $150,000 for two years and may be spent on the purchase or care of laboratory animals, small pieces of lab equipment, lab supplies, and/or salary for scientific and technical staff.

For more information, visit http://thebrf.org/assets/root/pdf_files/SIA%20Guidelines%202014.pdf