Notice Number: NOT-DA-15-081

Key Dates
Release Date: October 9, 2015
Estimated Publication Date of Announcement: January 2016
First Estimated Application Due Date: March 2016
Earliest Estimated Award Date: July 2017
Earliest Estimated Start Date: August 2017

Issued by
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)

Purpose

The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research intends to reissue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the “Training in Computational Neuroscience: From Biology to Model and Back Again (T90/R90)” (RFA-DA-11-005).

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful training program collaborations that will link research training and research education for responsive applications. 

The FOA is expected to be published by the end of Winter 2016 with an anticipated application due date in Spring 2016. Awards will provide up to 5 years of support.

The reissued FOA is expected to be largely similar to the previous versions. Known changes consist of revised instructions to reflect policy changes recommended by the Biomedical Workforce Working Group of the Advisory Committee to the Director, NIH, as well as instructions regarding changes to SF 424 application forms.

This FOA will utilize the T90/R90 activity code. Brief details of the planned FOA are provided below. Full details will be available in the reissued FOA.

Research Initiative Details

The purpose of this FOA is to establish new research training and research education programs in computational neuroscience, and to support the continuation of meritorious existing programs, for undergraduate and predoctoral level students. It is intended that programs will provide research training and research education in both experimental neuroscience and in the theories and principles of the physical, computer, mathematical, or engineering sciences that are necessary to develop models, test them experimentally, and use experimental data to refine the models of normal or disordered neural systems or processes. Programs are further expected to stimulate interactions among training faculty from multiple disciplines and departments and to foster development of an integrated curriculum in computational neuroscience at the applicant institution.

Training in computational neuroscience at the undergraduate level is optimal for establishing a “pipeline” of computational neuroscientists by attracting students in the quantitative sciences to apply these disciplines to neuroscience research questions early in their careers, and conversely, for undergraduates in the biological or behavioral sciences to acquire sufficient education in the quantitative sciences to pursue research using computational neuroscience methods.

An institutional predoctoral program for full-time research training to support graduate students enrolled in a relevant doctoral degree program is also expected. The predoctoral research training component must include NRSA eligible trainees and may also include non-NRSA eligible predoctoral participants (students). Trainees must have the opportunity to carry out supervised research training in computational neuroscience. The primary objective of this program must be to develop the students’ research skills and knowledge in preparation for a research career in computational neuroscience.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Mimi Ghim, PhD 
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 
Telephone: 301-402-1918
Email:  [email protected]