ANNOUNCEMENT OF US-JAPAN BRAIN RESEARCH COOPERATION PROGRAM (BRCP) 
- THE US COMPONENT

RELEASE DATE: July 30, 2004 

NOTICE: NOT-NS-04-014  (See Notice NOT-NS-07-009)

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
 (http://www.ninds.nih.gov)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
 (http://www.nimh.nih.gov)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
 (http://www.nida.nih.gov)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
 (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
 (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
 (http://www.nichd.nih.gov)

APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE:  September 15, 2004, 2005, and 2006  

This Notice replaces NOTICE NOT-NS-03-024

BACKGROUND

The "Agreement between the Government of the United States of America 
and the Government of Japan on Cooperation in Research and Development 
in Science and Technology" was signed by the President of the United 
States of America and the Prime Minister of Japan on May 1, 1980 and 
subsequently renewed and extended.  Under the umbrella of this 
Agreement, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 
(NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA and the National 
Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki National Research 
Institutes, Japan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a 
Brain Research Cooperation Program (BRCP) on November 29, 2000.  The 
focus of the BRCP is to support studies of molecular, cellular, and 
integrative mechanisms underlying brain functions.  The BRCP supports 
the following three activities: 1) research collaboration between 
scientists in the U.S. and Japan; 2) exchange and training of 
scientists; and 3) information exchange via joint workshops.  Within 
the funding guidelines of the BRCP program, each country will support 
its own scientists who participate in the aforementioned activities.  
The Japanese component of the BRCP has been active since 2001.  Details 
of the Japanese component of BRCP is available on the following website: 
http://www.nips.ac.jp/jusnou/english/

The participating six NIH Institutes are now accepting proposals from 
US neuroscientists who plan to participate in the BRCP.  

MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT

The following activities will be supported by the BRCP:

Research Collaborations 

US scientists, who are planning a short-term visit to Japan for the 
purpose of conducting collaborative research or to acquire advanced 
research skills, can apply for funding (up to $10,000 direct cost) to 
support travel and lodging expenses.  If the US scientist has current 
research funding from one of the six participating NIH institutes, 
funding for the visit will be provided through an administrative 
supplement. 

Joint Workshops 

US scientists, who are co-organizing small-scale US-Japan joint 
workshops that focus on topics relevant to the mission of the BRCP, can 
apply for funding to support the travel and lodging expenses of the 
invited US participants (up to $3,000 per person).  For joint workshops 
being held in the US, funds can also be requested to support meeting 
expenses.  The total amount of workshop support may not exceed $25,000, 
and indirect cost is not applicable.

HOW TO APPLY

Research Collaborations 

To apply for research collaboration or to acquire advanced research 
skills, the US applicants should use the PHS-398 form.  The PHS-398 
form and instructions are available at: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html.   

The application packet should include the following pages:

Face page: Applicant information, the applicant�s home institution, 
proposed budget and funding period
Page 2: Abstract, Performance Site, Key personnel
Page 4: A detailed Budget (not to exceed $10,000 direct cost)
Page 5: Budget justification
Page 6: Research Plan (up to 5 pages) 
o Background and significance of the proposed collaborative research 
o Research goals
o The unique opportunities offered by this collaboration
o Anticipated outcomes and future goals
Other pages:
o The US applicant�s current grant support (citing the participating 
NIH institute, if applicable) and Biographical Sketch
o The Japanese host�s name, title, affiliation, contact information, 
and Biographical Sketch
o A letter of invitation from the Japanese host

Joint Workshops 

For joint workshops, applications should be developed collaboratively 
by both US and Japanese organizers.  For applications submitted to the 
NIH, the application packet should include the following information:
1. The title of the joint workshop
2. The US and Japanese organizers� name, title, affiliation, address, 
phone number, email address and Biographical Sketch.  If the US 
applicants have current research funding from the participating NIH 
institutes, it should be cited 
3. The proposed workshop location
4. The proposed duration the workshop
5. The workshop plan (up to 10 pages), which should include the 
following:
o Relevance of the workshop to the goals of BRCP
o Background 
o Organizing committee (if applicable)
o Goals of the workshop
o Content: topics, sessions, list of invited participants and a 
tentative agenda
o Anticipated outcomes 
o A plan for information dissemination to the larger neuroscience 
community

REVIEW PROCEDURE

Applications in response to this solicitation will be reviewed by the 
BRCP Steering-Review Committee.  

SELECTION CRITERIA

o Significance and scientific merit 
o The soundness of the research or workshop plan
o The qualifications of the US applicant and the Japanese host
o The environment of the Japanese host institution
o Relevance to the focus of the BRCP and the mission and areas of 
research interests of the participating NIH Institutes

Areas of research interests of the participating NIH Institutes:

o NINDS supports research on the healthy, diseased, and injured brain, 
spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and mechanisms underlying neurological 
and neuromuscular disorders.

o NIMH supports an integrated program of basic and clinical research in 
biology, neuroscience, epidemiology, behavioral sciences as well as 
services research aimed at developing and assessing new approaches to 
diagnose, prevent and treat mental illness.

o NIDA supports basic, clinical, and applied research on the causes, 
consequences, prevention and treatment of drug abuse and addiction.

o NIDCD encourages collaborative basic and clinical biomedical and bio-
behavioral research in the communication sciences of hearing, balance, 
smell, taste, voice, speech and language.

o NIDCR supports research on molecular mechanisms regulating normal 
craniofacial development; genetic and environmental influences on 
abnormal craniofacial disorders; and the etiology and pathophysiology 
of chronic pain in orofacial tissues with a focus on the 
temporomandibular joint.

SELECTION AND FUNDING

The selection process will be competitive across all applications and 
activities.  Funding is subject to the availability of funds. 
Applicants will be notified of any funding decisions in December of 
each year.

FINAL REPORT

Within one month after the funding period, the awardee is required to 
submit a 2-5 page final report to the respective NIH funding institute 
describing the work completed under the program.

RECEIPT DATE: September 15, 2004, 2005, 2006

REQUIREMENT OF PRIOR APPROVAL 

Prior approval from program staff at the respective participating NIH 
institutes is required before applications will be accepted.  When 
contacting the program staff, applicants should be prepared to discuss 
the purpose, significance and necessity of their visit to Japan and how 
the collaborative arrangement will benefits their research in the US.  
Applications submitted without prior approval will be returned.  

The names and contact information of the program staff representing the 
participating NIH institutes are listed below:

Yuan Liu, Ph.D.
Chief, Office of International Activities
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Blvd. NSC Room 2110
Bethesda, MD 20892-9523 (USPS)
Rockville MD 20852 (Courier)
Telephone: (301)496-1917
FAX: (301)402-2060
Email: [email protected]

Michael F. Huerta, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Translational Research and
Scientific Technology
Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health 
6001 Executive Blvd., Rm. 7202
Bethesda, MD  20892-9645 
Telephone: 301-443-3563 
FAX: 301-443-4822
Email: [email protected]

Steven Gust, Ph.D.
Director, International Program
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd, Room 5272
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: 301-443-6489
Email: [email protected]

Barry Davis, Ph.D.
Division of Scientific Programs
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, EPS Room 400C, MSC-7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180
Telephone: (301)402-3464
FAX: (301)402-6251
Email: [email protected]

John W. Kusiak, Ph.D.
Director, Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology Program
Division of Basic and Translational Sciences
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Natcher, Building 45, Room 4AN-18A
Bethesda, MD 20892-6402
Telephone: 301-594-7984
FAX: 301-480-8319
Email: [email protected]

Danuta Krotoski, Ph.D. 
Acting Associate Director
Office of Prevention Research and International Programs
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard
Room 2A-01 MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Telephone: 301 435 7566 
FAX: 301 435 0009 
Email: [email protected]

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

The face page of the PHS-398 form should be signed by the US applicant 
and the administrative official from his or her home institution.  An 
original application and five photocopies should be sent by mail or 
courier to:

Ms. Stacey Chambers
Program Analyst
Office of International Activities
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Blvd. NSC Room 2111
Bethesda, MD 20892- 9523 (USPS)
Rockville MD 20852 (courier)
Telephone: (301) 496-0690
FAX: (301) 402-2060 
Email: [email protected]

DO NOT SEND TO THE CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW (CSR) 

OTHER RELATED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:

Other funding opportunities for activities related to American and 
Japanese collaborations in the field of neuroscience, (exclusive of 
this solicitation) include the following:

o US postdoctoral fellows who plan to receive training in a Japanese 
laboratory can apply for the RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH 
SERVICE AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS (F32) 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-067.html

o US independent scientists who plan to receive training or conduct 
collaborative research in a Japanese laboratory for and extended time 
period (four months to a year) can apply for the NIH NATIONAL RESEARCH 
SERVICE AWARDS FOR SENIOR FELLOWS (F33) 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-00-131.html

o For large-scale meetings or workshops that have a larger impact on 
the neuroscience research community, investigators may apply for an NIH 
CONFERENCE GRANT (R13). 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/par-03-176.html

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)