THE
PARALYSIS PROJECT OF AMERICA
SPINAL CORD INJURY, REHABILITATION AND NEUROPLASTICITY RESEARCH
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
Application Deadline: September 10, 2004,
6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
[Download
2004 Guidelines]
Statement of Purpose
The Paralysis Project of America (PPA) is a California based
organization dedicated to finding a cure for paralysis
by supporting selected basic and applied research. Several
new Postdoctoral Fellow awards (First Step Awards) and
Senior Investigator Awards are available from the Paralysis
Project to support research in the field of Spinal Cord
Injury. The goal of this program is to provide funds to
support investigators to initiate novel and innovative
lines of research. Research supported by the Paralysis
Project range from basic science for studies to understand
the mechanisms involved in neural degeneration and plasticity,
to the development of therapeutic interventions.
The
Paralysis Project is particularly interested in funding
projects
that focus on:
-
The
pathological “chemical, mechanical,
vascular, etc.” mechanisms
responsible for neuronal injury.
-
The
development of pharmacological strategies to intervene
in these pathological processes.
-
The
development of experimental models of spinal cord injury
that are particularly amenable
to testing
therapeutic strategies.
-
The
underlying processes and molecules involved in the regulation
of neuronal growth, synapse
formation, and synaptic activity (e.g.,
growth factors) and
the manipulation of these factors toward the restoration of damaged
circuitry.
-
The
development and biomechanical analysis of spinal implants
that optimally stabilize spinal fractures.
-
The
development of pharmaceutical or biological methods (e.g.,
neural transplantation)
to improve function in
either acute or chronic spinal
cord injury.
-
The
role of non-neuronal cells (e.g., oligodendrocytes, astrocytes,
etc.) in spinal cord injury and their potential
contribution
to recovery of function.
-
The
biology of bone grafts and development of strategies that
enhance bone healing and improve rehabilitation
time.
-
The
development of novel therapeutic strategies toward improvement
of muscular performance, bladder function,
sexual function
and chronic pain
in spinal
cord injury.
Although
the Paralysis Project will consider projects that fall
within the general field of neuronal
injury
and recovery
of function,
highest
priority
will be given
to these projects that directly focus on spinal cord
injury.
Terms
and Restrictions
Applications will be accepted for one year for Postdoctoral
Fellows and for the total amount of $34,000 per
year ($25,000 for salary
and $9,000
for benefits).
No other support will be awarded. The principle
investigator, who must hold the
academic rank of assistant professor (or equivalent)
or higher, is expected to provide funding necessary
for the
postdoctoral
fellow to carry out
the proposed studies. Senior investigators are
eligible for funding of up to
$50,000 to
initiate
new research projects.
Preference
will be given to investigators with established programs
dealing with neural
plasticity
or functional
recovery.
An
investigator may submit no more than one application.
Funds
awarded are to be used solely for individuals actively
involved in research. The Paralysis
Project does not
fund institutional overhead,
large
capital equipment,
or construction of buildings.
The
Paralysis Project does not fund grants for research at
for-profit
organizations.
No
indirect costs are provided by the Paralysis Project
Review
of Applications
Complete proposals are reviewed by an
independent Scientific Advisory Committee
with recommendations
to the Board
of Directors for funding
or modifications.
Outside review may be requested from
senior investigators who do not have
a pending
proposal. Final approval/disapproval
is by the Paralysis
Project
Board
of Directors.
Notification
of awards will be provided by October 30, 2004. The Paralysis
Project staff
is not
authorized to
provide
any information on priority
scores, ranking
or probability of funding of applications
prior to written notification of
applicants.
Please
do not telephone
the
Paralysis Project
to request such
information.
Applications
must be submitted online through proposalCENTRAL by 6:00
p.m.
Eastern Time,
September 10, 2004.
To
be considered for funding, a candidate must submit the
following
by the
deadline:
-
a completed electronic application
-
a
signed Signature Page scanned and submitted with the electronic
application
To
begin the application, you
will need to register
at proposalCENTRAL and create
a
unique researcher
profile, including a
User ID (e-mail address and
a password).
Go to https://v2.ramscompany.com.
Note:
you are NOT required to complete the online
application
in one sitting.
You may
access your
application and
change your answers
as many times as
you like with your
User ID (e-mail address) and
password from any
computer with
Internet access.
No
application will be considered complete
without
the signed Signature
Page(s).
The signed Signature
Page(s)
can be completed
and submitted
electronically as
follows:
-
Please
complete all the information
in all
application
sections,
then select and
print
the application
section labeled “Signature
Page(s)”.
-
Have
the Signature
Page(s) form signed
by both the
PI and the Institution
Official.
-
Scan
the signed Signature Page(s)
form. Note:
The signed form must
be scanned
at 100%, and
at least
150 dots per
inch resolution.
-
Convert
the scanned file to an Acrobat
PDF file
format.
-
Attach
this signed
and scanned form
in .pdf
format in the “Research
Plan
and Supporting Documents” section. Click “Browse”,
select the appropriate scanned file on your computer,
then click the “Return the
File” button.
Select
attachment
type
(“Signed
Signature
Page(s)”).
If
you
have trouble
scanning
the
Signed Signature
Page(s),
the
paper documents
can
be faxed
to
a special
fax
number, converted
to
electronic format
and
e-mailed back
to
you.
Please
contact
proposalCENTRAL
Customer
Support
for
details. Allow
at
least one
day
for
this process.
If
you have
any problems,
please contact
proposalCENTRAL customer
support by
e-mail at
support@ramscompany.com or
by phone
1-800-875-2562 (toll-free)
or (301)
916-4557.
Public
Information and
Education
The
Paralysis Project
is a publicly
supported, non-profit
organization active
in supporting
research, education
and providing
information on
spinal cord
injury and
rehabilitation. Information
on supported
research is
provided to
donors, interested
individuals and
presented in
public forums
to foster
dissemination of
new information
and promote
public understanding
and support
of spinal
cord injury.
The submission
of this
application shall
be deemed
consent of
the applicant
to publication
of the
title of
the project,
name and
institutional affiliation
of the
principle investigator
and postdoctoral
fellow, and
amount of
the award.
The principle
investigator will
be consulted
prior to
use of
scientific information
provided in
the application
or subsequent
progress reports.
Confidential data
will not
be released.
Investigators will
be required
to provide
a written summary
of their
results at
the end
of the
funding period
and may
be requested
to present
the results
to a Board
meeting of
the Paralysis
Project.
Sharing
of Reagents
It
is the
belief of
the Paralysis
Project that
attempts should
be made
to make
available to
qualified investigators
or collaborators
any biological
reagents (e.g.,
antibodies, recombinant
DNA clones,
cultured cell
line, hybridoma
cell lines,
mutant or
unique organisms,
etc.) developed
during the
course of
Paralysis Project
sponsored research,
after the
publication of
reports using
or describing
the reagents.
Materials derived
from Paralysis
Project sponsored
research represent
a valuable resource
for the
scientific community,
funded through
the generous
support of
Paralysis Project
donors. Availability
of these
reagents may
directly affect
the ability
of the
scientific community
to replicate
the experiments
of others
and promote
effective development
of future
research.
Research
Involving Human
Subjects or
Animals
The
PPA will
not fund
any grant
that involves
the use
of humans
or animals
until the
PPA receives
confirmation of
IRB or
IACUC approval.
RESEARCH
INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS
PPA
policy pertaining
to the
protection of
individuals as
research subjects
requires that
for each
proposal submitted,
the grantee
institution certify
in writing
that an
institutional committee
has reviewed
and approved
the procedures
for the
use of
human subjects,
or human
organs, tissues
and body
fluids, in
the proposed
research, in accordance
with Department
of Health
and Human
Services policies.
This certification
should accompany
the application
and must
be received
before activation
of any
grant. If
approval does
not accompany
the application,
there should
be a statement
in the
application indicating
that such
approval is
pending and
the date
when such
approval is
expected. The
approved certification
should be
submitted as
soon as
it is
available.
RESEARCH
INVOLVING ANIMALS
Grant
applications submitted
to PPA
involving the
use of
animals must
meet the
guidelines of
the National
Institutes of
Health, U.S.
Public Health
Service, which
require that
all proposed
studies be
reviewed and
approved by
an institutional
animal care
and use
committee (IACUC).
Written documentation
of approval
should accompany
the application
and must
be received
before activation
of any
award. In
addition, PPA
grantee institutions
and laboratories
must be
accredited by
the American
Association for
Accreditation of
Laboratory Animal
Care (AALAC)
and/or have
other verifiable
assurances that
the institution
and laboratory
meet appropriate
standards. Certification
of accreditation
should also
accompany the
application, and
a statement must
be included
in the
application indicating
that such
approval is
pending and
the date
approval is
expected. Certification
should be
submitted as
soon as
approval is
received. Failure
to provide
these materials
will lead
to administrative
disqualification
of
an application.
Application
Deadline: September
10, 2004,
6:00 p.m.
Eastern Time
The
Paralysis Project
of America
P.O.
Box 627
Glendale,
CA 91209-0627
www.Paralysisproject.org
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