On April 2, 2013, President Obama launched the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders. This multi-agency effort includes funding opportunities from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). In mid-November, DARPA announced two programs as a part of this Initiative: SUBNETS (Systems-Based Neurotechnology for Emerging Therapies) and RAM (Restoring Active Memory).
The NIH plans to invest $40 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and has announced six funding opportunit
“The first wave of NIH investments in the BRAIN initiative will focus largely on technology development that will advance basic science. Two of the funding announcements call for developing methods for classifying and accessing the diverse cells and circuits of the brain. Three focus on developing and optimizing technologies for recording and modulating collections of cells that function together as a circuit. One supports the formation of interdisciplinary teams of scientists to develop the next generation of non-invasive imaging technologies for human research.”
The opportunities currently available are:
- Transformative Approaches for Cell-Type Classification in the Brain
- Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Analyze Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain
- New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Large-Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System
- Optimization of Transformative Technologies for Large Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System
- Integrated Approaches to Understanding Circuit Function in the Nervous System
- Planning for Next Generation Human Brain Imaging
Click here for detailed information on each area.
