BRAIN Initiative: Scaled reagent resources for brain cell type-specific access across vertebrate species (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Background
The BRAIN Initiative Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to scale up efforts for viral, non-viral, transgenic, and gene regulatory element screening technologies and create reagent resources to access brain cell types. This NOFO is part of the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium for Brain Cell Access transformative project. The goal is to generate tools to specifically access, manipulate, and monitor brain cell types across multiple vertebrate species.

Grant Details
The purpose of this NOFO is to support Reagent Resources for Design and Development (RRDDs) for the scaling up of brain cell type-specific molecular or genetic access reagents to study circuit function for several vertebrate species, including in human ex vivo tissues or cells.
The effort is envisioned to require many scientists across multiple disciplines for a sustained period. Applications from numerous scientific teams are sought, and applicants are not limited to the prior recipients of pilot Armamentarium project awards made from RFA-MH-20-556 or RFA-MH-21-180.
The desired features of a reagent resource for brain cell type access include being scaled up to enable access to each molecularly defined brain neural cell type, easily produced, disseminated, utilized, and stored; catalogued for users in a brain atlas that is registered to cell types; applicable to both genetically tractable and less tractable vertebrate organisms; highly specific, efficient, and reproducible in targeting cell types; not toxic or perturbative to cells, tissues, and organisms; flexible and compatible with other methods of cell access; potentially usable in humans to target gene editors or other effectors to circuits for future therapies.

Eligibility Requirements
All organizations administering an eligible parent award may apply for a supplement under this NOFO. Eligible organizations include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized), Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized), federal agencies, U.S. Territory or Possession entities, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, foreign organizations (including foreign components of U.S. Organizations), and foreign entities.

Period of Performance
The maximum project period is 5 years.

Grant Value
The issuing IC and partner components intend to commit an estimated total of $14,000,000 per year to fund 4 to 6 awards.