U24NS124026

A Shared Neuroscience Platform for National Dissemination and Training in Brain Organogenesis, Behavioral and Brain Disease Models, Viral Vectors, and Imaging Technologies

Advances in neuroscience depend on robust in vivo and in vitro models with innovative technologies to carry out functional and mechanistic studies accompanied by advanced imaging techniques. The Human Brain Organogenesis Program (HBOP), Behavioral and Functional Neuroscience Laboratory (BFNL), Gene Vector and Virus Core (GVVC), and Neuroscience Microscopy Services (NMS) make up a platform, the Stanford Neuroscience Research Center (SNRC), for centralization and dissemination of innovative neuroscience models, reagents, and methods.

The vision of SNRC is to provide an integrated platform in which users can expand their research to areas outside their expertise or engage multiple modalities in their research, such as applying viral vector approaches and neuroimaging approaches to behavioral models of disease or human organoid cultures.

SNRC outreach will approach neuroscience departments nationally with a call for applications for 6 fully-funded merit-based pilot studies designed to engage diverse SNRC resources. We will also offer comprehensive workshops on techniques and teach participants how to apply and integrate novel approaches into their current research programs.

SNRC is strategically equipped with resources to provide critical support to a range of national research projects and has supported over 500 labs nationwide with over 200 peer-reviewed publications in the last decade. SNRC has a growing national user base from institutions including Yale, Harvard, University of Missouri, Cornell, Princeton, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, MIT, and many more.

Investigators anywhere in the world can request a viral vector, phenotype rodent lines, or have an in vivo stroke study or an efficacy study in a model of neurodegenerative disease run remotely. Anyone can attend a workshop for training in behavioral models, 3D imaging of whole brains, or methods for 3D human cellular models (organoids and assembloids). SNRC supports many small and large biotech companies in proof of concept efficacy studies of clinical drug candidates. This contribution has supported the advancement of these projects to human clinical studies. Through SNRC, academic users will have access to these same industry-standard efficacy studies.

All SNRC activities will be supervised by a steering committee consisting of external, internal, and NIH members. Under this U24 grant, we will disseminate essential and cutting-edge resources. We will expand our external user network to share emerging technologies with the pilot study program and annual workshops. BFNL will expand its automated testing and data processing capabilities, including the Digilab cloud-based automated behavioral phenotyping system. GVVC will set up large-scale viral production as well as higher-level purification technology. NMS will include training classes in Starmap genomic imaging and array tomography proteomic imaging.

Under this program, SNRC will engage with the national neuroscience community via newly improved resource sharing websites, hands-on instruction, and annual in-person or online workshops to facilitate networks for collaboration and acceleration of discoveries in brain function and pathology.

The Leland Stanford Junior University

(1) TO SUPPORT EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS) INCLUDING: BASIC RESEARCH THAT EXPLORES THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH THE GOAL OF PREVENTING THESE DISORDERS, RESEARCH ON THE NATURAL COURSE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, IMPROVED METHODS OF DISEASE PREVENTION, NEW METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, DRUG DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT OF NEURAL DEVICES, CLINICAL TRIALS, AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE. THE INSTITUTE IS THE LARGEST FUNDER OF BASIC NEUROSCIENCE IN THE US AND SUPPORTS RESEARCH ON TOPICS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: DEVELOPMENT OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, INCLUDING NEUROGENESIS AND PROGENITOR CELL BIOLOGY, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN DEVELOPMENT AND PLASTICITY, AND PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH, SYNAPSE FORMATION, FUNCTION, AND PLASTICITY, LEARNING AND MEMORY, CHANNELS, TRANSPORTERS, AND PUMPS, CIRCUIT FORMATION AND MODULATION, BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE, SENSORIMOTOR LEARNING, INTEGRATION AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEMS, SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, AND SENSORY AND MOTOR SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE SUPPORTS BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES ON A NUMBER OF DISORDERS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO): STROKE, TRAUMATIC INJURY TO THE BRAIN, SPINAL CORD AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS, MOVEMENT DISORDERS, BRAIN TUMORS, CONVULSIVE DISORDERS, INFECTIOUS DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM, IMMUNE DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM, INCLUDING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, DISORDERS RELATED TO SLEEP, AND PAIN. PROGRAMMATIC AREAS, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE, ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES, THE DIVISION OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH, THE DIVISION OF CLINICAL RESEARCH, THE OFFICE OF TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE OFFICE OF PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE NEUROSCIENCE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. (2) TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. TO UTILIZE THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM, TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.853 - Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NNDS) [HHS - NIH]

Palo Alto, California 94304 United States

Single Zip Code

BRAIN Initiative: Research Resource Grants for Technology Integration and Dissemination (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-NS-19-006)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 282% from $1,358,699 to $5,191,106.