Batten Disease Support and Research Association
120 Humphries Dr., Suite 2
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
1-800-445-4570 or 740-927-4298

March 1, 2001

The Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA) is pleased to announce that limited funds are available to promote research and/or assist in a viable research project/s for, but not limited to, development of novel therapeutic approaches to treatment for NCL, development of new or novel animal systems for researching and understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of NCL, and development of treatments that will alleviate the symptoms of Batten Disease, and other projects that further the understanding of NCL. Proposals will be received for all forms of NCL and general research into NCL.

Grant awards are available up to $35,000.

All grant award(s) must be used to cover direct costs of the project/investigation and may not be used for overhead costs. In the event this amount changes it will be announced on the BDSRA website - http://www.bdsra.org.

The submitted proposals must be concise: three to five pages in length and include a working hypothesis, preliminary results pertinent to the specific investigation, available resources, research proposed, a short budget, collaborators, and the anticipated results and their significance. Include in proposal, or as attachment, your current funding, USPHS or NINDS grant(s) and private. Supplementary support for funded NIH projects will not be supported. An original and six copies of submissions to BDSRA must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae. Also include information relevant to any matching funds that may be available through your university or institution affiliation.

Applications will be reviewed based upon the quality of the proposed science, the probability of achieving the specific aims proposed and the likely-hood of securing federal funding for research.

As a condition of award the investigator must provide assurance that a report will be made to BDSRA within 12 months of the award date with a short interim report at six months. Proposal preparation time should be minimal.

Recipients of awards from BDSRA, in addition to providing progress reports, are required to provide to BDSRA copies of any publications (abstracts, etc.) resulting in while or in part, directly or indirectly, from research funded by the award.

Appropriate acknowledgment of BDSRA funding must be noted in such publications. In addition, if a recipients research that has been funded by the BDSRA results in any new discovery or invention that may provide benefit to individuals with Neuronal Ceroid Lipofusinoses, the BDSRA shall retain the right to use, as it deems appropriate, such discovery or invention for non-commercial research purposes. Furthermore, the recipient and/or the recipient’s institution shall immediately notify the BDSRA, if BDSRA funds have supported research that results in the recipient and/or the recipient’s institution seeking to make any commercial gain, patent application or secure any other proprietary rights to legally protect any discovery or invention resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the research. The BDSRA shall be entitled to an equitable share of any patent, proprietary right and/or commercial gain that accrue to the recipient and/or the recipient’s institution as a result, either in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of BDSRA funding. The BDSRA’s equitable share shall be based upon the level of contribution the BDSRA funding had on the research.

BDSRA favors scientists who share biological samples and collaborate.

For the first time, BDSRA is proud to include in it’s Request for Proposals, the establishment of one postdoctoral fellowship of up to $40,000 for salary and benefits per annum, for two to three years. Continued funding for years two and three are contingent upon submission and evaluation of a progress report three months prior to renewal for funding. Applications will be reviewed based on strength of the proposal (as described above), the postdoctoral applicant and the laboratory in which the fellowship will be performed.

Proposals must be postmarked no later 11:59 PM, June 30, 2001. Grant awards will be announced at the BDSRA Annual Conference, August 5, 2000.

Please submit proposals to BDSRA, 120 Humphries Dr., Suite 2, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068.

Inquiries may be directed to Lance W. Johnston, Executive Director,
BDSRA, at 1-800-448-4570 or 740-927-4298.

Email address: bdsra1@bdsra.org.

Larry J. Killen President

Lance W. Johnston Executive Director