March 1, 2004

Special Announcement

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. Multiyear proposals are generally discouraged unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Grant awards are available up to $35,000.

NOTE: BDSRA has $4400 available specifically for CLN6 research.

In addition, BDSRA is including in it's 2004 Request for Proposals, the establishment of postdoctoral fellowship/s of up to $40,000 for salary and benefits per annum, for two to three years and pre-doctoral studentship/s of up to $22,000 for salary and benefits per annum for up to two years. Continued funding for years two and/or 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/studentship applicant and the laboratory in which the fellowship/studentship will be performed.

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 the amount changes, it and any other changes, 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 support. Supplementary support for funded NIH projects will not be supported. An original and eight 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/institution affiliation or other funding sources. BDSRA will NOT accept proposals sent via email.

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 or other funding for continued 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 after 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 whole 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 recipient's research that has been funded by the BDSRA results in any new discovery or invention that may provide benefit to individuals with Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, 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.

Submitted proposals must be postmarked no later than 11:59PM, June
15, 2004.

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.

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