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, including the identification of bioactive compounds and characterization of cell-based therapeutic strategies, neuroimaging, proteomic and genomic approaches, and development of treatments that will alleviate the symptoms of Batten Disease. Also approaches exploring the neurobiology of NCL disease and determining the molecular pathogenesis in the CNS and further understanding the cell biology of the NCL proteins/enzymes. Proposals will be received for all forms of NCL with emphasis on CLN1, CLN2, CLN3, CLN4, CLN6 and identification of previously unknown NCLs. Multiyear proposals are generally discouraged unless there are extenuating circumstances.

This year BDSRA is placing added emphasis on the following:

-Identification of the gene and protein associated with Adult Onset NCL or Kufs disease, understanding of mechanism of the disease and development of novel therapeutics.

-Novel therapeutic approaches for INCL and LINCL.

-Development of the tools or models that will facilitate development for screening therapies for JNCL, especially the use of model systems such as worms, flies and fish

Grant awards are available up to $35,000.

In addition, BDSRA is including in it's 2006 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 project/study must begin within six months of date of award and 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 require models, cells and mice developed with BDSRA funds be openly shared with the scientific community upon description of their development or use in a peer-reviewed publication.

Submitted proposals must be postmarked no later than 11:59PM , May 24, 2006 .

Please submit proposals to:
BDSRA
166 Humphries Dr.
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: lance@bdsra.org .

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