BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Scalable Technologies and Tools for Brain Cell Census (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Summary/Description

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) intends to accelerate the integration and use of scalable technologies and tools to enhance and reinvigorate brain cell census research, including the development of technology platforms and/or resources that will enable a swift and comprehensive survey of brain cell types and circuits. Of particular interest are those that will (a) improve technology and resource platforms to remove limitations and bottlenecks in the current pipeline of brain cell census data generation; (b) integrate experimental and computational methods to enhance capabilities of cell census data generation and analysis and to reduce barriers to hypothesis-driven research; (c) generate a substantial amount of spatiotemporal cell census data and/or resources to demonstrate the utility of the improved technology and resource platforms; and (d) conduct comparative studies by using proper criteria to evaluate and benchmark quality of biospecimen, performance of cell census tools/technologies, and effectiveness of computational approaches. The projects funded under this FOA will align with the overarching goals of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) and are expected to generate a substantial amount of cell census data using the proposed technologies or via collaboration with the BICCN.