Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Specialized Collaboratory on Human, Non-human Primate, and Mouse Brain Cell Atlases (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Summary/Description

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), along with the NIH Institutes and Centers participating in the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative, intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support a group of Specialized Collaboratories that will adopt scalable technology platforms and streamlined sampling strategies and assay cascade to complement the Comprehensive Centers (NOT-MH-21-260) with distinct capabilities, competencies, and research aims in creating brain cell atlases. The Collaboratories are expected to have specialized research focus on select brain regions and/or cell types in human and non-human primates, or to extend mouse brain cell atlases across lifespan with a new emphasis on linking molecular cell types to circuits and function. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adopt innovative and unique scalable technology and assay platforms to characterize brain cell types. The overarching goal of the BICAN is to build reference brain cell atlases that will be widely used throughout the research community, providing a molecular and anatomical foundational framework for the study of brain function and disorders. This Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. The FOA is expected to be published in July 2021 with an expected application due date in November 2021. This FOA will utilize the U01 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.