Due April 9, 2008 This broadcast announces a new Schizophrenia Research Program within the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute. The goal of the BSI is to foster new interactions and collaborations that will produce transformative, highly innovative new approaches to selected research problems, and to support development of enabling platforms and cores that will benefit many researchers in the target areas. This represents the first disease-specific research program within the BSI. Schizophrenia is a particularly timely target because of the crescendo of research developing at Johns Hopkins and the diversity of investigators. Drs. Solomon Snyder (Depts. of Neuroscience and Psychiatry), David Valle (Pediatrics, Medicine, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ophthalmology, Biology, IBBS, and the Institute of Genetic Medicine), and Raymond DePaulo (Psychiatry) advised in the establishment of this program. The BSI will provide support for innovative, multidisciplinary research projects in schizophrenia or for development of essential core resources. Both human and molecular/experimental animal projects will be considered. An expert panel of external and internal investigators will score the applications. The proposals will be judged on the basis of innovation, ability to change the research field, and the bringing together of new collaborative groups. We discourage the seeking of supplemental funds or bridging support for ongoing research programs. This represents a call for grants that meet these criteria. Please use the format below in preparing applications. Studies involving human subjects will require IRB approval before funding. Applications are due April 9, 2008. Most budgets should be prepared for up to two years. We are not specifying budget limits, but investigators should recognize that the higher the budget the higher the bar that the proposal will need to clear from a merit standpoint. We anticipate that applications will range from approximately $100K to a maximum of $1M for up to two years. Principal investigator effort can be included on grants. Indirect costs will not be charged. 1. A brief proposal, not to exceed four pages (excluding Appendix, if one is needed)
2. Proposal format:
i. Scientific abstract
ii. Goal of the project or platform
iii. Rationale
iv. Pertinent experience and/or preliminary data
v. The scientific team and scientific leader(s): provide rationale for assembly of the group
vi. Anticipated Pitfalls
vii. A 2 year budget, separating startup and operating costs.
viii. Anticipated milestones
ix. Appendix: NIH type biosketch of investigators
Current Other External Support (NIH format)
Any supplemental figures: maximum of two pages Applications should be submitted electronically as a single combined PDF to bsmith13@jhmi.edu. After initial screening by the review committee presentations to the committee may be requested.
Inquiries can be directed to Barbara Smith (bsmith13@jhmi.edu; 410-955-4504). | 
