The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience supports innovative research designed to bring science closer to the day when diseases of the brain can be accurately diagnosed, prevented and treated.  The McKnight Endowment Fetund invites letters of intent for the 2008 McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards.  Up to four awards are made annually, each providing $100,000 for two years.

These awards encourage and support scientists working on the development of novel and creative approaches to understanding brain function. The Endowment Fund is especially interested in how technology may be used or adapted to monitor, manipulate, analyze or model brain function at any level, from the molecular to the entire organism.  The program seeks to advance and enlarge the range of technologies available to the neurosciences and does not support research based primarily on existing technologies.  Collaborative, cross-disciplinary applications are explicitly invited.

Investigators must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents conducting research at institutions within the U.S.  Applicants must be in tenured or tenured-track faculty positions and may not be employees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Funds may be used toward a variety of research activities, but not the recipient’s salary.

For consideration, submit a two-page letter of intent, summarizing the project and describing how the technology involved will enrich the neurosciences and become accessible to other research in the field. Please include data if available. The selection committee will invite a few applicants to submit detailed proposals which are due by May 1, 2008.  Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of creativity and potential benefit of the new approach and the significance of the problems to be addressed.

The deadline for pre-proposals is December 3.  The letter should not exceed two pages and should include a one-sentence statement describing the technological innovation proposed to be developed. A title for the project, and the mailing and email addresses of the principal investigator should be included. Letters of intent should be sent to:

The McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award

The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience

710 South Second St., Suite 400

Minneapolis, MN  55401

For further information, visit www.mcknight.org/neuroscience