2025 Wu Tsai Neuroscience:Translate Award Program

The Neuroscience:Translate grant program supports research projects at the intersection of biology, engineering and medicine to address practical unmet needs in brain health and the neurosciences.

The program funds cross-disciplinary teams to develop new devices, diagnostic procedures, software, pharmaceutical therapies and other products that can be brought rapidly to market through new startup companies or partnerships with existing entities. Grants of $100,000-$120,000 are awarded annually to fund up to three project teams.Teams who have previously received Neuroscience:Translate awards may apply for a one-year renewal to continue advancing their technology.

Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute will provide funding to support collaborative translational research projects that involve co-principal investigators from diverse areas. Each proposal must have at least two co-principal investigators from two different fields, both of whom must be members of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute (become a faculty affiliate).

This program was inspired by the successful Stanford Coulter Translational Research program, a partnership between Stanford Bioengineering and the Coulter Foundation managed by the Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign. The Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute has partnered with Stanford Biodesign to bring this same approach and expertise to bear on the field of neuroscience and brain diseases, with guidance from a Neuroscience:Translate Oversight Committee comprising scientific and industry leaders in health technology development.

Selection Criteria

The proposed project must relate directly to applications in neuroscience or brain health, broadly defined. The objectives of the project should include an outcome that will benefit patients or other users of the technology. Evaluation of proposals by the Oversight Committee will be on the basis of innovation and scientific merit, potential impact, technical feasibility, quality of the diversity statement and the potential for translation.

Submission Guidelines - DUE November 11th, 2024, 11:59pm 

Submit as a single pdf to Linda Lucian, llucian@stanford.edu; using the application details outlined on Seed funding site

Successful project applications typically have established proof of concept for their innovation. We strongly encourage applicants to discuss their proposal with the N:T Award Program Director, Gordon Saul and Program Manager, Linda Lucian prior to submission. For scheduling with Gordon, please contact Lauren Brown.

Process

The Oversight Committee will review applications in November. Applicants progressing to the finalist round will be invited to present to the Oversight Committee in December. The committee will review finalist presentations and make recommendations on funding priority, with funding to begin on February 1, 2025. Note that release of funds is dependent on IRB or APLAC approval as appropriate. The IRB or APLAC approval process must be initiated, and preferably finalized, during the first round selection period in order to avoid delays should your proposal be selected for an award. Award end date will not be extended due to delayed approvals. The project proposal should follow the guidelines outlined below; a PDF file with the required content should be submitted via the email to Linda Lucian, llucian@stanford.edu before midnight on November 11, 2024. 

     Submit file name as: Last name PI_Last name PI_2025_WuTsaiNeuro

     Submit as a single pdf to Linda Lucian, llucian@stanford.edu before November 11th, 2024, 11:59pm; using the application details outlined below

Duration

Award timeframe is for a one-year period (February 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026).

Renewal proposals/applications are reviewed during the same selection process as the new applications. In addition to the content outlined in the content description, a renewal application must include a brief comparison of milestones achieved vs. those planned in the original submission. 

No-cost extensions

No-Cost Extension requests for awarded projects are reviewed through an application. Applications will be strictly reviewed for compliance with the award deliverables and project progress. Applications are due one month prior to award end date by downloading the linked form template.

Eligibility

Each proposal must have at least two co-principal investigators from two different fields both of whom must be members of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute (become a faculty affiliate)

• Two research fields should be represented. At least one faculty member must be a clinician. Clinicians are broadly defined to include faculty who work with human users (not necessarily humans with disease). The other faculty members may have appointments in engineering, sciences or any other discipline.
• Co-principal investigators must be Stanford faculty with UTL, MCL, CE, or NTL appointments and as such would be responsible for the award terms. 
• Other team members (grad students, postdocs, research staff, etc.) may be included.

• Intellectual property of core technology must be owned by Stanford (not under an option or license to any entity).

   

     Submit file name as: Last name PI_Last name PI_2025_WuTsaiNeuro

     Submit as a single pdf to Linda Lucian, llucian@stanford.edu before November 11th, 2024, 11:59pm; using the application details outlined below 

PROPOSAL CONTENT

Cover page

Project title, names and contact information of the co-principal investigators, team members, administrative/finance contacts, funding amount requested, relevant APLAC or IRB approval number, relevant OTL docket number, assigned OTL licensing associate and a one-paragraph summary of the project.

Overview body of proposal (5 pages max)

Begin by introducing the core technology, followed by an explanation of the solution’s significance, addressing the clinical or user needs, target population, gold standard, and competing alternatives. Next, provide an overview of the product or service to be developed, including a detailed one-year milestone plan with timeline, and projected costs to bring it to market (further specifics are outlined below)

The body of the grant proposal should not exceed 5 pages (>0.75” margins, at least 11 pt font), excluding cover page, funding and pending proposal list, brief biosketch, references, budget and diversity statement. 

Detailed body of proposal content - the body of proposal must include the following components (proposals will not be reviewed if any component is missing):

• Importance of the project to neuro health, broadly defined. What is the envisioned product that would result from the work proposed?  Who are the main competitors and what distinguishes the proposed technology from competitors? Explain how the product can improve outcomes, lower costs and/or increase access to care
• What is the current stage of the technology? Include relevant test results, proof of mechanism or prototypes
• Discuss clinical need, impacted population and market opportunity; include competing technologies and approaches
• Include intellectual property status; describe the IP strategy for the technology and team interactions with OTL
• Include a general commercial development plan, proposed regulatory pathway and the reimbursement/payment approach for the technology
• What are the major remaining risks for the project? Risks may include: a) clinical need b) engineering/science feasibility c) intellectual property d) business/market-competitive landscape
• List expected specific major milestones with work plan (per quarter) and research plan for achieving them during the one-year award timeframe. How does the plan address the major risks and improve the translational prospects for the project?
• Describe the translational plan for follow-on project work and funding post-Neuroscience:Translate award.

Diversity Statement (not part of page limit)

• The statement should be a thoughtful 1-2 paragraph description of your team's goal for increasing diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity and justice (DIBEJ) at Stanford. Further details (including tips for applicants) can be found in the description of Wu Tsai Neuro's grant making process.

Also address or include the following:

• Approvals for animals and human subjects should be addressed ahead of the grant-funding period, including protocol numbers or a letter of exemption. Approvals are strictly required for funding dispersal and are generally not a valid rationale for no cost extension requests.
• List of current funding related to this project, include all funding (dilutive and non-dilutive) supporting the project, including internal seed grants obtained and pending proposals for each co-principal investigator
• Include OTL docket number related to the project. If the project has not already been disclosed to the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), it is strongly recommended that an Invention and Technology Disclosure be submitted to OTL by the November 11th, 2024 deadline. SEE THE INVENTOR DISCLOSURE PAGE LOCATED ON THE OTL SITE.

Budget Page

Grants may be requested for $100,000 to $120,000 direct cost for one year. Must Include a justification for all category items/personnel. Budgets without a justification will be rejected. Funds may be used for salary support of graduate students and other research staff, but may not be used for general staff or administrative support. Operating supplies, non-capital equipment items, prototyping expenses, imaging time and travel directly associated with the research activity are examples of eligible budget items. Budget details should include general categories such as personnel, supplies, travel, non-capital equipment and other project-related expenses. Use the linked budget page template, and attach to your single PDF submission to llucian@stanford.edu.

Also include:

• Biosketch of co-principal investigators (not to exceed 5 pages each)
• List team members, include the proposed role in the research project
• Relevant literature references

Renewal proposals/applications

Renewal applications are welcome and will be evaluated on a competitive basis during the same review process as initial applications. In addition to the content outlined above, a renewal application must include a brief comparison of milestones achieved vs. those planned in the original submission.