MORE THAN 300 000 EUROS FOR RESEARCH ON ANGELMAN SYNDROME
Call for Applications for Research Grants on Angelman Syndrome
Call will be open between the 25th November 2015 and the 24th of January 2016
The Angelman Syndrome Alliance (ASA) supports research on Angelman syndrome with up to 300 000 Euros to be awarded at the next International Angelman Syndrome Scientific Conference. The Angelman Syndrome Alliance is (currently) an initiative of the following parent organisations: AVO (Austria), ASB (Belgium), ASFA (France), Angelman e.V. (Germany), AIA (Ireland), Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation (Israel), ORSA (Italy), PWAV (Netherlands), Angel (Portugal), ASSERT (United Kingdom), and the Nina Foundation (consortium organization on AS science). Their mutual aim is to join forces and funds to increase the financial support of dedicated research projects and thereby intensify research on Angelman Syndrome.
Angelman Syndrome is a genetic disorder resulting from a loss of function of the UBE3A gene which encodes the ubiquitin E3 ligase E6AP. Angelman Syndrome is characterised by severe intellectual disability, lack of speech, motor coordination deficits, sleep disturbance, and usually a happy demeanour.
Researchers of any country are invited to apply for research grants covering preclinical (basic) research as well as translational research such as mechanism-based controlled trials. Applications for behavioural therapies are not eligible at this point.
Proposals addressing new ideas/concepts about the pathogenesis of Angelman Syndrome are particularly invited.
The duration of the grant is flexible, but the maximum is 4 years. There will be an evaluation by the SAB of the project after completion of 50% of the total time and at the end. Every 6 month interim reports are to be sent to Faustine Bourgoin in simple language (lay version) with supporting pictures to inform the parent organisations in more general terms about the project progress.
The application procedure is two-step:
1. First, a short application has to be submitted on the ASA website : CLICK HERE (Deadline 24th of January 2016);
2. A maximum of 10 applicants will be selected for step 2 will be informed by end of February 2016. Selected applicants will then be invited to submit a detailed application by 3rd of May 2016.
3. 1 – 2 applicants will be awarded a grant at the bi-annual meeting of the Angelman Syndrome Alliance on the 30th of September 2016 in Portugal.
4. Via uploading their documents, the applicants accept the terms and conditions of the ASA contract (available on the website). The awardees will be expected to give the ASA-AWARD LECTURE at the beginning and the end of the project.
The short application (step 1) should include the following:
1. Cover letter including the title of the proposal and the name of the principal investigator
2. Two-page summary of the proposed research including paragraphs on the hypothesis, background, research plan, principal methodology, and the significance of the proposed research. An overview of the budget must also be included (indirect costs cannot be applied for).
3. Curriculum vitae of the applicant
All applications should be written in English language using Times New Roman, 10 point, 1.5 spaced.
Proposals involving laboratory animal testing must be approved by the respective institutional review boards before funding can be released.
All proposals, including cover letters, should be uploaded at the ASA website: angelmanalliance.org
à Questions about the grant application procedure and about the contract should be directed to the NINA Foundation at: martijn.van.steensel@ninafoundation.eu
à Questions about research on Angelman Syndrome should be directed to: harald.sitte@meduniwien.ac.at
à All general questions should be directed to: faustine.bourgoin@angelman-afsa.org
Betty Willemsen and Martijn van Steensel are part of the scientific AS organization named ‘Nina Foundation’ (NF) which is organising the call on behalf of the Angelman Syndrome Alliance (ASA). Harald Sitte (MedUni Vienna) is the chairman of the ASA Scientific Advisory Board (SAB); further members are Lidia Larizza (Univ. Milan) and Martin Scheffner (Univ. Konstanz). Faustine Bourgoin is part of AFSA, the French AS parent organization, and supports ASA and SAB with communication and tender process matters.
