News Archives: October, 2019

Scientists have been developing astounding new tools for exploring neural circuits that underlie brain function throughout the first five years of the National Institutes of Health’s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative. Now, the NIH has announced its continued support for these projects by funding over 180 new BRAIN Initiative awards, bringing the total 2019 budget for the program to more than $424 million. This work may not only help paralyzed patients to communicate more easily, but also allow neuroscientists to closely examine the brain at work, in real time.

Funding Opportunity Number: 20-504

Dr. Gary Zank will speak on three current space missions of scientific discovery as a distinguished speaker at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Distinguished Lecture Series in Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Dr. Zank is Alabama’s NSF EPSCoR Director, Director of the Center for Space and Plasma (CSPAR) and chair of the Department of Space Science at the University of Alabama Huntsville. Dr. Zank’s speech is titled “From the Sun’s Atmosphere to the Galactic Edge: Exploring Exotic Plasmas."

NIH’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program funds highly innovative biomedical or behavioral research proposed by extraordinarily creative scientists. The program supports discovery by supporting potentially transformative research proposals that may struggle in the traditional review process due to their inherent risk. Researchers are encouraged to use out of the box thinking to pursue trailblazing ideas in any area of research relevant to NIH’s mission.