Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant Program

Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant Program is sponsored by Harvard Medical School. Supports early-stage, innovative neuroscience research to generate preliminary data for advancing understanding of brain function and disorders.

Neurological Research Grants | Brain Research Seed Grants Skip to content BRAIN RESEARCH FOUNDATION Founded in 1981, BRF’s Seed Grant Program provides start-up funds for new and innovative research projects that lead to future opportunities, collaboration, and scientific advancement. Seed Grant Guidelines and Institutional Eligibility The 2026 Seed Grant Letter of Intent round will open on Thursday, August 28, 2025.

If your institution did not receive an invitation directly from BRF via e-mail, then you are not eligible to apply . To learn more about institutional eligibility and our application guidelines, click below. 2026 SEED GRANT GUIDELINES The BRF Seed Grant program awards start-up funding for neuroscience research.

We are committed to funding research into all areas of the brain, whether cognitive, neurodegenerative, related to learning and development or diseases. You can view some of the studies and research we have funded below. All Years 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 José Manuel Baizabal Carballo, Ph.

D. , Indiana University Bloomington Heterochromatin Mechanisms of Cortical Expansion Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, are frequently associated with mutations in genes that encode chromatin-modifying enzymes. A subset of these mutations is thought to disrupt compacted chromatin (heterochromatin),… Jessica L.

Bolton, Ph. D. , Georgia State University Chemogenetic Tools in Microglia as a Novel Therapeutic Approach for Brain Disorders All humans are born with a unique combination of genes, which contribute greatly to who we are.

However, early-life experiences such as trauma or hardship, particularly during the first few… Junyue Cao, Ph. D. , The Rockefeller University Elucidate the Molecular and Cellular Targets of Caloric Restriction in Rejuvenating Aged Mammalian Brain As we age, the brain’s ability to function declines, increasing the risk of cognitive impairments and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Our research investigates how caloric restriction (CR), a… Vasileios Christopoulos, Ph. D. , University of Southern California Understanding the Mechanisms of Micturition in the Brain and Spinal Cord This research aims to better understand how the brain and spinal cord work together to control urination, a process known as micturition.

In healthy individuals, this process is carefully coordinated… Jared M. Cregg, Ph. D.

, University of Wisconsin Brainstem Blueprints: Microcircuit Basis of Left/Right Motor Decisions The brain helps us move through the world by choosing which way to go—left or right. The specific brain circuits that control these kinds of actions aren’t well understood. Our… Elizabeth Crouch, MD.

, Ph. D. , University of California, San Francisco Capillaries to Circuits: Neurovascular Coupling in the Developing Brain This research project aims to understand how blood vessels and brain cells work together in newborn babies.

In very premature infants, fragile brain blood vessels can break and cause bleeding… Kelsie Eichel, Ph. D. , University of Colorado, Boulder Investigating Extracellular Matrix Regulators of Neuronal Function in the Mammalian Brain The amazing functions of the brain start with a signal generated by a neuron.

This signal generation requires a critical neuronal domain called the axon initial segment. Defects in axon… To be eligible for this $80,000 two-year grant program, your institution must receive an invitation from Brain Research Foundation to nominate one faculty member to submit a letter of intent. The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a full-time assistant or associate professor working in the field of neuroscience.