Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards (Cycle 2)

Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards (Cycle 2) is sponsored by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). Supports pairs of investigators and their teams to explore innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to address critical challenges in the fields of neurodegenerative disease and fundamental neuroscience.

NDCN Collaborative Pairs - Chan Zuckerberg Initiative This RFA closed on June 22, 2023 Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards (Cycle 2) The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative invites applications for the second cycle of the Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards.

These grant awards support pairs of investigators and their teams to explore innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to address critical challenges in the fields of neurodegenerative disease and fundamental neuroscience.

Awards are $200,000 in total costs per collaborating pair for a period of 18 months, after which successful projects will be eligible to apply for additional four-year acceleration grants that build on pilot phase studies. Collaborative Pairs teams will benefit from the support, mentoring and collaborative interactions of the Challenge Network, as well as interactions with the broader CZ Science programs and grantee network.

The CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network (NDCN) was launched in 2018 as a new type of collaborative research network that brings together biologists, computational scientists, engineers, and physicians from across broad research areas who are motivated by collaboration and open science to tackle unsolved challenges in neurodegenerative disease.

Collaboration has been at the core of the vision for the Challenge Network approach and in developing the NDCN program strategy, we have sought to develop funding mechanisms that motivate and support novel collaborative approaches that will lead to bold, innovative, risk-taking science. Learn about our Cycle 1 grantees and view the previous Cycle 1 RFA . Learn about our Cycle 2 grantees .

For administrative and programmatic inquiries, or other questions pertaining to this RFA, please contact sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg. com . Letter of Intent (LOI) application portal opens LOIs due by 5 P.

M. (Pacific Time) Full application portal opens Applications due by 5 P. M.

(Pacific Time) Earliest notification of decisions (subject to change) Expected start date of award period (subject to change) Award period and start date: Proposed projects should be 18 months in duration with a projected start date no earlier than March 1, 2024. Actual start date may vary.

Institutional Approval Form The CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network (NDCN) was launched in 2018 as a new type of collaborative research network that brings together biologists, computational scientists, engineers, and physicians from across broad research areas who are motivated by collaboration and open science to tackle unsolved challenges in neurodegenerative disease.

Collaboration has been at the core of the vision for the Challenge Network approach and in developing the NDCN program strategy, we have sought to develop funding mechanisms that motivate and support novel collaborative approaches that will lead to bold, innovative, risk-taking science.

The Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards were developed as a funding mechanism to catalyze new collaborations and scientific partnerships and springboard early-stage projects that are bold, creative and “out-of-the-box. ” We recognize that great collaborations can take many forms — from teams of two to large consortia and everything in between. The Collaborative Pairs mechanism focuses specifically on pairs of investigators.

While scientific creativity is often represented as emanating from a singular lone genius, science works best when it is a collaborative effort, and it’s often creative duos and partnerships that fuel the engines of innovation. In 2019, we launched the first cycle of Collaborative Pairs Project Awards, funding 30 teams to explore innovative approaches addressing cross-cutting questions related to neurodegenerative disease biology.

The application process was designed to encourage new teams and new ideas — no preliminary data, previous work together, or prior experience in neurodegeneration research was required to apply. We looked for talent, expertise, and great ideas.

The first cohort of Collaborative Pairs working on 30 pilot projects included cell biologists, RNA biologists, neuroscientists, immunologis ts, cancer researchers, computer scientists, and even a plant biologist. Many of these investigators were new to neurodegeneration research.

Sixteen of these projects have now moved forward to the second, four-year acceleration phase, where they are breaking new ground in unraveling the underlying mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. Learn more about the vision for the Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards through this Medium post and more information about the teams who were funded through Cycle 1 on our website .

Building on the successes of the Challenge Network and the first cycle of Collaborative Pairs, we are now pleased to invite applications for a new Request for Applications (RFA) that supports Cycle 2 of the Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards.

For this new cycle of the Collaborative Pairs, we are excited to broaden the scope of our network to also support investigations into areas of fundamental neuroscience beyond neurodegenerative disease, in particular in areas where there is potential for complementarity or synergy with our existing work in the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network and/or other CZ Science program areas .

This expanded RFA scope includes basic investigations into the cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms of memory and cognition and the neuroscience of sleep. We are excited about this next chapter for the Challenge Network and neuroscience at CZI.

With the view that a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of brain function in the healthy brain will also be critical for contextualizing the types of processes that go awry in neurodegenerative disease, we believe that this expanded neuroscience scope will allow us to continue to bring together innovative, cutting-edge scientists from across a range of disciplines to develop new ideas and approaches for tackling the many unsolved questions in neurodegenerative disease.

And, likewise, we see tremendous opportunity for extending the Challenge Network approach and collaborative models to other areas of neuroscience.

The Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards (Cycle 2): The Collaborative Pairs program will be a two-phase process : Phase 1 of the Collaborative Pairs grants RFA will provide seed funds for new interdisciplinary collaborations involving a pair of investigators and their labs to pursue a pilot project towards addressing a critical gap in the field (see section on scope below).

Each pair is required to include at least one early or mid-career researcher (less than 10 years in an independent academic PI role). Collaborative Pairs projects will be funded for 18 months ($200,00 total costs/collaboration) for a pilot phase where teams will generate tools and data and further develop their project proposal and team, with the main goal being the development of a project plan for Phase 2.

Funded teams will benefit from the support, mentoring and collaborative interactions of the Challenge Network, as well as interactions with the broader CZ Science programs and grantee network. The purpose of the phase 1 Pilot Project Award is to give the collaborating teams the freedom to explore new, out-of-the-box, potentially transformative ideas.

We are looking for teams and proposals that are addressing a critical problem and doing so in a bold, innovative way. In Phase 2 , Collaborative Pairs teams that received pilot project funding and have successfully progressed their project will be eligible to apply for an acceleration grant award of $400,000 total costs/year/pair for four years ($1. 6 million total) to build on the work done in the pilot phase , for a total of $1.

8 million over five-and-a-half years for the entirety of the project (Phase 1 and Phase 2) . The Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards RFA is focused on foundational and mechanistic basic science investigations.

Building on and expanding from the successful foundations of the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network, applications may address fundamental questions related to the cellular, molecular or circuit mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease or areas of fundamental neuroscience beyond neurodegenerative disease.

This expanded RFA scope includes basic investigations into the cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms of memory and cognition and the neuroscience of sleep. We particularly encourage proposals where there is potential for complementarity or synergy with our existing work in the Neurodegeneration Challenge Network and/or other CZI program areas. This is explicitly not a translational or clinical development RFA.

Nonetheless, successful projects should be grounded in human biology, disease pathology, or fundamental principles of nervous system function such that the outputs of these efforts will ultimately provide new avenues and rigorous foundations for future translational and clinical development work.

We encourage applications both from investigators who are tackling underexplored topics, as well as those addressing more well-developed areas of science where there remain significant gaps in understanding. Pairings should take an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to address these knowledge gaps in ways that leverage each researcher’s unique, complementary area of expertise.

For example, we’re looking for collaborative research projects that bring together experimentalists with computational biologists or technology developers, or collaborations that bridge multiple disciplines like immunology, cell biology, neurophysiology, genetics, biochemistry, stem cell biology, and bioengineering.

Examples of potential areas that would be within scope for this program include, but are not limited to: Testing causal hypotheses for the role of circuit, cellular and molecular mechanisms in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis across the lifespan.

Defining the contribution of non-neuronal influences on neurodegeneration or healthy brain function, including potential contributions of the innate and adaptive immune systems, brain vasculature, and the gut and microbiome to nervous system function. Cellular- and systems-level approaches to studying neural plasticity, aging, and resilience in the context of neurodegenerative disease or healthy aging.

Investigating the causal contribution of well-defined cell types or circuits in cognitive processes or sleep-wake cycles. Investigating interactions between central nervous system (CNS) sleep circuitry and fundamental cellular processes in peripheral organs and tissues of the body.

Partnerships between computational and experimental biologists that advance the development and validation of data analysis and data integration approaches, including but not limited to machine learning and artificial intelligence applications.

Examples of potential areas that would be out of scope for this program include: Clinical research investigations involving human research participants and patients, including human neuroimaging studies. Translational therapeutic or drug development research programs. Fundamental investigations in nervous system disease or injury contexts outside of neurodegeneration, such as neurodevelopmental diseases or psychiatric disease.

Building Tools to Support the Neurodegeneration Research Community As part of the collective work of the Challenge Network, CZI asks investigators to contribute to the development, validation, and dissemination of robust, reliable, and scalable experimental and analytical tools for the broader research community.

We particularly encourage applications that seek to develop, validate and disseminate new technologies and methodological approaches and of pairings of experimentalists and technology developers.

Examples of the types of tools and resources that Challenge Network grantees have contributed towards include: Well-validated and reliable platforms for human cell biology, which might be based on tissue samples, iPSCs, organoids, or other advanced tissue biology systems.

Scalable tools for cellular analysis, including genomic, proteomic, and imaging methods optimized for human cells and relevance to neurodegeneration (for instance, targeted probes and label-free methods for cellular imaging of neurons and non-neuronal cells; robust affinity reagents for proteomics; genome editing and single-cell genomic approaches).

New tools to improve the specificity, resolution, and scale of cell-type and circuit targeting for phenotyping, monitoring, or manipulation. Well-validated, robust, shared animal models that more accurately model human disease biology. Unique human tissue resources and associated protocols for their handling and best use.

Rigorous benchmark datasets for the field, for instance, well-validated longitudinal studies of disease progression that will inform more mechanistic approaches. Development and application of computational and machine learning approaches and tools to address neurodegeneration biology, which might include genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, systems biology, imaging, and/or integration of data across experimental models and scales.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion We believe that the strongest teams incorporate a wide range of voices. Those underrepresented in science and technology are strongly encouraged to apply. This includes but is not limited to women, those with disabilities, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and organizations representing disease areas that disproportionately impact underrepresented or underserved communities.

Researchers from populations that have historically been underrepresented in biomedical research are strongly encouraged to apply. International collaborations between investigators that leverage regional and technological expertise and strengths are encouraged. It is the expectation that international collaborations will follow guidelines for conducting research in an equitable and mutually beneficial manner.

Collaboration and Open Science The CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network is an approach to address the scientific challenges of neurodegenerative diseases and an experiment in collaborative science. As part of the selection process, we will look for investigators and groups who will enthusiastically contribute to and benefit from a highly collaborative, dynamic, and interdisciplinary approach.

For examples of evidence of productivity, reach, and collaboration, please see the CZI statement of values . Investigators in the Challenge Network will have the opportunity to learn from, collaborate with, and interact with the community of investigators and groups within the Network , as well as with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative scientists and software engineers.

Investigators and members of their labs will participate in regular investigator meetings, meetings for students, postdocs, and staff, as well as mentorship and training opportunities. CZI’s mission is at the interface of technology and science.

Working in collaboration with, and guided by, Challenge Network investigators, we aim to develop technology-based tools and approaches to support and accelerate the broader field of neurodegeneration. Clinical partners in these collaborative projects will play important roles as mentors to help the collective work of the Challenge Network stay closely aligned to the clinical contexts of these disorders and to the needs of patients.

CZI supports open science values and principles . To accelerate scientific discovery, collaboration, and rapid dissemination, CZI supports a consent, sharing, and publication policy for open and rapid dissemination of research results and a policy for software development that maximizes accessibility, reuse, and shared development.

Criteria we will be looking for in the Collaborative Pair Pilot Phase applications include: New collaborations : To be eligible, proposed pairs cannot have received prior joint grant funding . Applicants will be asked to describe the nature of their collaboration and what unique perspective this pairing brings to the proposal.

Multi-institutional pairings: While collaborations within a single institute are eligible to apply, we are especially encouraging of new collaborations that bridge two distinct institutions . International collaborations are welcome and encouraged. Strong partnerships that leverage complementary strengths: We will be looking for collaborations that bring together complementary, balanced skill sets and approaches.

We strongly encourage applications from collaborations involving clinicians and physician-scientists, as well as pairs that bring together researchers from different fields, for instance: connecting experimental biologists and computational biologists; pairing technology developers with applied experimentalists; or bridging between multiple disciplines like immunology, cell biology, neuroscience, biochemistry, stem cell biology, and bioengineering.

Bold, innovative, high-impact proposals : We are seeking proposals that address important, not incremental, problems in a creative way. This mechanism is an opportunity to take well-calculated strategic risks . We expect that some collaborations will succeed, even if the pilot phase experiments fail and are encouraging of this kind of risk-taking science.

Early- or mid-career investigators : Each pair must include at least one early- or mid-career researcher, someone who has been in an independent academic role for less than 10 years (see eligibility criteria for details). New investigators to the field : The scope of this RFA includes broader areas of neuroscience.

We continue to encourage applications with proposals that address fundamental challenges related to neurodegenerative diseases but applications are not required to focus on disease or neurodegeneration. There is no requirement to have worked in neurodegeneration research before and we encourage cross-over work from diverse disciplines.

Diversity: We aspire to create a diverse community in the Challenge Network and strongly encourage applications from women, those underrepresented or marginalized in science, and diverse groups worldwide. See application instructions and eligibility criteria for specific details on eligibility. The final determination of awards and numbers will depend on the quality of the applications received at CZI’s sole discretion.

All applications must be submitted by a primary applicant principal investigator (PI) on behalf of the pair. For questions about eligibility, please contact us in advance of the proposal deadline at sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg. com .

Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign non-profit organizations; public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local governments; and eligible agencies of the federal government. For-profit organizations are not eligible. All grants will be awarded to institutions, not individuals.

Collaborations should include two principal investigators (PIs). There will be opportunities to work across collaborative projects, but each collaboration will be limited to two PIs. All applicants must hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree and have an academic faculty position or equivalent independent investigator status at a college, university, medical school or other research facility.

Independence is typically demonstrated by a full-time academic faculty appointment, a tenure-track position, allocated space, a start-up package, and institutional commitment as defined or verified in a letter from a department chair or equivalent. Independence may be defined differently in different types of organizations. Note: an upload of the letter or proof of independence is not required at the time of application.

The Collaborative Pairs RFA is aimed at motivating new collaborations among partners who have not yet had the opportunity to work together . While it is permissible for applicants to have previously worked together, the pair cannot have received joint funding for either this or any other project.

While collaborations among two principal investigators from the same institution are eligible, we strongly encourage applications from pairs affiliated with different institutions (including any potential international collaborations). Collaborations among pairs of investigators with prior mentor/mentee relationships at the graduate, post-doc, or junior faculty levels are strongly discouraged from applying.

Examples may include pairings between a PI and their former graduate student or post-doc, or pairings between junior faculty and senior colleagues in the same department. At least one of the applicants must be an early-career investigator or a mid-career investigator in an independent academic faculty position or equivalent.

In the context of this RFA, we are defining early-career investigators as individuals who have been in their independent academic faculty role for zero to six years at the time of the Letter of Intent due date, i.e. have started their first independent position between June 22, 2017 and June 22, 2023.

A mid-career investigator is defined as in their faculty role for more than six years but not more than 10 years at the time of the Letter of Intent due date, i.e. have started a first independent position between June 22, 2013 and June 21, 2017.

CZI will make exceptions to these criteria in cases of institutionally approved career breaks, e.g. family or medical leave, etc. (If you believe this applies to you, please contact sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg. com ). Current NDCN Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award grantees and NDCN Collaborative Science grantees are eligible to apply .

The following groups are not eligible to apply to this Collaborative Pairs RFA: Investigators invited to submit full applications for the Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award (Cycle 2) RFA Current NDCN Collaborative Pairs Phase 2 Investigators Current Patient-Partnered Collaborations for Rare Neurodegenerative Disease Investigators The two PIs in the pair will complete the online application together in the application portal , but one PI should be designated as the Primary Applicant who will be responsible for submitting the application in the application portal.

F unds will be awarded directly to each PI’s institution, if selected for funding. Applications are strongly encouraged from investigators new to the field of neurodegeneration, and, in particular, applications from researchers with relevant interdisciplinary training and experience in disciplines outside of neurodegeneration who bring new technology, resources, or frameworks to the field.

There may be more than one application from a given institution. Each eligible investigator may only apply to one or be part of one Collaborative Pairs application. We believe that the strongest teams incorporate a wide range of voices.

Applications are strongly encouraged from women and those underrepresented or marginalized in science. Meta employees, including employees of any subsidiary Meta entities, as well as employees of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, LLC, are not permitted to apply. CZI reserves the sole right to decide if an applicant and applicant organization meet the eligibility requirements.

CZI reserves the right to request budget changes prior to award.

Prior to award, all grant applications will be reviewed for compliance with the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) sanctions program, the United States Department of Commerce’s export administration regulations, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), any other applicable U.S. laws and regulations, and any corresponding laws and regulations in the country where the applicant is based.

All grant agreements will require the grantee to comply with these laws and regulations. For additional information, please refer to: the U.S. Treasury Department’s resources , the International Trade Administration’s website on US Export Controls , and the Department of Justice’s website on the FCPA .

While applicants from all countries are welcome to apply, because of required ongoing compliance with U.S. sanctions and export controls, an applicant’s funding eligibility may need to be reassessed if the applicable laws and regulations change at any time.

As a result, even if an applicant is eligible to receive funding at the time the application is reviewed, the applicant’s status may change later in the process or during the course of the grant term. CZI suggests that you consult your home institution to determine eligibility to apply for this grant and your institutional policy on indirect costs.

For questions about eligibility for this award or the application process, please contact us in advance of the proposal deadline at sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg. com . Deadline extensions will not be granted.

The application for this Collaborative Pairs Pilot Project Awards RFA is a two-step process, initiated with a Letter of Intent (LOI). Letters of Intent will be evaluated, and finalists proceeding to the next stage of review will be notified by mid-August. Letter of Intent (LOI) application portal opens LOIs due by 5 P.

M. (Pacific Time) due by 5 pm PT Full application portal opens Applications due by 5 P. M.

(Pacific Time) Earliest notification of decisions (subject to change) Expected start date of award period (subject to change) Award Period: The award period is 18 months in duration with an expected project start date of March 1, 2024. Budget: $200,000 total costs, inclusive of indirect costs ($100,000 total costs per collaborative pair investigator over 18 months, unless otherwise stated). Number of Principal Investigators/labs: Two.

One application should be submitted per collaborative pair. However, f unds will be awarded directly to each PI’s institution if selected for funding. Institutional sign-off by the institutions of both PIs in the collaborative pair is required at the time of the LOI submission.

All applications must be completed and submitted through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s online grants management portal . It is recommended that applicants familiarize themselves with this portal well in advance of any deadlines. Letter of Intent Instructions The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative uses SurveyMonkey Apply (SMApply) as its grants management portal.

All applications must be submitted through this portal ( https://apply. chanzuckerberg. com ).

SMApply is configured to work best using the Google Chrome browser. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with this portal well in advance of any deadlines. Deadline extensions will not be granted.

Eligibility: Please refer to the Eligibility section of this announcement. Award Period: The award period is 18 months in duration with an expected project start date of March 1, 2024. Budget: $200,000 total costs, inclusive of indirect costs ($100,000 total costs per collaborative pair investigator over 18 months, unless otherwise stated).

Number of Principal Investigators/labs: Two. One application should be submitted per collaborative pair. However, f unds will be awarded directly to each PI’s institution if selected for funding.

Institutional sign-off by the institutions of both PIs in the pair is required at the time of the LOI submission.

The application must be prepared in the grants portal by both principal investigators together in the collaborative pair, so please designate one principal investigator (PI) as the primary applicant (“owner” in the portal), who should then invite the other PI to be a “collaborator” in the portal (see instructions for inviting application collaborators, listed below ).

The primary applicant is the PI in the pair who creates the application, invites the collaborating PI to be a “collaborator” on the application, and is responsible for submitting the application on behalf of the pair.

It is expected that each PI will independently complete their designated Applicant Details, Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Organization Details, and Budget tasks within the portal and then collaborate to jointly complete the remaining tasks in the portal. Once all tasks are complete, the primary applicant PI will need to click submit on behalf of the pair.

Inviting application collaborators: The application requires each of the collaborating principal investigators (PIs) to both complete their respective applicant details, organization details, and budget sections within the application portal. One PI should start the application in the portal (instructions below) and the second PI should be invited as a “collaborator” (instructions below).

Note: the applicant designated as the primary applicant (and the “owner” of the application in the portal) will be the only one who is able to submit the application on behalf of the collaborative pair.

Once an application has been created, complete the following steps to add your collaborating PI: Click the Add Collaborator button on the left side of the page on the initial application screen to invite your collaborating investigator, OR from within an application task marked as “Collaborator only task” click the Add Collaborator button. Enter the email address of your collaborating PI in the first line.

By default the type of access should be set to “View & edit. ” Do not change this option. Add an optional message notifying your collaborating PI that they are invited to edit your application and should complete their portion.

Click the green Send Invite button in the bottom right corner. To remove, resend invite, or change access, select the three dots next to the email address of the invited collaborator. Once a collaborator has registered and accepted, there is an option to change the primary applicant by selecting “Make Owner.

” The Letter of Intent (LOI) consists of the following sections (called tasks in the grants portal): Applicant Details, Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Organization Details, Biosketches, Pilot Project Details, and Research Statement. The PIs of the collaborative pair are both responsible for filling out all relevant application sections.

Each PI should complete the following sections independently: Applicant Details, Equal Opportunity & Diversity, Organization Details. The Biosketches, Pilot Project Details, and Research Statement sections should be completed jointly by both PIs.

Principal Investigator 1 (PI #1): The primary applicant is responsible for submitting the application on the team’s behalf and completing their individual tasks in addition to the collaborative project details and proposal. Principal Investigator 2 (PI #2): The collaborating PI is responsible for completing their individual tasks in addition to the collaborative project details and proposal.

Applicant Details (PI #1 & PI #2): Complete all fields in this task; all fields are required. The information entered should be for the primary applicant (Principal Investigator #1), who will be the person submitting the application on behalf of the pair. Information about the collaborating PI should be entered in the “Principal Investigator #2 (PI #2)” sections.

PI #1: (auto-filled for primary applicant): To edit your name or email, please do so in your account information by clicking your name in the upper right corner and clicking My Account in the dropdown menu. PI #2: Enter your First name, Last name, and Email Organization, Title/Position, Department or equivalent. Career status: Select early-career (0 to 6 years), mid-career (6+ to 10 years), or neither.

Early-Career Definition: In the context of this RFA, an early-career investigator is someone who has been in an i ndependent position for zero to six years at the time of the Letter of Intent due date, i.e. has started their first independent position between June 22, 2017 and June 22, 2023.

Mid-Career Definition: In the context of this RFA, a mid-career investigator is someone who has been in an independent position for more than six but not more than 10 years at the time of the Letter of Intent due date, i.e. has started their first independent position between June 22, 2013 and June 21, 2017. ORCID iD: Enter in format XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.

ORCID iDs are unique, digital identifiers that distinguish individual scientists and unambiguously connect their contributions to science over time and across changes of name, location, and institutional affiliation. ORCID iDs will be used to streamline reporting in our applications and grant reports to reduce the burden on grantees. For more information, please visit https://orcid.

org/register . (Please contact us at sciencegrants@chanzuckerberg. com if you wish to opt out).

Equal Opportunity & Diversity (PI #1 & PI #2): CZI Science supports the science and technology that will make it possible to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of this century. Different communities are affected by or experience disease in different ways. Moreover, due to systemic barriers, the scientific enterprise itself is not a place where all voices and talents thrive.

We believe the strongest scientific teams — encompassing ourselves, our grantees, and our partners — incorporate a wide range of backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives that guide them to the most important unsolved problems. To enable our work, we incorporate diverse perspectives into our strategy and processes, and we also seek to empower community partners to engage in science.

We request demographic information associated with applications submitted to CZI in response to our open calls. This information helps us learn from the RFA process, as well as improve our strategies to help ensure members of underrepresented or marginalized groups in science are aware of and able to apply to CZI opportunities.

Please note that answering the questions below is voluntary and receiving funding is not contingent on providing this information. Demographic information provided may be used in our grant-making process, but will not be used as the sole or determinative factor in our grant funding decisions. We may also publish aggregated data in various public forums, such as a website or blog.

All responses will be shared only