Phase IIB: Catalyzing Additional Funding Pathways

To increase research capacity for NF, the NFRP is offering the NFRA. The intent of the NFRA is to provide a framework of intensive mentoring and iterative guidance with proposed research, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group of junior faculty (Scholars). The NFRP NFRA will bring together established NF investigators (one Director and one Deputy Director) and early-career independent investigators (Scholars) and their Career Guides to develop successful, highly productive NF scientists and clinicians that will conduct research with the aim of lessening the clinical impact of NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. The NFRA is a multi-institutional interactive virtual academy platform designed to offer support to NFRA Scholars with the goal to advance innovative, high impact NF research through a collaborative and career development environment.The functioning NFRA will consist of Scholars and their Career Guides (mentors) from different institutions, and an Academy Director and Deputy Director (see Figure 1 below). The Academy Director and Deputy Director will catalyze the growth and professional development of the Scholars in collaboration with their Career Guides, assess the progress of the Scholars, and facilitate communication and collaboration among all Academy members. The Career Guide is not required to be at the same institution as the Scholar; however, if the (primary) Career Guide is from a different institution, a secondary Career Guide at the Scholar’s institution is needed. The NFRA will afford Scholars opportunities to operate in a collegial, highly dynamic, and cutting-edge center to move early-career investigators towards positions as leaders in NF conducting impactful research.During this first phase of the academy, the NFRP is offering the FY24 NFRALA funding opportunity to solicit applications for an Academy Director and Deputy Director to lead the NFRA. The Academy Director and Deputy Director (referred to as Academy Leadership) must be established NF researchers and can be at different institutions. The Academy Leadership must demonstrate a strong record of mentoring and training early-career independent investigators, a commitment to leadership, the ability to articulate methods toward research collaborations, and the ability to objectively assess the progress of all Scholars in the NFRA. An objective of the NFRA leadership team is to establish the Academy structure in its first year and in subsequent years, conduct oversight of this activity. Other objectives will include execution of research that will engage NFRA FY25 Scholars (including subsequent-year Scholars), develop tools for Scholars to enable success, and provide opportunities to broaden their knowledge in NF disorders. The leadership team will identify and offer opportunities to network with other NFRP FY25 Early Investigator Research Award recipients (and subsequent year awardees) and NFRP FY25 New Investigator Award – Early-Stage Investigator (NIA – ESI) Award recipients (and subsequent year awardees). In the second stage of the academy, the NFRP anticipates release of funding opportunities for the Scholars who will conduct their research under the guidance of the NFRA leadership team. Funding Opportunity Number: HT942524NFRPNFRALA. Assistance Listing: 12.420. Funding Instrument: CA,G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1.5M total program funding.

Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports high-impact research that addresses a critical need and has the potential to make important contributions to the field of neurofibromatosis disorders or advance patient care. Research projects may focus on any phase of research, excluding clinical trials. The rationale for a research idea may be derived from laboratory discovery, population-based studies, a clinician’s firsthand knowledge of patients, or anecdotal data. Applications must include preliminary and/or published data that are relevant to NF and the proposed research project.Distinctive Features: This award mechanism offers two funding levels based on participation in two optional features:• Open Science Initiative: Catalyzes research for neurofibromatosis through early access to data and data sharing within the neurofibromatosis community.• Optional Qualified Collaborator: Encourages collaborative research between basic scientists and clinical researchers, and between academic and biotechnology scientists.The funding levels are defined as follows:• Level 1: Applications without an optional feature.• Level 2: Applications including one of the optional features. Funding Opportunity Number: HT942526NFRPIIRA. Assistance Listing: 12.420. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $6M total program funding.

Convergence research is a means for solving vexing research problems, in particular, complex problems focusing on societal needs or deep scientific challenges. It entails integrating knowledge, methods, and expertise from different disciplines and developing novel paradigms that catalyze scientific discovery and innovation. GCR identifiesConvergence Researchas having two primary characteristics: Research driven by a specific and compelling problem.Convergence research is generally inspired by the need to address a specific challenge or opportunity, whether it arises from deep scientific questions or pressing societal needs. Deep integration across disciplines.As experts from different disciplines pursue common research challenges, their knowledge, theories, methods, data, research communities andlanguages become increasingly intermingled or integrated. New frameworks, paradigms or even disciplines can form sustained interactions across multiple communities. A distinct characteristic of convergence research, in contrast to other forms of multidisciplinary research, is that from the inception, the convergence paradigmintentionallybrings together intellectually diverse researchers and stakeholders to frame the research questions, adopt common frameworks for addressing them, and create and implement innovative scientific approaches for their solution. This includes, when appropriate, developing new integrated theories, methods, research tools, and ways of communicating across disciplines and sectors.Research teams practicing convergence aim to develop sustainable collaborations that may not only create solutions to the specific problem studied, but also develop novel ways of investigating related research questions and open new research vistas. This GCR solicitation targets multidisciplinary teams who are embracing convergence research as a means of developing highly innovative solutions to complex research problems. GCR proposals are expected to be bold and address scientific or technical challenges and bottlenecks which if resolved have the potential to transform scientific understanding and solve vexing problems. Successful GCR projects are anticipated to lead to paradigm shifting approaches within disciplines, establishment of new scientific communities, or development of transformative technologies that have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact. The aim of GCR is to cultivate and grow the earliest foundations of convergent approaches for addressing a specific and compelling problem. As such, proposals submitted to this solicitation are expected to explore novel avenues not previously investigated that are at the forefront of advancing science through deep integration. Proposers must make a convincing case that the research to be conducted is within NSF’s purview, integrates across NSF directorate or division boundaries, and is currently not supported by other NSF programs or solicitations. The proposers must outline a five-year research plan delineated in two phases, Phase I: years 1-2, and Phase II: years 3-5.The total budget for Phase I may not exceed $1,200,000, and the total for Phase II may not exceed $2,400,000. Successful proposals will be funded initially for two years. Each team’s progress will be evaluated at a reverse site visit near the end of year 2; this will involve preparing a progress report and making a team presentation to a panel of reviewers/site visitors. Only teams that show exceptional progress according to the merit review and solicitation specific criteria during the first two years and that articulate plans for furthering advancements at the forefront of convergence research will be eligible for additional funding for up to three years pending availability of funds. Funding Opportunity Number: 24-527. Assistance Listing: 47.041,47.049,47.050,47.070,47.074,47.075,47.076,47.083. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1.2M – $3.6M per award.