The Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Program in Neurodegeneration

The Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Program in Neurodegeneration is sponsored by Columbia University Irving Medical Center. This program provides grants to support high-risk/high-reward research projects in promising areas of neurodegenerative disease, with the goal of building a cohort of researchers focusing on the mechanisms of neurodegeneration and translation of new knowledge into clinically use…

Call for Proposals: The Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Program in Neurodegeneration | Columbia Neurology The Carol and Gene Ludwig Center for Research on Neurodegeneration Call for Proposals: The Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Program in Neurodegeneration The Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Program in Neurodegeneration provides grants to support high-risk/high-reward research projects in promising areas of neurodegenerative disease, with the goal of building a cohort of researchers focusing on the mechanisms of neurodegeneration and translation of the new knowledge into clinically useful tools.

2023 Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Awardees Determining Signatures of Resilience to Alzheimer’s Disease at Multiple Spatial Scales Itamar Kahn, PhD , Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Columbia Zuckerman Institute Vilas Menon, PhD , Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology and the Taub Institute) Multi-Omics of Cardio-Cerebrovascular Risk Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease Annie Lee, PhD , Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology, the Sergievsky Center, and the Taub Institute) Caghan Kizil, PhD, MSc , Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology and the Taub Institute) Badri Vardarajan, PhD, MS , Assistant Professor of Neurological Science (in Neurology, the Sergievsky Center, and the Taub Institute) 2024 Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Awardees Leveraging a Clinically Relevant Model of Alzheimer’s Disease to Identify and Target Critical Pathways of Neurodegeneration using Non-invasive Cell Permeant Peptides Carol Troy, MD, PhD , Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology and Neurology (in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain) Scott Small, MD , Boris and Rose Katz Professor of Neurology (in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, in the Gertrude H.

Sergievsky Center, in Radiology and Psychiatry) CD33 Competitive Peptides as a Precision Approach for Targeting CD33 Genetic Susceptibility in Alzheimer's Disease Elizabeth Bradshaw, PhD , Adler Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology and the Taub Institute) Wassim Elyaman, PhD , Assistant Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology and the Taub Institute) Syed Hussaini, PhD , Assistant Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology (in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain) Alison Rinderspacher, PhD , Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Medicine 2025 Carol and Gene Ludwig Pilot Grant Awardees A Proposal to Study the Molecular and Cellular Dasis of Alzheimer’s Disease-Associated Microbleeds, Microinfarcts, and Associated Vascular Disease Lawrence S.

Honig, MD, PhD , Professor of Neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Director, NYS Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, Director(co), Lewy Body Disease Association Research Center of Excellence, Director(co), CurePSP Center of Care Andrew F.

Teich, MD, PhD , Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology (in Neurology) The role of IFN1 Signaling in Chronic Stress-Induced Disruption of the Blood-Brain-Barrier Clarissa Waites, PhD , Associate Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology and Neuroscience Ulrich Hengst, PhD , Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology (in the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain) A graphic illustration shows amyloid peptides binding to membrane receptors, triggering receptor activation and intracellular signaling pathways.

From Kizil Lab, CUIMC. Funding Opportunity: Ludwig Pilot Grant Funding Amount: Up to $150,000 direct costs per year for up to two years (5% indirect costs or up to $7,500 indirect costs per year). The committee is expecting to fund 2 projects annually.

Funding will be based on merit, and the second year of funding is contingent upon progress at the end of Year 1. Key Dates and Submission Information: Request for Application Open: February 13, 2026, and annually thereafter. Letter of Intent: March 13, 2026, and annually thereafter ( Invitations for full applications will be sent out in April ).

Full Application: May 15, 2026, and annually thereafter. Anticipated Award Decision: June 2026, and annually thereafter. Project Duration: 24 months from July 1 to June 30 Letters of intent and full application packages should be sent to Nadia Propp ( np2221@cumc.

columbia. edu ) prior to the application deadline. To promote research collaborations, applications must be submitted by research teams consisting of two or more PIs with faculty appointments at Columbia University, with one of the PIs being in the field of Neurodegeneration .

Teams should have at least two fields of research experience and expertise. Research teams may not include non-CU investigator as PIs or collaborators, unless the external investigator offers unique technology and resources. Previously awarded Ludwig Scholars may apply only if the previous award will be inactive by the start of a new funding program, and it is a new team and a new topic.

An investigator can be a PI or a co-applicant/collaborator on only one LOI and one final proposal. The Ludwig Family Foundation Pilot Research Program seeks applications focused on developing new knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the role of cerebrovascular disease in pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegeneration and dementia.

For the 2026 RFA, we welcome applications that address the following topic: Biology of Resilience and Resistance to Alzheimer’s Disease Resilience is defined as better-than-expected cognition in the face of risk factors (genetics, lifestyle, etc.) and pathology (proteinopathies, vasculopathies, white matter hyperintensities, etc.).

Resistance is defined as lower-than-expected pathology in the face of risk factors (genetics, lifestyle, etc.) Potential themes include but are not limited to the role of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, neurons, microglia, border associate macrophages, pericytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, adaptive immune cells, glymphatics and blood brain barrier dysfunction.

Projects may propose the application of tools including but not limited to animal models, 3D models, genetics, imaging, multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, lipid and metabolism biology. The proposed work program must focus on neurodegenerative disease, and an emphasis on neurodegenerative dementias is especially encouraged.

The proposed work program should be multidisciplinary and should contain at least two independent laboratories with naturally complementary skills.

Personnel time and effort Fringe and associated personnel costs Direct research expenses, including supplies, services, animals, etc. Up to $2500 for travel to conferences to present research Participant support costs Unallowable costs include: Administrative or overhead costs Funding will be allocated annually up to $150,000. Year 2 funding is contingent upon progress at the end of Year 1.

Carry-forward is allowable upon approval of Year 2. Separate from the funding intended to directly support the project, recipients will receive 5% indirect costs, up to $7,500 per year. Letter of Intent Requirements: Project team – list of personnel and research expertise.

Research description (1 page total) Application Requirements: Proposal narrative – (5 page limit, not including references) Budget justification – (1 page) NIH format Biosketch for all key personnel Other support for all key personnel Focus on resilience to AD and ADRD Awardees will be referred to as “Ludwig Investigators” and are required to submit annual progress reports based on the following schedule: Year 1 Progress Report - June 30, 2026, and annually thereafter Financial Report – July 31, 2027 In addition, awardees are required to meet with the program directors and fellow Ludwig Scholars monthly for 60 minutes to provide an informal update on research progress.

Meetings should be followed up with a brief 1-2 paragraph summary. Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation support must be acknowledged on all publications and presentations. Administrative Requirements: Any changes to the project team require prior approval from the committee.

Significant changes (up to 25%) to the project team’s level of effort commitment require approval from the committee. Significant changes in the project direction require prior approval from the committee. Peter St George-Hyslop ps2764@cumc.

columbia. edu Vilas Menon vm2545@cumc. columbia.

edu Nadia Propp np2221@cumc. columbia. edu