Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants Request for Applications
Grants awarded through this RFA were intended to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of autism, and in particular the potential role of missense and in-frame deletion variants in conferring risk. Investigators who are interested in developing medium- or high-throughput screens to test the functional effects of missense and in-frame deletion variants identified in the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) and other autism collections were encouraged to apply.
- Email Intent to Submit Proposal
- Application Deadline
- Notification of Award
- Funding Expected to Begin
- Email Intent to Submit Proposal
- Application Deadline
- Notification of Award
- Funding Expected to Begin
-
SFARI Grant Programs
[email protected]
- Email Intent to Submit Proposal
- Application Deadline
- Notification of Award
- Funding Expected to Begin
-
SFARI Grant Programs
[email protected]
Grants awarded through this request for applications (RFA) were intended to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of autism, and in particular the potential role of missense and in-frame deletion variants in conferring risk.
Data to be analyzed under this RFA came in part from the exome sequencing of more than 2,500 families from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC). Although much attention has been focused on de novo mutations that clearly disable protein function — nonsense, splice-site, and frameshift mutations — the majority of what has been identified in the SSC falls into the category of missense variants of uncertain significance. The sequencing of additional large cohorts may help to distinguish pathogenic from benign variants on a purely statistical basis, but it is clear that these efforts will have to be complemented by screens to test such variants for functional relevance.
To this end, we sought proposals for the development and application of medium- or high-throughput screens to test for the functional effects of missense and in-frame deletion variants identified in the SSC and other autism collections. In addition to establishing the functional impact of de novo missense mutations, one key goal was to compare the impact of such variants when inherited in individuals with autism vs. unaffected siblings (or those with autism vs. unrelated controls), to support a case for particular genes in autism susceptibility.
- Email Intent to Submit Proposal
- Application Deadline
- Notification of Award
- Funding Expected to Begin
-
SFARI Grant Programs
[email protected]
Instructions for submission
Applications must be completed electronically and submitted using forms provided at proposalCENTRAL. Please log in as an applicant, scroll to “Simons Foundation” and click on the program.
Contacts
Scientific inquiries: | [email protected] | 646-654-0066 | ||
Administrative inquiries: | [email protected] | 646-654-0066 | ||
SSC collection inquiries: | [email protected] | 646-654-0066 | ||
proposalCENTRAL: | [email protected] | 800-875-2562 |
- Email Intent to Submit Proposal
- Application Deadline
- Notification of Award
- Funding Expected to Begin
-
SFARI Grant Programs
[email protected]
-
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit my application proposal?
Applications are online and must be submitted online through proposalCENTRAL. New users first need to create a user account on proposalCENTRAL (https://proposalcentral.altum.com/). For all users, log in and select “Create New Proposal” or click on the “Grant Opportunities” tab. Filter the Grant Maker by “Simons Foundation” and click on “Apply Now” next to the “Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants Request for Applications” program. Once all sections are complete and the attachments are uploaded, the “Submit” button will be activated.
How do I create a proposalCENTRAL user account?Go to https://proposalcentral.altum.com/ and click “REGISTER” under “First Time Users.” Fill in the required fields, check the boxes to agree to proposalCENTRAL’s “Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy” and then click “Save.”
Is the Notice of Intent required to submit a full application? Is it the same as a Letter of Intent (LOI)?No, the Notice of Intent is not required for application submission but we request that investigators who intend to submit a proposal send an email by 27 March 2015 with the intended investigators’ names and affiliations and their intended proposal’s title to [email protected] with the subject line: SFARI RFA Notice of Intent.
The Notice of Intent is not the same as a formal Letter of Intent (LOI). Approval is not required for application submission.
Can someone else (assistant, staff member, etc.) submit my application for me?Yes, you can add users with administrator access to the proposalCENTRAL application so that someone other than the Principal Investigator (PI) can edit and submit the application. To add another user, go to Section 3, “Enable Other Users to Access this Proposal,” and complete the required fields.
Can postdoctoral associates apply as Principal Investigators?No, postdoctoral associates may not apply as PIs. All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility.
Can multiple Principal Investigators apply for a grant?Yes, if the proposal includes multiple PIs at more than one site, all investigators should have demonstrated prior success in similar collaborations.
For projects that have multiple PIs at different institutions, applications must be submitted by the PI designated as the contact PI and his/her institution. All applicants and key collaborators must hold a
Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or the equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility, and must submit a biosketch and a list of current and pending support.
Applications with multiple PIs from different institutions who will be paid directly by the contact PI’s institution are considered subcontracts.
Does the Simons Foundation require letters of support or collaboration?We do not require letters of support or letters of collaboration for Co-investigators. If a letter is prepared, it can be uploaded as “Appendix: In-press papers on related topics.”
Is there a minimum percent effort for Principal Investigators or Co-investigators?There is no minimum percent effort required for any personnel, but we expect personnel, in particular PIs and Co-investigators, to have efforts that reflect their roles in the project.
What is required for a subcontract? Where do I add the subcontract budget and upload subcontract budget details?"Applications with subcontracts must submit a Subcontract Budget for each subcontract awardee and grant year. The applicant PI must include the direct cost budget totals for all subcontracts in the “Consortium & Contractual Direct” section and indirect costs for all subcontracts in the “Subcontract Indirect Cost” section. Please upload the subcontract budget (available for download in the “Proposal Attachments” section) in the “Proposal Attachments” section of the full application on proposalCENTRAL.
What is the funding period? When will funding begin?The initial funding period is for a one-year pilot up to $250,000 including 20 percent of the modified total direct costs (see SFARI policies), beginning August 1, 2015. A subset of selected pilots will be awarded an additional two years of funding. All applications should include a plan for the full three years of funding.
Can foreign institutions apply for a grant?Yes. Please upload, if available, a copy of your U.S. IRS 501(c)(3) determination or equivalency letter as part of the application. The Simons Foundation requires a determination letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stating exemption under 501(c)(3) and furthermore, either a 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) classification. If an international institution is selected for funding and does not have the aforementioned documentation, the Simons Foundation will require the institution to complete an equivalency determination with NGOsoucre (see SFARI policies).
Can for-profit companies apply for a grant?Applications may be submitted by for-profit companies, in which case the funds provided for the grant are to be used only for charitable purposes toward research related to autism spectrum disorders.
Are references, figures and figure legends included in the narrative six (6)-page limit? How should they be included?References, figures and figure legends are not included in the page limit for the full proposal. Please attach them at the end of the six (6)-page narrative in the same PDF file. The Simons Foundation’s preference is for figures to follow the narrative rather than be embedded in the text.
What can I include as an appendix?‘In-press’ papers can be included as appendices, as well as any papers that you consider essential for the work of the review committee (not more than three [3]). Any other material should be included, if possible, in the narrative.
If you have video attachments for your proposal, please upload as an appendix (all file types are accepted). All appendices should be uploaded in the “Proposal Attachments” section of the application.
What are the font and size requirements?11-point, legible font.
How can I find out more about available biospecimens and other data available from the Simons Variation in Individuals Project (Simons VIP) and Simons Simplex Collection (SSC)?You can access and request information about Simons VIP and SSC biospecimens and data on SFARI Base. Please see our resources website (/resource/sfari-base/request-data-and-biospecimens) for more information. If you do not have a SFARI ID, you must create one. If you have problems with the log-in or have questions regarding the collections, please email [email protected].
Do the annual budget limits include the cost of purchasing SSC biospecimens?No, SSC biospecimen estimated costs are not included in the budget limit. Prices for SSC biospecimens can be found in the price list on our website.
Does the PI need to sign the signature page?No, only the signing official is required to sign the signature page.
How are applicants selected?Applicants will be selected based on qualifications and experience with the topic(s) relevant to the program. Competitive applications will receive external peer review. Notification of application status is expected by 1 July 2015.
Is validating my proposal the same as submitting it?No. “Validating” the proposal checks for errors and omissions and will alert you to missing requirements of your letter of intent or application. If the application is complete, you must then click “Submit.” You will receive an email within 10 minutes, and should contact [email protected] if you do not receive confirmation and do not see your application in the “Submitted” tab or with the status changed to “Submitted.”
I get an error message citing a missing section when I try to submit.The “Validate” button reviews your application for missing sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and attachments. You must complete the missing sections listed. If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the indicated sections, please contact [email protected].
Where is the “Submit” button?The “Submit” button is located in the last section of the application. You will be unable to submit if you have not provided all the required information. If the problem persists, please contact [email protected].
Can I make changes to the application once it has been submitted?You must contact Simons Foundation to un-submit your full application before you can edit attachments or HTML sections. Please email [email protected] or call 646-654-0066 if you would like to un-submit your application prior to the 10 April 2015 deadline.
Is there a confirmation email when I submit?A confirmation email is sent upon submission of the application. Please contact [email protected] if you submitted your application and have not received a confirmation email within 10 minutes. Make sure that spam filters allow emails from [email protected].
Human gene editing and in situ sequencing of neuronal microcircuit arrays
- Awarded: 2015
- Award Type: Targeted: Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants
- Award #: 368485
- George Church, Ph.D. Harvard Medical School
A multi-platform approach to the functional assessment of autism gene variants
- Awarded: 2015
- Award Type: Targeted: Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants
- Award #: 368406
- Kurt Haas, Ph.D. University of British Columbia
Analysis of autism-associated alleles in C. elegans
- Awarded: 2015
- Award Type: Targeted: Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants
- Award #: 367560
- Paul Sternberg, Ph.D. California Institute of Technology
In vivo functional analysis of autism candidate genes
- Awarded: 2015
- Award Type: Targeted: Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants
- Award #: 368479
- Shinya Yamamoto, D.V.M., Ph.D. Baylor College of Medicine
- Michael Wangler, M.D. Baylor College of Medicine
Interactome perturbation by large-scale mutagenesis to find autism risk variants
- Awarded: 2015
- Award Type: Targeted: Functional Screen of Autism-Associated Variants
- Award #: 367561
- Bernie Devlin, Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh
- Haiyuan Yu, Ph.D. Cornell University
- Kathryn Roeder, Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon University