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SFARI chevron-down--small

Program Areas
 * Mathematics and Physical Sciences
 * Life Sciences
 * Autism Research Initiative
 * Simons Collaborations
 * Flatiron Institute
 * Outreach, Education and Engagement
 * Simons Society of Fellows
 * Simons Pivot Fellowship

Funding
 * Funding
 * Policies and Procedures
 * Award Instructions

News
 * Announcements
 * Articles
 * Videos
 * What We’re Reading

Events
 * Simons Foundation Presidential Lectures
 * Simons Foundation Presents

About
 * About Us
 * Media Relations
 * Leadership
 * Annual Report
 * Contact Us
 * COVID-19
 * Diversity, Equity and Inclusion


SFARI chevron-down--small

SFARI

 * Funding
    * Funding Opportunities
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    * How to Apply
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    * Sign Up for RFA Announcements

 * Resources
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      * Autism Inpatient Collection
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 * Home
 * Funding


BRIDGE TO INDEPENDENCE AWARD PROGRAM

SFARI is invested in supporting the next generation of top autism researchers.
The Bridge to Independence Award program engages talented early-career
scientists to pursue autism research by facilitating their transition to
research independence and providing grant funding at the start of their faculty
positions at a U.S. or international research institution.

Applications from groups that have been historically underrepresented or
excluded in the biomedical workforce, including but not limited to racial and
ethnic groups, sexual orientation and gender identities, individuals with
mental/physical disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged
backgrounds, are encouraged.

Request for applications (RFA) open each year and are aimed at scientists with a
Ph.D. and/or M.D. who are currently in training positions but intend to seek
tenure-track research faculty positions during the upcoming academic job cycle.
Fellows will receive up to two (2) years of postdoctoral fellowship support with
an annual salary of $70,000, fringe benefits, an annual resource and
professional development allowance of $10,000, and indirect costs (limited to 20
percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation policies) followed
by a commitment of $600,000 over three (3) years, including indirect costs
(limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation
policies) activated upon assumption of a tenure-track research professorship.

Policies and
Procedures
Important Dates
 * SAM opens for applications
   November 29, 2022
 * RFA informational Zoom session
   December 8, 2022
 * First-stage applications and letters of recommendation due
   February 16, 2023
 * Finalists invited for interviews
   May 8, 2023
 * Virtual interviews
   June 1 and 2, 2023
   
 * BTI fellows notified of award
   June 2023
   

 *  * Share This
    * 
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 * 
 * 

 * Overview
 * RFA
 * How To Apply
 * FAQ
 * Fellows

 * Overview
 * Program Overview
 * BTI Fellows
 * Neuroscience Collaborations Transition to Independence Programs
 * References

Important Dates
 * SAM opens for applications
   November 29, 2022
 * RFA informational Zoom session
   December 8, 2022
 * First-stage applications and letters of recommendation due
   February 16, 2023
 * Finalists invited for interviews
   May 8, 2023
 * Virtual interviews
   June 1 and 2, 2023
   
 * BTI fellows notified of award
   June 2023
   

Contact Info
 * Scientific inquiries:
   sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org
 * Administrative inquiries:
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org
 * Simons collections inquiries:
   collections@sfari.org
 * Technical Assistance:
   samsupport@simonsfoundation.org
 * Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm ET
   SF offices are closed December 23 - January 2
   


OVERVIEW

The autism research community has expanded substantially in recent years and
SFARI has contributed to this change by attracting outstanding established
scientists to the field of autism. SFARI developed the Bridge to Independence
(BTI) Award program in 2015 to sustain this level of scientific excellence in
future years by extending our support to promising early-career investigators.
One of the most salient milestones in a scientific career is the transition from
mentored fellowship to an independent position. Unfortunately, numerous factors
within the modern biomedical ecosystem have also made this transition one of the
most vulnerable attrition points in the academic career pipeline.1 The SFARI BTI
Award program was created to help mitigate this systematic issue and to
encourage continued excellence in the autism research field.


PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The BTI Award program engages talented early-career scientists in autism
research by facilitating their transition to research independence and providing
grant funding at the start of their professorships. The annual RFA is aimed at
Ph.D. and M.D.-holding scientists who are currently in training positions but
intend to seek tenure-track research faculty positions during the upcoming
academic cycle.

The program’s selection process is uniquely designed to enhance the BTI fellows’
job prospects by providing a letter that specifies SFARI financial commitment to
the research project once the BTI fellow has secured a suitable faculty
position. For more information on eligibility requirements and the funding
process, see the RFA section. Importantly, this fellowship also includes up to
two (2) years of postdoctoral fellowship support in order to facilitate
professional development and offer support during the job search process.
Fellows will receive up to two (2) years of postdoctoral support with an annual
salary of $70,000, fringe benefits, an annual resource and professional
development allowance of $10,000, and indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of
modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation policies), followed by a
commitment of $600,000 over three (3) years, including indirect costs (limited
to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation policies),
activated upon assumption of a tenure-track research professorship.

The BTI Award program welcomes applications that span the breadth of science
that SFARI normally supports, including genetics, molecular mechanisms, circuits
and systems, and clinical science. For reference, please see the list of
current BTI fellows and of all SFARI Investigators, as well our postings
on SFARI scientific priorities.

While we encourage applications from scientists who are working on
autism-related projects, we would like to stress that this award is also open to
researchers who are not currently working on autism but who are interested in
starting research projects in this area and who have expertise that could be
brought to bear on this complex condition.

Applications from groups that have been historically underrepresented or
excluded in the biomedical workforce, including but not limited to racial and
ethnic groups, sexual orientation and gender identities, individuals with
mental/physical disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged
backgrounds, are encouraged.

During their transition year, BTI fellows also receive valuable feedback from
SFARI science staff during the job negotiation process. Throughout their tenure
in the BTI program, fellows also participate in a variety of community building
activities, such as professional development workshops, and participation in
annual BTI fellows retreats and SFARI science meetings.


BTI FELLOWS

Since 2015, the program has supported 44 fellows, many of whom have thriving
careers as independent investigators conducting impactful autism research. For
more information, please see the Simons Foundation 2020 Annual Report article on
the BTI program’s five-year anniversary, a SFARI blog post on the first half
decade of the program, as well as SFARI Conversations with J. Elliott
Robinson (a 2019 BTI fellow) and Aakanksha Singhvi (a 2016 fellow).


NEUROSCIENCE COLLABORATIONS TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE PROGRAMS

SFARI’s sister divisions at the Simons Foundation, the Simons Collaboration on
the Global Brain (SCGB) and the Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging
Brain (SCPAB), are now offering Transition to Independence (TTI) Awards. A chart
of the differences among the SFARI BTI, SCGB TTI, and SCPAB TTI programs can be
found here. Candidates may apply to all programs but may only accept one award.
Each application will be reviewed individually based on the program’s own
selection process and criteria. As such, it is expected that applicants will
tailor each research narrative to align with the respective Simons Foundation
program to which they are applying.



REFERENCES

1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Next Generation
of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers: Breaking Through. Washington,
DC: The National Academies Press (2018) Report

Read More
 * Application Process
 * Eligibility
 * Level and Duration of Funding
 * Informational Session for Potential Applicants
 * Instructions for submission
 * After Selection
 * Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Important Dates
 * SAM opens for applications
   November 29, 2022
 * RFA informational Zoom session
   December 8, 2022
 * First-stage applications and letters of recommendation due
   February 16, 2023
 * Finalists invited for interviews
   May 8, 2023
 * Virtual interviews
   June 1 and 2, 2023
   
 * BTI fellows notified of award
   June 2023
   

Contact Info
 * Scientific inquiries:
   sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org
 * Administrative inquiries:
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org
 * Simons collections inquiries:
   collections@sfari.org
 * Technical Assistance:
   samsupport@simonsfoundation.org
 * Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm ET
   SF offices are closed December 23 - January 2
   


APPLICATION PROCESS


Bridge to Independence (BTI) grants are awarded through a multi-stage process.
The first stage is a competitive process in which first-stage applications are
reviewed by the SFARI science team and an external scientific panel. BTI fellows
are selected at the end of stage one. Upon selection as a BTI fellow, fellows
will receive up to two (2) years of postdoctoral support at their postdoc
institution with an annual salary of $70,000, as well as a resource and
professional development allowance of $10,000 per year. The award will provide
fringe benefits and indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total
direct costs, see Simons Foundation policies). During this time, postdocs will
receive mentorship and professional development resources to assist in their
search for a faculty position.

Fellows have 24 months to secure a tenure-track professorship at an academic
institution and submit a second-stage approval application. Review of the
approval application is a non-competitive, internal process intended to confirm
that the fellow has secured an academic research position and adequate
institutional resources to accomplish the BTI research proposal. After the
Simons Foundation accepts the approval application, fellows may activate their
BTI grants, which provide $600,000 over three (3) years, including indirect
costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons
Foundation policies), awarded through their faculty appointment institution. The
award is administered through the institution at which the BTI fellow has
secured a tenure-track faculty appointment. Funds are intended as a supplement
to a standard start-up package.

Awards will be governed by the Simons Foundation policies, which can be found at
http://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding/Simons Foundation policies/.


ELIGIBILITY

New for 2023: The award program has removed the requirement that the
tenure-track position be at a U.S. or Canadian institution. Additionally, please
note that beginning with the 2024 SFARI BTI RFA, applicants will be limited to
one application resubmission (a total of two submissions to the BTI RFA).

 * Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree.

   

 * Applicants must be currently in non-independent, mentored training positions,
   as recognized by their institution. The following guidelines should be used
   to distinguish independent from non-independent positions (modified from the
   National Institutes of Health (NIH) K99/R00 program announcement eligibility
   section):
    
   Evidence for non-independence may include:
   
   
   
   * The applicant has a postdoctoral fellowship.
   
     
   
   * The applicant’s research is entirely funded by another investigator’s
     grants.
   
     
   
   * The applicant’s research is conducted entirely in another investigator’s
     assigned space.
   
     
   
   * According to institutional policy, the applicant is not allowed to submit
     an application for an NIH R01 research project grant.
   
   Conversely, evidence for independence, and therefore lack of eligibility,
   includes:
   
   * The applicant has a full-time faculty position. Exception: A clinician who
     holds a faculty member position in order to fulfill their clinical
     responsibilities but who does not hold an independent research faculty
     position may still be eligible. Such individuals should contact the
     foundation to confirm their eligibility prior to submitting their
     applications.
   
     
   
   * The applicant received a start-up package for support of the applicant’s
     independent research.
   
     
   
   * The applicant has research space dedicated to the applicant’s own research.
   
     
   
   * The applicant is eligible to apply for independent research funding as the
     PI of an NIH R01 research project grant.

   

 * Applicants must be actively seeking a tenure-track position at an institution
   of higher education during the 2023-2024 academic year.

   

 * Applicants are not eligible if they are recipients of other career
   development awards with similar budgetary scopes as the SFARI BTI Award.
   These include, but are not limited to:
   * NIH K99/R00 (please note that other K awardees may be eligible, e.g.,
     recipients of K01 and K08)
   
     
   
   * Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Career Award
   
     
   
   * American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award
   
     
   
   * Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna H. Gray Fellowship
   
   You are strongly encouraged to contact SFARI before applying if you believe
   your career development award is comparable to the BTI Award, but it is not
   listed above.

   

 * Applicants must not have accepted a formal offer for a tenure-track faculty
   position prior to 2023 RFA decision notifications, which for the 2023
   application cycle will be sent in June 2023.

   

 * There are no citizenship requirements.

All potential applicants with questions about eligibility are strongly
encouraged to contact SFARI at sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org before
submitting an application.

All applicants with a change in their eligibility status, due to acceptance of a
faculty position or grant of similar budgetary scope to the SFARI BTI Award,
should notify SFARI without delay at sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org.


LEVEL AND DURATION OF FUNDING

BTI Postdoctoral Award

BTI fellows will receive up to two (2) years of postdoctoral support at their
postdoc institution with an annual salary of $70,000. During this time, fellows
will also receive mentorship and professional development resources, as well as
a resource and professional development allowance of $10,000 per year, to assist
in their search for a faculty position. The award will provide fringe benefits
and indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see
Simons Foundation policies).The resource and professional development allowance
will be awarded through the current (postdoctoral) institution for the fellow’s
exclusive and flexible use for a variety of purposes, including but not limited
to laptop and software purchases, conference-related expenses, workshops and
other professional development costs.

BTI Faculty Award

After the Simons Foundation accepts the second-stage approval application, the
awardee will receive research support of $600,000 over three (3) years,
including indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs,
see Simons Foundation policies).The award is administered through the
institution at which the BTI fellow has secured a tenure-track faculty
appointment. Funds may not be used toward the faculty salary but may provide
salary support for other laboratory personnel and other typical grant budget
expenditures. Institutional start-up packages may not be reduced because of BTI
funding. SFARI will work with fellows and their potential faculty institutions
to ensure that fellows receive start-up packages with sufficient institutional
resources and academic privileges to complete the BTI project.


INFORMATIONAL SESSION FOR POTENTIAL APPLICANTS

An RFA informational Zoom meeting, featuring SFARI science staff and current
SFARI BTI fellows, was held on December 8, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. EST. We encourage
prospective applicants to view the recording here.

The Simons Foundation held an informational session on how to submit an
application through our new grants management system, Simons Award Manager
(SAM), on Thursday, January 12 – Click here to watch the recording.

Additionally, informational videos on submitting applications in SAM can be
found here.


INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

The deadline for receipt of the first-stage application is 12:00pm EST on
February 16, 2023. Applications must be submitted via SAM). Please click on the
Funding Opportunities icon and navigate to the Simons Foundation Autism Research
Initiative — Bridge to Independence Award call. Click the Create Application
button to begin. Applications should be started and submitted under the
applicant’s own account in SAM.

Please note that anyone submitting an application will be added to the SFARI
newsletter mailing list.

First-stage applications should include the following (for more details, see the
“Instructions” document, available for download in SAM):

 1. Specific Aims Page. The Specific Aims Page should not exceed one (1) page
    and should be a summary of the proposed project you intend to accomplish in
    the first three (3) years of your independent professorship. This should
    focus on the research aims of the project, including a concise rationale for
    the hypothesis, description of feasibility/preliminary data and experimental
    approach, and impact on autism research.
 2. The proposal narrative. This should be no more than three (3) pages long
    (NOT including references, tables and figures) describing the project you
    intend to accomplish in the first three (3) years of your independent
    professorship. The proposal narrative should be considered an expanded
    version of the Specific Aims Page and used to provide more detail on the
    following:
    1. Relevant scientific background
    2. Feasibility/preliminary results when applicable
    3. Specific aims
    4. Experimental design
    5. Pitfalls and alternative strategies
    6. Project significance and relevance to autism
    7. Timeline and milestones
 3. Overview of scientific interests and goals describing your overall future
    research program as an independent investigator and how autism science fits
    in with your intended research program. This should be no more than one (1)
    page.
 4. Please upload a biosketch for the PI using the provided template or NIH- or
    NSF-style format.
 5. Letter from current institution officially confirming you are in a mentored
    training position (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office).
 6. Letters of recommendation (separate, blind submission; deadline 16 February
    2023). Three (3) letters of recommendation are required from current or
    former mentors, or other senior scientists who have substantial familiarity
    with your scientific career thus far. At least one letter of recommendation
    must be from a current scientific mentor. Confidential letters must be
    submitted through SAM.
 7. Budget: A detailed budget for up to two (2) years of postdoctoral support,
    specifically: $70,000 annual salary and fringe, for the fellow (personnel
    field), $10,000 annual resource and professional development allowance
    (research support costs field), and indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of
    modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation policies).

First-stage applications are reviewed by the SFARI science team and competitive
applications are further reviewed by an external scientific panel. Reviewers
will weigh criteria related to the applicant’s scientific potential as an
independent investigator and their ability to formulate an impactful, innovative
and feasible autism research project.


AFTER SELECTION

2023 BTI fellows will be notified of their status by June 2023. Fellows will
receive up to two (2) years of postdoctoral support with a $70,000 annual
salary, awarded to them at their postdoc institution. In order to receive the
postdoctoral support portion of the award, your institution must appoint you as
an employee of the university with no teaching obligation and provide the
standard benefits package that the university provides to employees. Upon
notification, BTI fellows have up to 24 months to secure a tenure-track faculty
position and submit an approval application. As job negotiations develop,
fellows are strongly encouraged to contact their SFARI science manager. SFARI
will informally review job offer letters and, as appropriate, work with fellows
and their potential faculty institutions to ensure that start-up packages
provide sufficient institutional resources and academic privileges to complete
the BTI project.

To activate the faculty support portion of the award, fellows must submit a
second-stage approval application, which includes the tenure-track faculty
appointment offer letter with confirmed research startup package and laboratory
space commitments. Other required documents include applicable updates to the
proposal narrative, biosketch, current and pending support, budget, budget
justification, research environment and resources, renewable reagents and
data-sharing plan, and signature page.

SFARI will review these documents internally with the intention of funding all
fellows who have secured sufficient institutional resources and academic
privileges to complete the BTI project. If these are deemed acceptable, a grant
funding letter will be sent.

SFARI reserves the right to withhold grant support 1) if the fellow is unable to
secure a tenure-track position at a suitable academic institution within 24
months of their award notification letter, 2) if an institutional environment is
deemed inadequate by SFARI to support successful completion of the research
project, 3) if the revised and updated research plan is not considered adequate,
or 4) if the fellow is unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the PI for
other reasons. Such instances will be handled on a case-by-case basis. It is our
intention that withholding grant support from fellows will occur only in rare
instances. When appropriate, SFARI will work with fellows and their prospective
institutions in developing mutually agreeable solutions.


OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Applications from groups that have been historically underrepresented or
excluded in the biomedical workforce, including but not limited to racial and
ethnic groups, sexual orientation and gender identities, individuals with
mental/physical disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged
backgrounds, are encouraged.

Many of the greatest ideas and discoveries come from a diverse mix of minds,
backgrounds and experiences. The Simons Foundation is committed to grantmaking
that inspires and supports greater diversity and inclusiveness by cultivating a
funding environment that ensures representation of all identities and
differences and equitable access to information and resources for all applicants
and grantees.

The Simons Foundation provides equal opportunities to all applicants for funding
without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition neurodiversity,
disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state
and local law. The foundation also funds programs directed at supporting
scientists from disadvantaged backgrounds or underrepresented groups, often
working closely with professional societies and other funding agencies.

Read More
Important Dates
 * SAM opens for applications
   November 29, 2022
 * RFA informational Zoom session
   December 8, 2022
 * First-stage applications and letters of recommendation due
   February 16, 2023
 * Finalists invited for interviews
   May 8, 2023
 * Virtual interviews
   June 1 and 2, 2023
   
 * BTI fellows notified of award
   June 2023
   

Contact Info
 * Scientific inquiries:
   sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org
 * Administrative inquiries:
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org
 * Simons collections inquiries:
   collections@sfari.org
 * Technical Assistance:
   samsupport@simonsfoundation.org
 * Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm ET
   SF offices are closed December 23 - January 2
   

The deadline for first-stage application submission is 16 February 2023 at 12:00
p.m. EST.

Applications must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM). Please click
on the Funding Opportunities icon and navigate to the Simons Foundation Autism
Research Initiative – Bridge to Independence Postdoctoral Award call. Click the
Create Application button to begin. Applications should be started and submitted
under the applicant’s own account in SAM.

Informational Session for Potential Applicants

The Simons Foundation held an informational session on how to submit an
application through our new grants management system, Simons Award Manager
(SAM), on Thursday, January 12 – Click here to watch the recording.

Additionally, informational videos on submitting applications in SAM can be
found here.

First-Stage Application Requirements and Submission Instructions

To submit a first-stage application, the following sections must be completed in
SAM:

 * Proposal Tab:
   * Applicant Details & Personal Data: Enter required fields. The applicant may
     edit information via the Edit Profile button as needed.
   
     
   
   * Academic Degrees: Click the Add/Modify Degree(s) button to provide this
     information.
   
     
   
   * Application Details: Provide the required information. Hovering over the
     question mark icons will provide additional information on required fields.
   
     
   
   * Proposal – The following information/upload must be provided:
     * Mentor name.
     
       
     
     * Specific Aims: Upload via template provided.
     
       
     
     * Proposal Narrative: Upload via template provided.
     
       
     
     * Scientific Interests and Goals: Upload via template provided.
     
       
     
     * Confirmation Letter for Mentored Training Position: Provide a letter from
       your current institution officially confirming that you are in a mentored
       training position (e.g., letter from department chair or grant office).
     
       
     
     * Personnel Biosketches: Applicant should upload their biosketch using
       template provided and/or NIH or NSF-style format.
 * Contacts & Personnel Tab:
   * Institution Administrative Contacts: You must add at least one institution
     signing official and financial officer to the Institution Administrative
     Contacts section before you will be able to submit your application.
   
     
   
   * Project Personnel: Please indicate all key personnel on the proposed
     project. Project personnel who will be named in the budget must be added to
     the Project personnel section on this tab before they will display as
     available options in the budget module. This does not apply to TBD
     personnel.
 * Budget Tab:
   * Click the Edit/Modify button to add a detailed budget for up to two (2)
     years of postdoctoral support, specifically: $70,000 annual salary, and
     fringe, for the fellow (personnel field), $10,000 annual resource and
     professional development allowance (research support costs field), and
     indirect costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see
     Simons Foundation policies).
 * Letter of Reference Tab:
   * Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation are required from current
     or previous mentors and/or senior scientists who have substantial
     familiarity with your scientific career thus far. At least one letter of
     recommendation must be from a current scientific mentor. Confidential
     letters must be submitted through SAM.
   
     
   
   * Instructions on how to invite referees are provided in this tab within SAM.
     Please note that you must enter a date by which the invited referee should
     submit their letter of reference and click Save Draft prior to sending the
     invitation. This will ensure that the email invitation sent to the referee
     includes the due date you set. A video on the letter of reference process
     can be found here.
   * You will not be able to submit your application until all three letters of
     reference are submitted by the referees.
 * Publications & Other Support Tab:
   * Publications: Follow instructions for providing publications for all key
     personnel on the project. Publications can be added as a batch from a
     Pubmed search by selecting Select publication from profile and then
     clicking the Assign Publications for this Proposal button. Note that
     publications will be used to determine conflicts of interest (COIs) for the
     review of your proposal; including a complete list of your publications
     over the last seven years using this function, rather than the PDF upload
     option, will expedite the review process.
   
     
   
   * Other Support: Follow instructions for providing other support information
     for all key personnel on the project.
     * If using PDF upload, use NIH format.
 * Check Application Progress: Click the Check Application Progress button to
   check for any missing required information or files. All missing required
   information will be listed at the top of the screen and must be corrected
   before the application can be submitted.

   

 * Send for Sign-off: When the application is complete, click on the Send for
   Sign-off button to send to your signing official for signature. You will
   receive a notification when the application is signed.

   

 * Submit Application: When the full proposal application is complete and
   signed, please click on the Submit Application button. A confirmation page
   will appear once the application is successfully submitted. It will appear in
   the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table. Please note that you
   will not be able to submit an application if the deadline has passed.

Please note that research proposals exceeding the three (3)-page limit will not
be reviewed. No extensions will be given.

Read More
Important Dates
 * SAM opens for applications
   November 29, 2022
 * RFA informational Zoom session
   December 8, 2022
 * First-stage applications and letters of recommendation due
   February 16, 2023
 * Finalists invited for interviews
   May 8, 2023
 * Virtual interviews
   June 1 and 2, 2023
   
 * BTI fellows notified of award
   June 2023
   

Contact Info
 * Scientific inquiries:
   sciencerfa@simonsfoundation.org
 * Administrative inquiries:
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org
 * Simons collections inquiries:
   collections@sfari.org
 * Technical Assistance:
   samsupport@simonsfoundation.org
 * Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm ET
   SF offices are closed December 23 - January 2
   

 * Eligibilityplus--large
   I do not have a Ph.D. or M.D. yet, but I am currently pursuing one (e.g., I
   am a current graduate or medical student). Am I eligible? plus--large
   
   No. Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree. Please note that
   the foundation does not consider a Doctor of Psychology degree, e.g., Psy.D.,
   as equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Ph.D.
   
   Is there a limit to the number of postdoctoral training years for
   applicants?plus--large
   
   No. In recognition that different life trajectories can still culminate in
   successful scientific careers, SFARI has removed our previous six-year
   eligibility limit on postdoctoral training.
   
   I already have a postdoctoral fellowship, am I eligible to apply?plus--large
   
   Yes. Please contact us to discuss options for the postdoc fellowship support
   portion of this award.
   
   Are newly appointed tenure-track faculty eligible? plus--large
   
   No.
   
   I have accepted a tenure-track faculty position but have not yet started. Am
   I still eligible?plus--large
   
   No. However, with approval of your faculty institution, you are eligible to
   apply for SFARI Pilot Awards, as well as targeted RFA programs. More
   information about these grant opportunities is available here.
   
   I hold a non-tenured faculty position (e.g., assistant or adjunct professor)
   at my institution. Am I eligible to apply?plus--large
   
   No. However, exceptions are made for clinical faculty members who do not hold
   an independent research faculty position (see question 8).
   
   I have a Ph.D. (or equivalent research doctorate degree) but do not have the
   title of ‘postdoctoral fellow.’ Am I eligible to apply?plus--large
   
   You are eligible only if your institutional title is the equivalent of
   ‘postdoctoral fellow’ — in other words, if you are considered to be in a
   non-independent training position with a designated mentor. Confirmation of
   your training status (e.g., letter from the department chair) is required for
   the first-stage application.
   
   What is the difference between a non-independent and an independent
   position?plus--large
   
   As modified from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) K99/R00 program
   announcement, evidence for non-independence may include documentation that:
   
    * The applicant’s research is entirely funded by another investigator’s
      grants.
    * The applicant’s research is conducted entirely in another investigator’s
      assigned space.
    * According to institutional policy, the applicant is not allowed to submit
      an application for an NIH R01 research grant as the principal investigator
      (PI).
   
   Conversely, independence, and therefore lack of eligibility, is indicated by
   any of the following:
   
    * The applicant has a full-time faculty position.
    * The applicant received a startup package for support of the applicant’s
      independent research.
    * The applicant has research space dedicated to the applicant’s own
      research.
    * The applicant is eligible to apply for an NIH R01 as the PI.
   
   I am a clinician (M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M. or other licensed professional) but do
   not have a postdoctoral fellow position. Am I eligible to apply?plus--large
   
   Clinicians who hold faculty positions in order to fulfill their clinical
   responsibilities may be eligible if and only if they do not hold independent
   research faculty positions. The foundation may require written confirmation
   of the distinction between the applicant’s clinical and research
   responsibilities. Please contact sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org to confirm
   eligibility status prior to application submission.
   
   My current traineeship is at a non-U.S. academic institution; am I eligible
   to apply? plus--large
   
   Yes.
   
   Does my faculty position need to be at a U.S. institution? plus--large
   
   No.
   
   I am not a U.S. citizen. Am I eligible to apply? plus--large
   
   Yes. U.S. citizenship is not required.
   
   Are there any eligibility restrictions on duration of postdoctoral training
   or how long ago I earned my Ph.D. or M.D.?plus--large
   
   No. SFARI does not restrict eligibility based on duration of postdoctoral
   training or how long ago the Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree was earned.
   
   Is postdoctoral training a requirement to apply for the BTI Award?
   plus--large
   
   No. However, a postdoctoral fellowship is often considered essential training
   in preparation for an independent research career and, as such, the vast
   majority of competitive applicants have had substantive postdoctoral
   training. Nevertheless, SFARI acknowledges that some scientific fields (e.g.,
   computer science) and some individuals may already be well placed to begin
   their professorships without having completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Our
   review criteria are focused on whether an applicant is currently poised to
   begin their independent careers, as evidenced by their scientific
   contributions and vision, and not based on whether the applicant has
   conducted postdoctoral training, per se.
   
   I am the recipient of a career development award with a similar budgetary
   scope to the SFARI BTI Award. Am I eligible? plus--large
   
   No. These awards include, but are not limited to:
   
    * NIH K99/R00 (please note that other K awardees may be eligible, e.g.,
      recipients of K01 and K08)
    * Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award
    * American Academy of Neurology Career Development Award
    * Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna H. Gray Fellowship
   
   You are strongly encouraged to contact SFARI before applying if you believe
   your career development award is comparable to the BTI Award but is not
   listed above.
   
   I applied for the SFARI BTI Award in a previous year and was not selected. Am
   I still eligible to apply?plus--large
   
   Yes. However, beginning with the 2024 SFARI BTI RFA, applicants will be
   limited to one application resubmission (a total of two submissions to the
   BTI RFA).
   
   I noticed the Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB) and the Simons
   Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain (SCPAB) are also offering
   independence awards. How are the three programs similar and different to each
   other, and may I apply to both?plus--large
   
   Simons Foundation Independence Award programs are currently offered through
   three divisions of the foundation. They share the common goal of supporting
   early career scientists as they transition from mentored training to their
   independent research positions. However, the three award programs emphasize
   different scientific missions and have different eligibility criteria. Please
   see the comparison chart on the website for more information about each.
   
   Candidates may apply to more than one program in a single RFA cycle; however,
   each application will be reviewed individually based on the program’s own
   selection process and criteria. As such, it is expected that applicants will
   tailor each research narrative to align with the respective Simons Foundation
   program to which they are applying. Please note that selected candidates may
   only accept one Independence award.
   
   If you have questions regarding about the suitability of your research
   narrative for the SFARI BTI program, please contact us at
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org.

 * First-Stage Application Submissionplus--large
   Can I email or mail an application? plus--large
   
   No. The Simons Foundation only accepts applications submitted online through
   SAM.
   
   Do I need to provide official documentation of my position as a mentored
   trainee? plus--large
   
   Yes. A letter from your institution (e.g., letter from department chair or
   grants office) officially confirming your status in a training position and
   specifying your designated mentor is a required document for the application.
   
   Does the Simons Foundation require letters of recommendation?plus--large
   
   Yes. The foundation requires three (3) letters of recommendation from current
   or former mentors, or from other senior scientists who have substantial
   familiarity with your scientific career thus far. At least one (1) letter of
   recommendation must be from a current scientific mentor.
   
   Confidential letters must be submitted through SAM. The applicant CANNOT
   submit the letters of recommendation directly. In the only application,
   applicants should enter in the names and email addresses of three (3)
   individuals who will upload recommendations on the applicant’s behalf
   directly into SAM.
   
   Letters of recommendation must be submitted with the application by February
   16, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST. It is advised that applicants begin the online
   application at least four (4) weeks prior to the February 16 deadline to
   ensure that letters of recommendation are submitted in time. Applicants will
   not be able to submit their applications without the required references.
   
   Do I need approval from the grants office at my institution to submit my
   first-stage application?plus--large
   
   Yes. Institutional sign-off is required in the first stage in order to
   receive the postdoctoral awards. An additional institutional signoff from
   your faculty institution will also be required at the second stage approval
   application if you are selected for an award.
   
   Are references, figures and figure legends included in the narrative three
   (3)-page limit? How should they be included?plus--large
   
   No, references, figures and figure legends are not included in the page limit
   for the research proposal. Please attach them at the end of the 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 in the Other section?plus--large
   
   “In-press” papers can be included 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 them as
   “Other” (all file types are accepted). All other documents should be uploaded
   in the “Proposal Attachments” section of the application.
   
   May SFARI funds go toward providing clinical services or conducting a
   clinical trial? plus--large
   
   No. Proposals for clinical “efficacy” trials are not allowed. Funds may only
   be used toward a research project.
   
   I get an error message citing a missing section when I try to
   submit.plus--large
   
   The Check Application Progress button reviews your proposal for missing
   sections. The submission instructions list the required sections and
   attachments. You must complete the missing items listed in the error message.
   If you are still receiving error messages after completing and saving the
   indicated sections, please contact samsupport@simonsfoundation.org.
   
   How do I submit?plus--large
   
   When the full proposal application is complete, please click on the Submit
   Application button. A confirmation page will appear once the application is
   successfully submitted. It will appear in the Submitted tab of the
   Applications in Progress table. Please note that you will not be able to
   submit an application if the deadline has passed.
   
   Can I make changes to the application once it has been submitted?plus--large
   
   You must contact the Simons Foundation prior to the February 16, 2023
   deadline to un-submit your application. Please email
   sfarigrants@simonsfoundation.org if you would like to un-submit your proposal
   for any modifications.
   
   Will I receive a confirmation email when I submit?plus--large
   
   A confirmation email is sent upon submission. Make sure that spam filters
   allow emails from no-reply@simonsfoundation.org. Additionally, the proposal
   will be in the Submitted tab of the Applications in Progress table after
   submission.
   
   When will applicants be notified of their BTI fellow status?plus--large
   
   Applicants will be notified of their status in June 2023.
   
   How are BTI fellows selected?plus--large
   
   All first-stage applications receive scientific review by our internal
   science team. Competitive proposals will receive additional review by an
   external scientific committee. The applicant’s potential promise as an
   independent investigator and commitment to autism research will be the
   strongest factors. However, the proposal must also outline an impactful,
   innovative and feasible autism study. Fellows will be chosen based on these
   criteria and the recommendations of our external scientific committee.

 * Postdoctoral Award Fundingplus--large
   How does the Postdoctoral Award work?plus--large
   
   As a SFARI BTI fellow, postdocs will be employees of their institutions and
   will receive an annual salary at their postdoctoral institution of $70,000
   for up to two (2) years. The award will provide fringe benefits and indirect
   costs (limited to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons
   Foundation policies).Fringe will be added to this award; the fringe rate
   varies based on the institutional fringe rate and will not be adjusted
   mid-award. In addition to the annual salary, postdocs will receive a resource
   and professional development allowance of $10,000 per year for up to two (2)
   years. The resource and professional development allowance will be awarded
   through the current (postdoctoral) institution for fellow’s exclusive and
   flexible use for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to laptop
   and software purchases, conference-related expenses, workshops and other
   professional development costs.
   
   Will I be eligible for health insurance and other benefits during the
   Postdoctoral Award stage?plus--large
   
   In order to receive the postdoctoral support portion of the award, your
   institution must appoint you as an employee of the university with no
   teaching obligation, and provide the standard benefits package (e.g., health
   insurance, retirement plan, etc.) that the university provides to employees.
   
   What if I get a faculty position in under two years? What will happen to the
   postdoc support funds?plus--large
   
   If a postdoc starts their faculty position in less than two years, any
   unexpended balance must be returned to the Simons Foundation.

 * Second-Stage Application Submission and Faculty Award Fundingplus--large
   What is the funding period? When will funding begin?plus--large
   
   Once the approval application has been submitted, SFARI will coordinate with
   the fellow about the timing of the award letter and start date. The
   newly-appointed principal investigator (PI) will receive research support at
   the level of $600,000 over three (3) years, including indirect costs (limited
   to 20 percent of modified total direct costs, see Simons Foundation
   policies).The award is administered through the institution at which the PI
   has a tenure-track faculty appointment.
   
   What can funds be used for?plus--large
   
   It is expected that proposed budgets reflect the accurate proportion of
   resources (e.g., personnel, supplies, equipment, travel) needed to complete
   the SFARI-funded project. Funds may be used toward salary and tuition support
   for laboratory personnel but may not be used toward the PI’s salary. In
   addition, since it is expected that all awardees will receive institutional
   start-up packages, we strongly discourage budget allocations for general lab
   equipment, such as freezers and refrigerators. All budgets must be approved
   by SFARI before funding may begin. Institutional startup packages may not be
   reduced because of SFARI funding.
   
   May I accept a position in the department where I conducted my mentored
   research?plus--large
   
   Fellows are encouraged (but not required) to apply for independent positions
   in different departments and institutions from where they conducted their
   mentored research. It is important for all fellows, but especially fellows
   who intend to stay at their mentoring institution for their independent role,
   to discuss their intentions with their SFARI science manager. Fellows who
   accept faculty positions at their mentoring institutions may be asked to
   submit a letter from their department chair outlining their commitment and
   plans for ensuring the fellow’s independence.
   
   I am a BTI fellow and am close to receiving a tenure-track faculty offer
   letter. What do I do now?plus--large
   
   Contact your SFARI science manager, who will informally review your offer
   letter to flag any potential issues with activating the grant. As
   appropriate, SFARI will work with fellows and their potential faculty
   institutions to ensure that start-up packages provide sufficient
   institutional resources and academic privileges to complete the BTI project.
   
   Once you are within 2-3 months of beginning work on your BTI project, you
   must submit your award approval application in order to formally activate
   your BTI grant. To do this, you must submit the following documents through
   your appointment institution, using SAM:
   
    * Copy of tenure-track faculty appointment letter with confirmed research
      start-up package and laboratory space commitments
    * Updated research proposal—given the time lag between the initial
      submission of the fellow’s first-stage application and activation of the
      grant, SFARI allows the fellow to update their research proposal as long
      as the project remains within scope of the original proposal.
    * Updated biosketch for the PI
    * Current and pending support for the PI
    * Budget — BTI funds may not be used toward the PI’s salary or general lab
      equipment such as freezers and refrigerators.
    * Budget justification
    * Research environment and resources — investigators should demonstrate
      access to appropriate facilities and resources for successful completion
      of the proposed research grant.
    * Data-sharing plan
    * Institutional sign-off
   
   SFARI reserves the right to withhold grant support 1) if the fellow is unable
   to secure a tenure-track position at a suitable academic institution within
   two years of receiving their fellows designation letter, 2) if an
   institutional environment is deemed inadequate by SFARI to support successful
   completion of the research project, 3) if the revised and updated research
   plan is not considered adequate, or 4) if the fellow is unable to fulfill the
   responsibilities of the PI for other reasons. Such instances will be handled
   on a case-by-case basis. It is our intention that withholding grant support
   from fellows will occur only in rare instances.

Year Awarded
 * All
 * 2022
 * 2021
 * 2020
 * 2019
 * 2018
 * 2017
 * 2016
 * 2015

2022

CHEEN EUONG ANG, PH.D.

Harvard University

Cheen Euong Ang is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Xiaowei Zhuang
at Harvard University where he focuses on developing transcriptome and epigenome
imaging methods. He received his B.Sc. from McGill University and his Ph.D. from
Stanford University. His Ph.D. thesis work in the lab of Marius Wernig centered
on developing protocols for neuronal reprogramming and applying them to model
neuropsychiatric diseases.

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ANILA D’MELLO, PH.D.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Anila D’Mello is a postdoctoral fellow at the McGovern Institute for Brain
Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology working with John
Gabrieli. She received her B.A. in psychology from Georgetown University, and
completed her Ph.D. in behavior, cognition and neuroscience at American
University. D’Mello’s doctoral and postdoctoral research has leveraged
neuroimaging, neuromodulation and behavioral experimentation to understand
cerebellar contributions to language, social communication and cognition in
individuals with and without autism spectrum disorders.

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RYOMA HATTORI, PH.D.

University of California, San Diego

Ryoma Hattori is an assistant project scientist at the University of California,
San Diego. He received his B.S. from the University of Tokyo and A.M. and Ph.D.
from Harvard University. He completed his doctoral thesis work in the laboratory
of Takao K. Hensch, where he studied the developmental dynamics of multisensory
interactions in the mouse visual cortex and related changes in mouse models of
autism.

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LEANNA M. HERNANDEZ, PH.D.

University of California, Los Angeles

Leanna Hernandez is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA). She earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience in the laboratory of
Mirella Dapretto, where her dissertation work used magnetic resonance imaging to
characterize the impact of genetic variability in the OXTR gene on
neurobiological heterogeneity and sex-differences in autism spectrum disorder
(ASD).

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KATIE MATHO, PH.D.



Katie Matho is a research investigator at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. She
received her B.S. from Union College, and her M.S. and Ph.D., both in
neuroscience, from Sorbonne Université in Paris, France. For her Ph.D. work with
Jean Livet at Institut de la Vision in France, Matho mapped the microscale
connectivity of auditory circuitry in the brainstem, in the emerging field of
connectomics. She employed a multicolor “barcoding” strategy called “Brainbow,”
whereby neurons express random combinations of fluorescent proteins,
facilitating single-cell, large-volume image analysis. This technique enabled
her to identify previously unknown instances of converging inputs within this
circuit where 1:1 connectivity is thought to be the rule.

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MARTIN MUNZ, PH.D.



Martin Munz is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Botond Roska at the Institute
of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel. He is interested in understanding
the role of activity during the inception of cortical circuits. Specifically, he
developed imaging, molecular and electrophysiological techniques to allow the in
vivo observation and manipulation of developing embryonic cortical circuits in
mice. He plans to describe cell type-specific changes that occur in mice with
autism-related mutations during embryonic development.

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MICHAEL SEGEL, PH.D.

Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Michael Segel is a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and
Harvard. He received his A.B. from Harvard College in human developmental and
regenerative biology and his Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience from the University
of Cambridge. For his doctoral thesis in the lab of Robin Franklin, he explored
the molecular mechanisms underpinning the aging of glia in the central nervous
syste

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2021

GABRIELLA BOULTING, PH.D.

University of Massachusetts Medical School

Gabriella Boulting earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry in the laboratory of Kevin
Eggan in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department at Harvard
University, where she focused on the application of human pluripotent stem cells
(PSCs) to study neurogenerative disease. She developed methods to produce human
spinal motor neurons in vitro, generated a vetted panel of human PSC lines for
in vitro amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease modeling and uncovered
disease phenotypes in motor neurons derived from induced PSCs from individuals
with ALS.

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ALEXANDER LI COHEN, M.D., PH.D.

Boston Children's Hospital

Alexander Li Cohen is a physician-scientist and instructor in the Department of
Neurology at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He received
his B.A. in biology and biomedical physics from Washington University in St.
Louis and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis. He then completed residency training in pediatrics and
child neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and clinical and
post-doctoral fellowships in pediatric behavioral neurology and translational
research in neurodevelopmental disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital.

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EIRENE MARKENSCOFF-PAPADIMITRIOU, PH.D.

University of California, San Francisco

Eirene Markenscoff-Papadimitriou is a postdoctoral fellow at University of
California, San Francisco (UCSF). She received her B.A. from Harvard College and
her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UCSF. For her doctoral thesis in the laboratory of
Stavros Lomvardas, she explored the regulation of olfactory receptor genes and
discovered a unique mode of gene regulation that involves inter-chromosomal
interactions in the nucleus.

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MARINO PAGAN, PH.D.

Princeton University

Marino Pagan is a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University. He
received his B.S. in computer engineering and his M.S. in control engineering
from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna and University of Pisa in Italy. He completed
his Ph.D. in neuroscience at University of Pennsylvania in the laboratory of
Nicole Rust, where he studied the neural circuits of visual object search in
macaque monkeys using electrophysiology and computational modeling.

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KARTIK PATTABIRAMAN, M.D., PH.D.

Yale Child Study Center

Kartik Pattabiraman is an Alfred J. Solnit Integrated Psychiatry Fellow at the
Yale Child Study Center. He received his Sc.B. from Brown University and M.D.
and Ph.D. from University of California, San Francisco. He completed his Ph.D.
thesis work in the laboratory of John Rubenstein studying the gene regulatory
networks involved in early cortical patterning.

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ZHUZHU ZHANG, PH.D.

Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Zhuzhu Zhang is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Salk Institute for
Biological Studies working with Joseph Ecker and Edward Callaway. She is broadly
interested in understanding the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in the
mammalian brain at single-cell resolution, using both experimental and
computational approaches. Specifically, Zhang studies the neuronal cell types
and functions in the brain and investigates their molecular signatures in the
context of neural pathways and circuits by developing and deploying novel single
cell multi-omics approaches. She plans to further investigate cell type- and
circuit-specific epigenetic regulations in normal postnatal brain development
and in neurodevelopmental disorders and explore epigenetic mechanisms that
underlie genotype-environment (GxE) interaction.

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2020

NEIR ESHEL, M.D., PH.D.

Stanford University

Neir Eshel is an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences at Stanford University. He received his A.B. from Princeton University,
M.S. from University College London, and M.D./Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Read More

RANMAL ALOKA SAMARASINGHE, M.D., PH.D.

University of California, Los Angeles

Ranmal Aloka Samarasinghe is a clinical instructor at the University of
California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the
University of Pittsburgh in 2013. He performed his thesis research in the
laboratory of Donald DeFranco, where he studied nongenomic actions of
glucocorticoid hormones in neural progenitor cells.

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TONI-LEE STERLEY, PH.D.

University of Calgary

Toni-Lee Sterley is a postdoctoral associate at the University of Calgary. She
completed her doctoral training in the laboratory of Vivienne Russell at the
University of Cape Town. Her doctoral thesis used rodent models to investigate
the influences of early life stress and genetic predispositions in the
development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or depression,
specifically looking at roles for glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission in
observed behavioral phenotypes.

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2019

NICHOLAS FROST, M.D., PH.D.

University of California, San Francisco

Nicholas Frost is an adjunct clinical instructor at the University of
California, San Francisco. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine. There, his thesis work in the laboratory of Thomas
Blanpied focused on the regulation of actin polymerization within dendritic
spines, utilizing super-resolution microscopy to track single molecules of
polymerized actin moving within living neurons.

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ETHAN GREENBLATT, PH.D.

University of British Columbia

Ethan Greenblatt is an assistant professor at the University of British
Columbia. He received his doctoral training in the laboratory of Ron Kopito at
Stanford University, where he worked on cellular protein quality control
mechanisms, showing a central role for membrane ‘pseudo’-proteases in the
proteasomal degradation of misfolded secretory proteins.

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FENNA KRIENEN, PH.D.

Harvard Medical School

Fenna Krienen is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School. She received
her B.A. from the University California, Berkeley and completed her doctoral
studies at Harvard University with Randy Buckner, where she used noninvasive
neuroimaging to infer principles of corticocortical and corticocerebellar
network architecture in the human brain.

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J. ELLIOTT ROBINSON, M.D., PH.D.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College
of Medicine

J. Elliott Robinson is an assistant professor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital,
University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. He completed his M.D. and Ph.D. in
the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of North Carolina (UNC)
at Chapel Hill. His doctoral dissertation work, which was co-advised by C.J.
Malanga (UNC) and Markus Heilig (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism), investigated how the A118G mu opioid receptor gene polymorphism
moderates dopaminergic and behavioral responses to alcohol and abused opioids.

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HUME STROUD, PH.D.

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Hume Stroud is an assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center. He received his doctoral training in the laboratory of Steve
Jacobsen at the University of California, Los Angeles. His work focused on the
regulation of DNA replication and transposon silencing in the model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana. For his postdoctoral training, Stroud went on to join the
laboratory of Michael Greenberg at Harvard Medical School, where he utilized
genomic approaches to understand the regulation and function of DNA methylation
in neurons in the developing brain.

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2018

REZA KALHOR, PH.D.

Johns Hopkins University

Reza Kalhor is an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. His lab
develops new tools using a variety of strategies, including molecular
engineering, CRISPR-based manipulation and computational approaches. These tools
are then applied to problems in mammalian development, neurobiology and
synthetic biology.

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XIN TANG, PH.D.

Harvard Medical School

Xin Tang is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He studies genetic
and environmental factors regulating synaptic signal transmission, with a focus
on KCC2 molecular pathways and the role of KCC2 dysregulation in autism spectrum
disorder.

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DONNA WERLING, PH.D.

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Donna Werling is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Her research is focused on understanding the key neurobiological mechanisms
involved in the etiology of ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders,
including genetic and developmental processes, with a focus on the role of
sex-differential biology in modulating risk.

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PENG ZHANG, PH.D.

Case Western Reserve University

Peng Zhang is interested in the role of extracellular matrix glycans in shaping
synaptic properties and brain function. During his Ph.D., Zhang studied the role
of O-mannosylated glycans on a-dystroglycan in regulating binding to laminin,
and the assembly of the extracellular matrix, which is an underlying
pathological mechanism in congenital muscular dystrophies. Subsequently, Zhang
extended his interests in this area to the field of synaptic development in Ann
Marie Craig’s laboratory. He discovered that neurexins (a class of synaptic
adhesion molecules) are modified by a rare type of glycan called heparan
sulfate, which is a constituent of the extracellular matrix.

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2017

RYAN DOAN, PH.D.

Boston Children's Hospital

Ryan Doan is an Instructor at Boston Children's Hospital. Doan’s research
focuses on the important issue of understanding why many individuals with
neurodevelopmental disorders lack a genetic diagnosis, both in clinical and
research settings. The overall aim of his laboratory is to develop and implement
a streamlined approach combining evolutionary and human genetics to discover
novel noncoding mutations that can be targeted in a clinical diagnostic setting.

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MICHAEL HART, PH.D.

University of Pennsylvania

Michael Hart is a research associate at the University of Pennsylvania and a
member of the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence (ASPE). Hart’s research
utilizes the nematode C. elegans to study and model disease genes and disease
variants associated with autism spectrum disorder.

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REBECCA MUHLE, M.D., PH.D.

Columbia University

Rebecca Muhle is an assistant professor at Columbia University. Muhle works with
individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder
(ASD) and uses animal and cellular model systems to uncover the biological
changes that occur when genes associated with ASD are disrupted.

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GABRIELA ROSENBLAU, PH.D.

George Washington University

Gabriela Rosenblau is an assistant professor of cognitive neuroscience in the
psychology department at George Washington University. Her research combines
computational models with functional neuroimaging to further our mechanistic
understanding of typical and atypical human development and learning.

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STEPHANIE RUDOLPH, PH.D.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Stephanie Rudolph is an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. Rudolph uses a combination of genetic, viral, in vitro and in vivo
techniques to assess neuromodulatory system interactions with, and effects on,
cerebellar non-motor functions in mouse models of autism spectrum disorder.

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SETH SHIPMAN, PH.D.

University of California, San Francisco

Seth Shipman is an assistant investigator at the Gladstone Institute and an
assistant professor in bioengineering and therapeutic sciences at the University
of California, San Francisco (UCSF). His lab engineers new functions into living
cells to understand the fundamental biology of developing systems, particularly
the brain.

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TINGTING WANG, PH.D.

Georgetown University

Tingting Wang is an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology &
Physiology at Georgetown University. Her lab investigates the molecular
mechanisms that underlie the homeostatic control of the nervous system and
studies how impaired homeostatic plasticity may contribute to brain disorders,
including autism.

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2016

SUNG EUN (SAMUEL) KWON, PH.D.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Sung Eun “Samuel” Kwon is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular,
Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Kwon focuses on cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying sensory
cortical plasticity in both health and conditions of neurocognitive disorders
using in vivo imaging, electrophysiology, opto- and pharmaco-genetics, and
behavior in the mammalian brain.

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MICHAEL GANDAL, M.D., PH.D.

University of California, Los Angeles

Michael Gandal is an assistant professor at University of California, Los
Angeles, and at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. His
group uses systems-level genetic, genomic and transcriptomic approaches to
understand the neurobiological mechanisms underlying autism, schizophrenia and
related neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders.

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YUN LI, PH.D.

University of Toronto

Yun Li is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and a scientist at
the Hospital for Sick Children. Li’s laboratory utilizes a combination of
pluripotent stem cell technology, genome editing and three-dimensional organoid
culture systems to understand how the human brain forms, what makes it unique
from that of other species and how disorders like autism impact human brain
development and function.

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TOMASZ NOWAKOWSKI, PH.D.

University of California, San Francisco

Tomasz Nowakowski is an assistant professor at the University of California, San
Francisco. Nowakowski pioneered the use of single cell RNA sequencing to study
the heterogeneity of cellular populations in the developing brain. His research
focuses on understanding how the human genome reproducibly generates diverse
neuronal populations and how genome abnormalities affecting these developmental
processes cause developmental neuropsychiatric disorders like autism.

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RUI PEIXOTO, PH.D.

University of Pittsburgh

Rui Peixoto is an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. His
laboratory is focused on investigating the disruption of basal ganglia
maturation by cortical hyperactivity in autism spectrum disorder.

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AAKANKSHA SINGHVI, PH.D.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Aakanksha Singhvi is an assistant member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center. Singhvi’s laboratory focuses on understanding — at both a molecular and
mechanistic level in C. elegans — how glia and neurons communicate with each
other to regulate sensory perception, neuronal physiology, neural circuit
activity, memory formation and animal behavior in both healthy and neurological
disease states.

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2015

RENATA BATISTA-BRITO, PH.D.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Renata Batista-Brito is an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. Her lab combines cell-type specific manipulation of neuronal activity,
in vivo electrophysiology, in vivo 2-photon imaging and behavioral analysis in
order to understand how the postnatal developmental of inhibition shapes sensory
representation in the mature brain and how this process is altered in
neurodevelopmental disorders.

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GRAHAM DIERING, PH.D.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graham Diering is an assistant professor at University of Carolina, Chapel Hill.
He studies the molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity, with a particular
interest in sleep. Using mouse models of human disease as well as primary
cultured neurons, Diering applies his work to understanding and treating
neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and intellectual disability. He
broadly studies biochemistry, pharmacology, animal behavior and genetics.

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SUNG HAN, PH.D.

Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Sung Han is an assistant professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
His lab is interested in dissecting neural circuits that transmit aversive
sensory signals to the brain.

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KEREN HAROUSH, PH.D.

Stanford University

Keren Haroush is an assistant professor at Stanford University. Her laboratory
studies the mechanisms by which highly complex behaviors are mediated at the
neuronal level, mainly focusing on the example of dynamic social interactions
and the neural circuits that drive them.

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HOLLY STESSMAN, PH.D.

Creighton University

Holly Stessman is an assistant professor at Creighton University, where she
leads a research group identifying and functionally characterizing genetic
variation that contributes to ASD disease biology.

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JASON YI, PH.D.

Washington University in St. Louis

Jason Yi is an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience at
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. His laboratory is broadly
interested in the molecular pathways that shape nervous system development and
function, with the ultimate goal of understanding how dysfunction in these
pathways contributes to disease.

Read More


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