Download community fast track letter of intent instructions

TARGET VALIDATION
An Edmond J. Safra Core Program for PD Research
PRE-PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIREMENTS
Please review the instructions and requirements below before you log in to the online submission system.
Please note that applications will only be accepted through the online submission system.
The Target Validation Program will be reviewed in two stages:
 Pre-Proposal Stage: Applicants complete a brief target profile describing the rationale

and preliminary data supporting the proposed target’s relevance to Parkinson’s disease.
Only applicants whose pre-proposals are determined to best fit the goals and priorities of
this program will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Full Proposal Stage:: Invited applicants will provide more details of their target rationale
and a specific validation plan for demonstrating whether manipulation of the target
results in clear Parkinson’s-relevant phenotypes and/or benefits in a whole mammalian
model. Final funding decisions will be made based on this second stage review.
All pre-proposals/proposals are treated with confidentiality and will be reviewed by MJFF scientific staff
in collaboration with external scientific peer reviewers based on their fit with the goals of this funding
program.
Note: In order to expedite the pre-proposal review process, written critiques will not be provided to
applicants not invited to the full application stage.
Submitting a Pre-Proposal
 All applications must be submitted online through the following link:
https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_592?SA=SNA&FID=35183
 To access the MJFF online application form, please click on the above link and either create a
user account or sign in to your existing account. Please retain your username and password;
MJFF does not have access to this information.
Online Application Form
 Please complete the online application form with the following information:
 Principal Investigator (PI) Contact Information (Institution, Mailing Address, Email, Phone)
 CoPI and/or Collaborator (if any) Contact Information (Label – CoPI, Collaborator,
Consultant, etc., Paid, Unpaid, Institution, Mailing Address, Email, Phone)
 Project Duration (Two-year maximum)
 Project Budget ($250,000 maximum total costs)
 Budgets should be reasonable for the work proposed.
 Indirect costs are allowed in addition to direct costs as follows:

 Academic institutions may request up to 25% of direct costs
 For-profit organizations may request up to 10% of direct costs
 Project Abstract (300 word limit) – Brief summary of the goals of your project
Please upload as a separate PDF document a completed ‘Target Profile’. A template detailing the
required information for the Target Profile can be found below.
Please Note:
 Symbols do not transfer correctly to our online system. Please make sure to spell out any
symbols (e.g., alpha-synuclein) in your online form.
 Please type your login email address correctly otherwise you may not receive important
information regarding your submission or be able to access your account.
 Once you begin an online application, you may save and return to it before final submission.
When ready, please click ‘submit’ to ensure that your submission is delivered promptly to MJFF.
 A notice of proposal receipt is automatically sent by email upon online submission. If this
automatic notification is not received within one hour of submission, please contact MJFF
at [email protected] to check on the status of your proposal. Please also expect an
email within one-week of the submission deadline notifying you of the status of your proposal’s
administrative review.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Target Validation
An Edmond J. Safra Core Program for PD Research
TARGET PROFILE
Principal Investigator:
Institution/Company:
Project Title:
(Please use this template and limit your profile to no more than TWO pages. To save space you may
delete the instructional text in each box.)
TARGET
DISEASE
RELEVANCE
STAGE OF
VALIDATION
VALIDATION PLAN
FUTURE
OBJECTIVES
Briefly state the specific target/target feature being studied (e.g., enzyme
activity of protein X, levels of protein Y, etc) and the hypothesized
mechanism for how the target contributes to or is a potential counter to PD
pathogenesis or symptoms/complications.
Briefly indicate where target is normally expressed/active in human tissue
and if/how target is altered in or associated with human PD condition
(e.g., expression changes, genetic association, etc.).
Briefly indicate if manipulation of target has previously shown beneficial
impact in a disease model (including PD) or in human clinical testing of a
target-specific therapy. Please note that previous validation data is NOT a
requirement for potential funding in this program, but can help reviewers
better understand the rationale for a particular target.
Briefly indicate the proposed method for manipulating the target (e.g.,
pharmacologic, genetic, etc), including whether existing therapeutics
and/or strategies are available to manipulate the target. If
pharmacological method proposed, please indicate how dosage has
been/will be determined, including whether pharmacokinetic and CNS
penetration data exists or needs to be collected as part of the proposed
project. Also indicate the proposed whole-animal model to be used for
validating the proposed target and what PD-relevant feature will be
measured.
Briefly indicate how a successful outcome of the proposed plan would lead
to a therapeutic development plan (e.g., formal drug development program,
etc.).