In this month’s Researcher Update you’ll find information on:
- CURE Epilepsy Catalyst Award and Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award Applications – Call for Letters of Intent Opens May 31
- Announcing CURE Epilepsy’s 2021 Catalyst Award Grantees
- Applications for CURE Epilepsy’s 2022-2023 Research Seminar Series Applications are Being Accepted Through May 27
- CURE Epilepsy is a Proud Sponsor of these Upcoming Conferences
- Cures Within Reach – Request for Proposals
- AES 2022 Annual Meeting Call for Abstract Submissions
- PAME Conference 2022 Call for Abstract Submission
CURE Epilepsy Catalyst Award and Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award Call for Letters of Intent Opens May 31
Mark your calendars! The application process for the 2022 CURE Epilepsy Catalyst Award and the Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award is opening in just over a week!
The Catalyst Award (2 years, $250,000): This award is intended to stimulate and accelerate the development of new, transformative therapies for epilepsy, moving promising and well-supported preclinical and/or clinical research closer to clinical application.
The Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award (1 year, $100,000): This is a new award this year and will support the development of necessary research tools, techniques, model systems, and data collection platforms to stimulate and accelerate research on rare epilepsies. Each award will be co-funded by CURE Epilepsy and one or more rare epilepsy advocacy partners. The specific rare epilepsies to be studied with this award in 2022 will be identified in the Request for Proposals. Only research on the rare epilepsies identified in the RFP are eligible; applications must focus on one or more of the rare epilepsies identified.
Key dates for both awards:
| Activity | Approximate Date |
| Open Call for Letters of Intent | Tuesday, May 31, 2022 |
| Letter of Intent Deadline | Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 9 PM ET |
| Full Proposal Invitations | Friday, August 5, 2022 |
| Full Proposals Due | Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 9 PM ET |
| Awardee Notification | December 2022-January 2023 |
| Anticipated Award Start Date | Spring 2023 |
Announcing CURE Epilepsy’s 2021 Catalyst Award Grantees
We are delighted to announce our most recent grantees from the two CURE Epilepsy Catalyst Awards selected in 2021. Grantees Drs. James Pauly, Matthew Gentry, and Greg Gerhardt from the University of Kentucky are advancing a potential new therapy for LaFora Disease, a devastating and progressive form of epilepsy. Dr. John Gledhill from Cognizance Biomarkers, LLC is researching potential blood-borne biomarkers that may predict response to antiseizure medications in people with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy. You can read more about their research awards here.
Applications for CURE Epilepsy’s 2022-2023 Research Seminar Series Are Being Accepted through May 27
We are currently accepting applications for our 2022-2023 Frontiers in Research Seminar Series supported by the Nussenbaum-Vogelstein Family. This series aims to help educate and expose young investigators to leading epilepsy research. CURE Epilepsy will provide $2,500 to each sponsored lectureship to offset costs associated with hosting a seminar at your institution. The deadline for applications is May 27, 2022, at 5 PM CST. A list of upcoming and past Frontiers in Research seminars is available here.
CURE Epilepsy is a Proud Sponsor of These Upcoming Conferences
CURE Epilepsy sponsors conferences focused on communicating and advancing epilepsy research. Upcoming conferences include: International Conference for Technology and Analysis of Seizures (ICTALS), Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Mechanisms of Epilepsy and Neuronal Synchronization, and the STXBP1 Summit+.
Cures Within Reach – Request for Proposals
Cures Within Reach has released several funding opportunities for rare diseases as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Requested funding can cover costs of new projects or can supplement existing funding. The deadline for proposals is June 6.
AES Annual Meeting 2022 Call for Abstract Submissions
The American Epilepsy Society has announced that abstract submission for the 2022 Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN is now open. Abstracts must be submitted by June 8 at 12pm (noon) PT for consideration.
PAME Conference Call for Abstract Submissions
The sixth Partners Against Mortality in Epilepsy (PAME) Conference will take place Thursday, December 1, 2022 in conjunction with the AES Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN. This conference brings together healthcare providers, researchers, public health officials, patient advocates, caregivers, bereaved families, and people living with epilepsy. These diverse stakeholders come together with a shared goal of improving the understanding of mortality in epilepsy, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). PAME is collecting abstract submissions through the AES Annual Conference submission portal. Please check “I would like my abstract to be considered for PAME” on your submission form. The deadline for abstracts is June 8.