Grants to USA, Canada, and International early-career or established researchers affiliated with a research institution for research related to epilepsy. Applicants are required to submit an LOI prior to a full grant application. Funding is intended for research regarding rare forms of epilepsy.

CURE Epilepsy funds research that has the potential to truly transform and save lives. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to stimulate and accelerate discovery on rare epilepsies through the development of necessary research tools, techniques, model systems, and data collection platforms. Each award will be co-funded by CURE Epilepsy and one or more of the rare epilepsy advocacy groups (partners) identified in the RFP. Applications must focus on one or more of the specific rare epilepsies that are represented by each group as well as address CURE Epilepsy’s mission to cure epilepsy. Applications must clearly identify the rare epilepsy(ies) that the research is directed towards.

General priority areas for this program include:

• Development of rare epilepsy-specific cellular models including but not limited to patient-derived stem cells, iPSC lines, 3D organoid models or fused organoid models.
• Development of appropriate genetic animal models.
• Development of novel in-vitro or in-vivo assays or techniques, for example, drug screening platforms, to enhance research in rare epilepsy.
• Development of research tools and novel techniques to enhance understanding of the cellular, molecular, genetic, and systems-level biology that leads to rare epilepsy, as well as facilitate the investigation of disease-modifying or preventative strategies.
• Supporting registries to better understand the natural history of one or more rare epilepsies or to look across rare epilepsies to identify common therapeutic targets and/or pathways. Projects utilizing existing registries or databases are allowed and must clearly articulate the specific rare epilepsy that will be studied. Use of registry platforms that ensure patient access to their data and when appropriate integrate with existing data collection platforms to enable data sharing with researchers and patient advocacy groups is strongly encouraged.
• Use of Electronic Health Record data to better understand the disease burden of rare epilepsy and develop therapeutic strategies.
• Development of technologies that will accelerate accurate diagnoses for rare epilepsies. 

CURE Epilepsy choose Ring14 USA to be a partner for its Rare Epilepsy Partnership Award. Together, they will co-fund a grant to support the development of necessary research tools, techniques, model systems, and data collection platforms to stimulate and accelerate research on rare epilepsies. Applications must focus on one or more of the specific rare epilepsies that are represented by each group as well as address CURE Epilepsy’s mission to cure epilepsy.

Ring14 research priorities include:

1. Identification of novel techniques to generate stable iPSC Ring14 chromosome lines. Current approaches to generating Ring14 iPSC lines result in unstable ring chromosomes that do not allow for the effective study of Ring14 syndrome. A key goal for Ring14 syndrome research is to identify novel methods that allow for the persistence of ring chromosomes for in vitro studies.
2. Innovative approaches to develop Ring14 neuronal or brain organoid models that can be used to study neuronal activity and brain development in Ring14 syndrome and to screen for drugs that may control pathological phenotypes.
3. Identification of causal genes for epilepsy associated with Ring14 syndrome, including the development of novel techniques that may assist in such identification.
   

For information regarding the research priorities of each partner, see: https://www.cureepilepsy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-CURE-Rare-Epilepsy-Partnership-Guidelines_FINAL.pdf#page=4

Funding requests must be itemized and based on specific, milestone-defined scientific aims. Budgets may include salary support for the Principal Investigator (PI), technical staff and/or co-PIs, supplies, animal costs, vendor costs, limited equipment cost, and travel to an epilepsy-related conference only if the PI is presenting his/her CURE Epilepsy-funded research.