Internal Grants
One of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute's key goals is to make UT Southwesternan an exceptional environment for brain science research. To support that goal, we have developed and launched several internal grant mechanisms to support laboratory and clinical researchers from trainees to senior faculty.
Visionary Neuroscience Program (VNP)
VNP supports high-risk, high-reward collaborative research that because of its novelty and risk profile is not suitable for NIH funding. These projects must be focused on either advancing fundamental insight into biology relevant to brain disease or on translating scientific discovery into the clinical arena. Research projects must feature approved O'Donnell Brain Institute (OBI) Investigators from at least two different departments.
(Applications are currently closed.)
Clinical Neuroscience Research Excellence Initiative
Two clinical research programs administered by the Perot Neuroscience Translational Research Center will support OBI's goal of developing impactful therapies for patients with brain disease. The OBI Human Neuroscience Collaborative Research Program provides resources and funding for clinical research teams pursuing hypothesis-driven projects. The OBI Clinical Investigator Development Program supports early career faculty pursuing prospective human subject research.
(Applications are currently closed.)
Sprouts Grant Program
Sprouts grants facilitate the collection of pilot data exploring new directions that are not easily covered by other funding sources. Funding is intended to encourage creative, high-quality research that also advances the training of young laboratory or clinical scientists and enhances the portfolio of OBI research.
(Applications are currently closed.)
Research Interest Group Program
The OBI Research Interest Group Program encourages multidisciplinary groups of UT Southwestern researchers focused on a shared research area to connect and build working relationships. OBI seeks to support research interest groups to propel collaboration across the breadth of laboratory and clinical brain science.
(Applications are on a rolling basis.)
Trainee Travel Grant Program
Travel grants are intended to support OBI-affiliated trainees to attend and present original research at national and international conferences. A trainee is defined as a Ph.D. student, postdoctoral scientist, resident, or clinical fellow. OBI will award up to ten travel grants per fiscal year.
Applications are now open for travel to research conferences held March-December, 2025. Apply now.