Cure Alzheimer's Fund Cure Alzheimer's Fund

 

Click here for the CureAlz Letter of Inquiry Process and Guidelines

Please read below for all important details including research areas of focus.

 

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund mission is to fund research with the potential to accelerate a cure or disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. CureAlz seeks to identify and support investigators who will contribute to the field’s knowledge base with bold hypotheses and well-crafted experimental plans.

Current areas of investigation that Cure Alzheimer’s Fund will support include:

FOUNDATIONAL

  • Genetic Risk Factors
  • Biomarkers / Diagnostics / Studies of Risk & Resilience
  • Biological Research Materials: New Animal / Cellular Models and Human Samples
  • Epigenetic Factors

TRANSLATIONAL

  • Studies of Novel AD Genes
  • Studies of APP and Abeta
  • Studies of Tau
  • Studies of APOE
  • Studies of Immune Response in AD
  • Studies of Alternative Neurodegenerative Pathways

DRUG DISCOVERY AND ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES

  • Drug Screening and Lead Drug Evaluation Projects
  • Drug Delivery and Enabling Technologies

PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND TRIALS

  • Preclinical Drug Development
  • Clinical Trials
  • Clinical Trial Design

Application & Review Process

Most grants provided by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund originate as referrals from already funded investigators or as solicitations by CureAlz. However, we welcome letters of inquiry from any qualified scientist. We will not consider unsolicited proposals. Letters of inquiry and proposals are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis; there is no set timeline for applications, funding decisions, or funding initiation.

Letters of inquiry should be no more than one to two pages in length and should include: the hypothesis to be pursued; the rationale for doing so; a high-level description of how the scientific aims would be pursued; and sufficient information to demonstrate the scientist’s ability to do so. CureAlz will respond to all letters of inquiry.

CureAlz will request full proposals from scientists whose letters of inquiry align with CureAlz’s mission, scientific standards, and funding priorities. We will send specific information about proposal parameters and requirements with our proposal request. Out of respect for applicants’ time, our goal is to request proposals only where there is a high likelihood of funding. As a matter of policy, CureAlz does not provide its reasons for declining to request or fund a proposal.

Investigators using animal models must provide proof that their animal plans meet their institution’s standard of care. Investigators working with human subjects must provide proof that their research plan has Institutional Review Board approval. All projects must use and report on both male and female animals and/or humans and/or biological samples absent compelling scientific justification for the use of only one sex; time and expense are not sufficient justifications.

CureAlz provides funding to not-for-profit institutions around the world. Although CureAlz will consider applications from for-profit entities, research that will benefit the entire field is preferred over development of proprietary molecules or therapeutics. Support to for-profit entities will only be offered on an investment basis and will require demonstrated financial viability.

Review

All submissions are assessed on three fundamental metrics:

  • Would achieving the aims proposed meaningfully contribute to eventual development of a cure for Alzheimer’s?
  • Is the hypothesis/concept well founded in terms of its scientific justification, but also forward thinking rather than incremental?
  • Is the research plan well designed to achieve the aims unambiguously, and are the principal investigator(s) and lab able and likely to do scientific work of the highest caliber?

The Research Leadership Group reviews each letter of inquiry and proposal for fit with CureAlz’s research priorities, for scientific integrity and for value to the search for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The Board Research Committee provides a final review of each proposal to ensure all procedures have been followed and that the proposal fits within the organization’s mission to fund research contributing to a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The Scientific Advisory Board and the Board of Directors assess the entire portfolio of funded grants for overall quality, scientific topicality, and value for accelerating progress toward disease-altering treatments for current and potential Alzheimer’s patients.

Conditions of Funding

CureAlz provides funds to researchers as a steward for its donors. Acceptance of a grant indicates agreement to adhere to the following conditions, contained in each grant funding letter:

  1. This grant must be used to fund the activities of the project named in this letter and described in the proposal approved by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund; any other use must be pre-approved in writing by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.
  2. Indirect charges of no more than 15% can be charged against this grant.
  3. A final report must be submitted to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund no later than one calendar year from the date of the award.
  4. An institutional financial report must be submitted no more than 45 days after the end date of this grant.
  5. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be advised before any publication or publicity occurs regarding this grant or the research it funds.
  6. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund will not make any intellectual property claim related to this project; however, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be advised if and when any patent application or other intellectual property is sought using data generated with this grant.
  7. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be included as a funding source in any published papers or presentations using data generated with this grant. When acknowledging support, please use “Cure Alzheimer’s Fund” as the name of the funding source.
  8. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be advised if and when additional funding, including from government entities, is provided for this project or an investigation using data generated with this grant within one year of the completion of the project.
  9. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be advised if a named investigator on the project has a financial relationship as an employee or equity holder with a for-profit entity commercializing the ideas pursued in the project.
  10. Funded researchers may be asked for occasional proposal reviews, which will be requested on a two-week timeline.
  11. Grants are restricted to the project and specific senior investigators described in successful proposals.  Thus, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be informed of any change to the employment status of any named investigator and may require the return of unused funds at its discretion.
  12. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund must be advised if and when any allegations of research misconduct involving data generated with this grant prompt an institutional inquiry or investigation and must also be promptly informed of the final resolution.

Communications regarding Cure Alzheimer’s Fund applications and support should be sent to [email protected].

The Research