NINDS Presentation – New Programs to Support Therapy and Device Discovery and Development in Neurology

Presenter:
Dr. Rajesh Ranganathan
Director of the Office of Translational Research at NINDS
The Office of Translational Research (OTR) at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health, facilitates the preclinical discovery and development of new therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders. The OTR offers five programs that support the design, implementation, and management of research activities to critical translational challenges in neurology. The programs include: 1) the Anticonvulsant Screening Program (ASP), 2) Blueprint Network (BPN), 3) The Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats Program (CA), 4) Cooperative Research to Enable and Advance Translational Enterprises (CREATE), and 5) The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). The OTR provides funding (approximately $100 million annually) in grants and resources to industry and university researchers to advance early-stage neurological technologies, devices, and therapeutic programs to industry adoption (i.e., investor funding and corporate partnerships). Significant emphasis is placed on engaging other stakeholders, such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, venture capital, and patient advocacy organizations to ensure that projects are adequately de-risked to accelerate downstream investments and to develop much-needed therapies for people suffering from neurological disorders. The keynote talk will provide overiews on these programs and how they can link to successful development outcomes. This will be an excellent opportunity to better understand how to successfully navigate the application process and learn about organizations that have advanced projects using NINDS support. We will also provide information on our funded programs and work with potential interested parties to make the appropriate introductions to our funded investigators.