13.08.2003 - 01.11.2003

Announcement

"National Network for Computational Neuroscience " under the FUTUR lead vision "Understanding Thought Processes"

12 August 2003

1. Funding purpose and legal basis
1.1 Funding purpose
Understanding cognitive functions on the basis of the structure of the brain and its neural dynamics is essential for the prevention and treatment of disorders of the nervous system, for a better general comprehension of  biological processes, for developing new high-performing computers and, last but not least, for designing efficient strategies for teaching and learning. Major progress has been made in the study of fundamental neural processes over the last ten years. However, the thorough analysis of brain functions continues to be a challenge which, due to the complexity of the dynamic processes involved, is considered even more difficult than the study of structural and functional relations of the human genome. This task requires focussed interdisciplinary cooperation between neuroscientists, biologists, medical professionals, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists. Specific software must be developed for the fast numerical analysis of large amounts of complex data and for extensive computer simulation.

Major insights are expected from the new and highly dynamic discipline of "Computational Neuroscience". It combines experiments with data analysis and computer simulation on the basis of well-defined theoretical concepts, and it makes available a scientific language which can be used across disciplines and levels for neurobiology, cognitive science, systems biology and information technology.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) intends to support measures aimed at the further development, structural focussing and networking of existing regional capacities in the field of computational neuroscience under the lead vision "Understanding Thought Processes", which has been developed within the FUTUR process. Support of  young scientists is an integral part of this concept. Possible applications to be considered reach from the technical and biomedical fields to learning research and will benefit from an integration of neuroinformatics research.

The BMBF funding measure aims to pool the outstanding neuroscientific expertise available in Germany while integrating theoretical approaches to a greater extent in a joint effort with the Länder and universities . This is to create the necessary structure for collecting and networking neuroscientific findings and for transfering the results to areas that are relevant to application. For that purpose it is intended to establish a National Network for Computational Neuroscience. The network will consist  of local centres, which will strengthen the concentration and further development of existing capacities. Within the national network, the Centres for Computational Neuroscience will be connected through the exchange of data, analytical methods, computer models and theoretical approaches. The development of interdisciplinary training programmes in the field of computational neuroscience and the establishment of expert counselling resources are an integral part of the concept. The funding measure is intended to give new impetus to research and provide a basis for innovative and promising developments in application-oriented disciplines. To guarantee a lasting impact, funding will be provided only if additional measures are taken which ensure long-term integration of computational neuroscience into teaching and research opportunities offered by the participating institutions.

The funding measure entitled "National Network for Computational Neuroscience " addresses a central element of the lead vision "Understanding Thought Processes" and supplements the existing BMBF funding activities "Imaging Centres in Clinical Neuroscience" and "Systems of Life - Systems Biology". Furthermore, the funding measure provides a sound basis for activities that are planned under this lead vision in the fields of information technology, neuroprosthetics, cognitive neurosciences and learning research.

1.2 Legal basis
The BMBF provides funds for the above-mentioned purpose in accordance with the present funding regulations, the BMBF standard terms and conditions concerning funding on the basis of expenditure or cost and the administrative regulations under section 44 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO). Applicants have no legal claim to a grant. The grant-awarding agency will decide freely after due assessment of the circumstances within the framework of the budget funds available.

2. Object of funding
As structural elements of the envisaged national network, up to five regional Centres for Computational Neuroscience will enable theoretical and experimental research groups to engage in close and efficient interdisciplinary cooperation on complex neuroscientific problems. These problems should be of major relevance to application, mainly in the areas of information technology, biomedical research and learning research. Funding is aimed at supporting innovative research concepts of high scientific and technical quality, particularly those involving cooperation between universities and non-university research institutes or hospitals. Coordinated programmes for qualifying young researchers should be included. Furthermore, all Centres should be designed as interdepartmental structures with a critical mass of research groups so that synergy can be achieved. Each Centre will appoint an advisory board to ensure scientific support and coordination, and after its establishment, it will closely interact with other Centres and external partners.

The scientific mission of the Centres for Computational Neuroscience is the systematic study of the neural basis of cognitive processes ranging from the processing of complex sensory stimuli to learning processes and the retrieval of stored information to the planning and precise coordination of motion patterns relevant to behaviour. The work programme should elucidate the interaction between neural dynamics and information processing at the level of individual neurons, local networks and large-scale neural systems. Major criteria in project evaluation will include the development of new scientific approaches and an independent, high-quality research profile. Each Centre is expected to concentrate on one common scientific theme and is responsible for selecting the specific topics on which it will focus.

Relevant subject areas could include the following:

• principles and mechanisms of the neural integration of multimodal information
• neural coding and representation of the temporal structures of sensory stimuli and/or motor programmes
• fundamental neural processes involved in spatial perception and spatial memory
• modular structure, hierarchy and cooperation in the nervous system
• dynamics of neural systems: mechanisms and function
• acoustic communication and speech: from sub-symbolic information to cognition
• neural basis of attention and conscious perception
• plasticity in the nervous system: from signal cascades to learning processes.

Research at the Centres will mainly consist in the following, partly parallel or intertwined activities:

• analysis of complex neural data
• modelling of the dynamics of neural systems
• modelling of neural information processing (from coding of sensory stimuli, storage, learning and memory to planning and motion control)
• development of mathematical theories concerning the function of neural systems
• modelling of behavioural context and neural adaptation.

It is expected that such work be interdisciplinary and involve experimental and theoretical research groups. Integrating theoreticians (mainly post-docs) in the experimental research groups seems particularly promising. In addition, the projects should be innovative and their results should provide a basis for work in application-related disciplines. An efficient exchange of experimental data, analytical methods, computer models and theoretical approaches is to be ensured to facilitate integration of the Centres into the envisaged national network. Coordinated software development and data management activities will be of special importance in this regard. It is expected that the neuroinformatics standards established by the OECD will be applied. One of the Centres is supposed to act as national contact for the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility planned by the OECD.

The following requirements are of special importance in establishing a Centre for Computational Neuroscience:

• availability of outstanding experimental and theoretical expertise
• existence of structures for training and supporting young researchers
• agreement of participating institutions to ensure continuation of the Centre's work when start-up funding by BMBF has expired
• agreement of participating universities to include computational neuroscience in the range of subjects taught.

The Centers will exchange views about the ongoing research activities and their results at annual workshops and status seminars to ensure close links and intensive communication. External partners (German research community, international guests) should be involved in these events. Additional contributions to networking will be made by guest researchers, mainly at the doctoral student and post-doc levels, as well as by exchanges of data and methods. Project-related collaborations with groups outside the Centres will serve the transfer of knowledge beyond the network.

Taking into account the research capacities at the site concerned, start-up funding will be provided over an initial period of five years for the establishment of a Centre. During this period, start-up funds can be used not only in support of posts for young researchers (doctoral students and post docs) but also for professorial chairs advertised in the field of computational neuroscience; appointments to such chairs should be made by a committee which includes external experts. The focus of such professorships should be directly related to the local research priorities and may include experimental approaches. Funding will only be provided if the higher education institutions concerned assume responsibility for the chairs when start-up funding by the BMBF has expired  (binding  agreement by the principal or governing board of the institution).

Supplementing these measures for improving the interdisciplinary training of young researchers, the research groups involved in a Centre will set up a consistent teaching programme for Computational Neuroscience, including the development and establishment of special courses, seminars and practicals. After two years, the university must prove that it has included the programme in its offerings. In addition, special method-related courses and guest programmes may be set up in order to draw on available international expertise.

3. Grant recipients
Research proposals may be submitted by institutions of higher education, non-university research establishments and commercial companies which are headquartered in Germany. Eligibility depends on cooperation between several institutions in an interdisciplinary centre (collaborative project) which is characterized by an independent interdepartmental structure and an autonomous organization. 

4. Prerequisites for the awarding of grants
Cooperation between the various project partners has to be laid down in a cooperation agreement. Before a funding decision on such projects can be taken, the cooperation partners must prove that they have reached basic agreement along the lines of the BMBF criteria which are contained in the Merkblatt für Antragsteller auf Projektförderung zur Gestaltung von Kooperationsvereinbarungen bei Verbundprojekten (information on how to draw up cooperation agreements on collaborative projects (BMBF form 0110, available at http://www.kp.dlr.de/profi/easy/bmbf/pdf/0110.pdf.

A coordinator has to be named for each Centre. The coordinator's tasks include administrative coordination, the organization of scientific exchange, coordination of research topics within and between the Centres, the organization of workshops and seminars, reporting to the advisory board, the project management organization and the BMBF, as well as public relations work.

Consideration has to be given to possible cooperation with existing research funding programmes of the BMBF (e.g. Imaging Centres in Clinical Neuroscience; Bioinformatics; Systems Biology; Bioanalogous Information Processing). Applicants should briefly state the result of such consideration in their proposal.

With regard to the envisaged national projects, applicants should in their own interest familiarize themselves with the EU's RTD Framework Programme. They should check whether the planned project contains specific European components which make it eligible for complete funding as an EU project. Applicants should briefly state the result of such a check in their proposal. Applicants should also check whether an additional application for supplementary funding can be submitted to the EU in connection with the proposed national project. Any considerations and plans concerning EU funding should be described in the application for a Federal Government grant.

5. Type, scope and rates of funding
An initial period of 5 years is envisaged for this funding measure within the framework of the lead vision "Understanding Thought Processes". Annual funds of up to approx. €1.5 million per Centre can be awarded, depending on the scope of the planned research activities and long-term commitment by the universities concerned. Funding will take the form of non-repayable grants awarded for projects within the framework of the available budget.

The basis for calculating the grants for universities (including teaching hospitals) and non-university research establishments is the expenses eligible for funding; grants for Helmholtz centres and Fraunhofer institutes will be calculated on the basis of the costs eligible for funding. Up to 100 per cent of this expenditure/cost can be funded.

The basis for calculating the grants for commercial companies is the costs eligible for funding, up to 50% of which can usually be covered by government grants. A minimum own contribution of 50% is usually required.

Independent of BMBF's policy, the European Commission's Community Framework for State Aid for Research and Development must be taken into account when fixing the rates of funding.

6. Other terms and conditions for the awarding of grants
The General and Special Auxiliary Terms and Conditions of the BMBF will be part of the notification of award:

• for expenditure-based grants:
  Allgemeine Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen zur Projektförderung (General Auxiliary Conditions for Grants for the Promotion of Projects - ANBest-P) and the Besondere Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen des BMBF zur Projektförderung auf Ausgabenbasis (Special Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided by the BMBF for the Promotion of Projects on Expenditure Basis - BNBest-BMBF 98).
• for cost-based grants:
  Nebenbestimmungen für Zuwendungen auf Kostenbasis des BMBF an Unternehmen der gewerblichen Wirtschaft für Forschung und Entwicklungsvorhaben (Auxiliary Terms and Conditions for Funds Provided by the BMBF to Commercial Companies for Research and Development Projects on Cost Basis NKBF 98).

7.Procedure
7.1 The BMBF's project management organization
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has entrusted the following project management organization with implementing the funding activity:

PT-DLR - Projektträger Gesundheitsforschung
Südstraße 125
53175 Bonn
Telefon: 02 28-38 21-117
Telefax: 02 28-38 21-257
Internet: http://www.dlr.de/PT/
beauftragt.

7.2 Application procedure
The application procedure consists of two phases.

7.2.1 Project outlines
As a first step, English project outlines (of no more than 15 pages, 12 pt) including a one-page financing schedule and a summary of at most two pages (both in German and English) should be submitted to the project management organization no later than 15 October 2003 (date of postmark).

Project outlines should contain the following elements in a form that can be evaluated:

• goals (overall goal of the project, relevance of the project to funding policy goals; scientific and/or technical objectives of the project)
• state of the art; previous work by the applicants
• existing and planned local structures for training and supporting young researchers in the field of computational neuroscience
• work plan (project-related resource planning; time schedule with milestones)
• utilization plan (prospects for commercial success; prospects for scientific and/or technical success; prospects for scientific and commercial follow-up projects)
• work-sharing/cooperation with third parties
• necessity of funding requirement
• financing schedule.

Cf. Richtlinien für Zuwendungsanträge, BMBF forms 0027 and 0047 (available at http://www.kp.dlr.de/profi/easy/bmbf/vordruck.htm). Applicants are advised to contact the project management organization before submitting their project outlines.

The project outlines will be evaluated by a panel of international experts. The evaluation result will be the main basis for the decision on which applicants to invite to submit formal applications. The applicants will be informed in writing about the results of the evaluation.

7.2.2 Formal applications
As a second step of the application procedure, the applicants of the successful project outlines will be invited to submit formal applications. Decisions about funding the proposed projects will be taken after further evaluation.

7.2.3 Criteria to be applied in the evaluation of project outlines and formal applications
The evaluation of project outlines and formal applications will be based on the following criteria:

• scientific and technical quality of the research concept/research profile
• scientific qualification of the applicants
• quality of the integrated training concept and of the structures already established in the field of computational neuroscience
• interfaces between the research activities and the application-related areas of the lead vision: information technology, biomedical research, learning research
• structure and management of the planned Centre.

Another criterion in the evaluation of formal applications is the volume of the confirmed  long-term support of the participating institutions.

7.2.4 Availability of forms
Forms for formal applications as well as guidelines, information for applicants and the terms and conditions are available at http://www.kp.dlr.de/profi/easy/. The required forms can also be obtained upon request from the project management organization. Applicants can also use the electronic application system "easy".

Approval and payment of and accounting for the funds as well as proof and examination of proper use and, if necessary, revocation of the award and reclaiming of the funds awarded are governed by the administrative regulations pertaining to section 44 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO) and sections 48 to 49a of the Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG) unless deviation is allowed under the present funding regulations.

8. Future calls for proposals
The health research project management organization (PT-DLR Gesundheitsforschung) will announce any future calls for proposals in due time on its homepage http://www.dlr.de/PT/.

9. Entry into force
These funding regulations will enter into force on the date of publication in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger).

Bonn,
Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Dr. Roemer-Mähler
Scientific Research for Nutrition and Health