Washington Office Staff Meets with NINDS Officials

On Jan. 19, as a member of the National Coalition for Heart Disease and Stroke, AANS/CNS Washington Office staff participated in a meeting with National Institutes of Health (NIH) personnel. Walter Koroshetz, MD, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), among others, provided an update on the current research funding programs. Dr. Koroshetz noted the following:

• NINDS received a 1.5% increase for FY 2021;
• Grant applications have increased by 10%, and the average grant is $35,000 for a duration of eight years;
• Funding will continue to target three areas: the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative, the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative and the National Institute on Aging;
• NINDS is studying the science of COVID-19 and its effects on the brain will use the $1 billion appropriated by Congress to investigate post-COVID-19 treatments;
• StrokeNet, which began in 2013, now has 27 recognized regional coordinating centers with more than 500 participating hospitals; and
• NINDS continues to develop its strategic plan and is seeking comments on the latest draft by March 15.

Click here for more information on NINDS activities.