Research Admin Offices:

• ROADS

Opportunity Type:

• Award

Value:

One award of up to $50,000 for one year will be granted.

Disciplines:

• Faculty of Science

Sponsors:

• The Orphan Disease Center

Deadlines:

Description:

Will support one investigator-initiated research project aimed at advancing the biological understanding of OCNDS and/or accelerating the discovery or development of therapeutic approaches. This pilot grant is intended to generate high-impact preliminary data, support novel or underexplored approaches, and position investigators for future external funding.

Additional Program Information:

Proposed projects must be clearly relevant to OCNDS and CSNK2A1 biology and align with one or more of the priority areas below. Community input has identified speech and communication, intellectual disability, sleep disturbances, and anxiety as high-priority symptom domains, and proposals that help advance understanding or treatment of these areas are encouraged.

Priority will be given to projects that address:

1. Disease mechanisms and variant-level biology Studies that improve understanding of how pathogenic CSNK2A1 variants alter CK2 function, signaling pathways, or cellular phenotypes. This may include, but is not limited to:
   • Functional characterization of patient-observed variants, including missense variants, truncations, or deletions
   • Integration of genetic variation with clinical, functional, or molecular data to identify meaningful phenotype patterns or subgroups within OCNDS
     
   • Variant interpretation approaches, including computational modeling, structural biology, phosphoproteomics, electrophysiology, or cellular assays
     
   • Use of patient-derived or engineered cellular or animal models
2. Biomarker discovery or validation Identification or early validation of molecular, cellular, physiological, or digital biomarkers relevant to OCNDS disease activity, progression, or therapeutic response. Biomarkers may be derived from:
   • Preclinical models
   • Patient-derived samples
   • Clinical or real-world data sources
     Projects that support future clinical trial readiness are strongly encouraged.
3. Therapeutic approaches Exploratory or proof-of-concept studies aimed at therapeutic development for OCNDS, including:
   • Drug repurposing or small-molecule screening
   • Gene-based or RNA-based therapeutic strategies
   • Pathway-targeted interventions informed by CK2 biology
     Projects should articulate a clear translational rationale.

Application/Nomination Process:

All applicants must first submit a one-page Letter of Interest (LOI) to be reviewed for consideration of a full application submission.

Resources:

Additional details.

Contact:

For more information on how to apply, contact Claire Arabski, Senior Advisor, ROADS.