CURE SYNGAP1 Grant Program

CURE SYNGAP1’s grant program awards grants to laboratory-based researchers and clinicians who are interested in studying SYNGAP1-Related Disorders. 

Current funding priorities

Clinical Trial Readiness is the current funding priority for CURE SYNGAP1 (FKA SynGAP Research Fund -SRF). While multiple strategies for precision treatments are in development to treat SYNGAP1-Related Disorders (SRD), none are yet available for patients. Our mission is to accelerate the availability of safe and effective treatments that meaningfully modify SRD to reduce suffering for patients and their families. With the first SYNGAP1 gene-specific medicines expected to be in patients within a year, it is time for CURE SYNGAP1 to pivot  from an expanding role in grant topics to a laser-focused set of goals. The following areas highlight our current clinical trial readiness needs:

• GENETICS: We are determined to find more SRD patients, because the care of the patients depends on being found.
• BEHAVIORS: Behaviors can break families and put patients at increased risk for mistreatment and abuse. We are determined to minimize future suffering to patients, siblings, parents, and caregivers.
• SYNGAP1 FUNCTIONS: With precision medicines in our sights, a deeper understanding of where the medicines need to be delivered to improve health is more important than ever.

We expand upon these needs in our blog “CURE SYNGAP1 Funding Priorities – 2026“.

Types of grants awarded

Successful seed grants have included small proof-of-concept research projects or the procurement of research assets to initiate SYNGAP1 research.

Trainee grants typically fund the salary and/or the research costs for a postdoctoral fellow studying some aspect of SYNGAP1. This grant may be renewed for a second year at CURE SYNGAP1’s discretion. The typical cadence of required status reports is six months. 

Investigator awards have included studies of SYNGAP1 function within and beyond the synapse, protein-protein interactions, drug action in SYNGAP1 models, and translational research in precision medicine for SRD. The typical cadence of required status reports is six months.

Clinical Network Support, to date, is for the establishment or continuation of multidisciplinary clinics to support care for patients with SRD and/or Natural History Study data collection.

Grant terms to note

Grant recipients are asked to give a presentation at CURE SYNGAP1’s Annual Science Conference (ahead of the American Epilepsy Society Annual Conference) to discuss their work. 

CURE SYNGAP1 has a Board-directed policy that does not allow for the payment of indirect costs to nonprofit institutions. This policy can be reviewed here.

Application Process

As of February 27, 2025, we are accepting proposals on an ongoing basis between January 1 and August 1 annually. Please submit a letter of intent briefly describing your proposal. Our reply will either invite or decline a full application.

Letter of Intent (LOI) Requirements

All applicants must submit a one-page maximum LOI to CURE SYNGAP1. Only select applicants will subsequently submit a full proposal. The LOI should consist of the following components:.

1. Title: A succinct descriptive title of the project
2. Applicant/PI Information: Name, title, position, institution, mailing address, email address, and telephone number
3. Date: Year, Month, and date of the letter
4. Mechanism of Support: The type of grant for which the applicant is applying
5. Brief Project Description: This should include a description of the scientific aims for the project, how the project will advance the goals of CURE SYNGAP1, and a brief description of how the research will be accomplished

Please submit an LOI by email as a PDF file to proposals@cureSYNGAP1.org.

After review, a team member will reply via email.

Full proposals will only be reviewed when invited, after successful review of an LOI (above).

If invited to submit a full proposal, please refer to the following:

Full Application Requirements

1. Title Page: Provide the proposal title, PI information and date of submission
2. Lay Summary: Provide a lay summary of the project
3. Abstract: Provide a scientific summary of the project
4. Proposal: NIH format is acceptable but not required
5. Budget: Provide a detailed budget and justification, including current sources of funding 
6. Schedule: Provide an estimated timeline, including key milestones
7. Biosketch: For each PI
8. Letters of support or collaboration: As relevant
9. IRB/IACUC approvals: As relevant

Review mechanism

Full applications undergo rigorous peer review by the CURE SYNGAP1 science team, select members of our Scientific and Advisory Boards, and additional experts in the field as needed. Proposals are evaluated on potential impact and value to CURE SYNGAP1’s mission, feasibility, innovation, and overall fit into accelerating disease-modifying treatments for SRD that are effective, safe, and available to families. CURE SYNGAP1’s science team will make recommendations to CURE SYNGAP1’s Board of Trustees, which will vote to approve or reject funding of the grant. Decisions are sent by email from the CURE SYNGAP1 science team. The entire process may take 2-3 months, depending on a variety of factors

Depending on peer review and CURE SYNGAP1’s program priorities, we may ask to work with applicants to modify the submitted work plan and/or budget prior to award execution.

Thank you for your interest in advancing SYNGAP1 research and helping patients around the world.

CURE SYNGAP1 Grants Program – proposals@cureSYNGAP1.org
Aaron Harding, Critical Operations Director
Kathryn Helde, Chief Scientific Officer
J. Michael Graglia, Managing Director