PLN Spark Grant

The PLN Spark Grant aims to support short innovative research projects that can shed light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease, identify biomarkers or therapeutic targets, or address unmet clinical needs of PLN carriers. This initiative encourages individual researchers to pursue small, focused research projects that answer specific questions related to PLN R14del, contributing to the overall knowledge in the field and fostering scientific advancement.

Eligibility

This grant is open to individual researchers, aiming to support small research (side) projects that investigate specific questions related to PLN R14del. Interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations are welcome.

Grant Amount and Duration

The maximum grant amount is €10.000,-. Projects that generate promising results can apply for further funding through the PLN Foundation. Projects should be short in duration, with no minimum requirement, but should not exceed one year.

Application

As a continuous grant, applications are accepted at any time. Decisions on preproposals and final decisions will be reached within two weeks of submission. Projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Innovation
  • Feasibility
  • Potential impact
  • Alignment with the PLN Foundation’s priorities

Application procedure

  1. Prepare Preproposal: Applicant creates a preproposal following the provided template.
  2. Submit Preproposal: Applicant sends the preproposal to the Executive Assistant of the PLN Foundation (Marise Goodwin – Marise@plnheart.org) and the Scientific Officer of the PLN Foundation (Luuk Kerckhaert – Luuk@plnheart.org).
  3. Preproposal Assessment: The PLN Foundation’s scientific department assesses the preproposal.
  4. Decision on Preproposal:
    1. Accepted: Applicant is invited to submit a full proposal.
    2. Declined: Applicant receives a rejection notice.
    3. Feedback Provided: Applicant receives feedback and is encouraged to revise and submit a full proposal.
  5. Prepare Full Proposal: Applicant creates a full proposal following the provided template, incorporating any feedback if applicable.
  6. Submit Full Proposal: Applicant submits the full proposal to the PLN Foundation.
  7. Full Proposal Review: The scientific department of the PLN Foundation and its scientific advisors review the full proposal.
  8. Final Decision:
    1. Fund: Applicant is awarded the research grant.
    2. Do Not Fund: Applicant receives a rejection notice.

Intellectual Property Rights

The PLN Foundation aims to be considered as a research partner rather than just a grant provider. The Foundation will deliver scientific input from its scientific department and scientific advisors and can facilitate access to its extensive research network to overcome hurdles and accelerate the project. Specific intellectual property rights agreements will be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Reporting Requirements

The PLN Foundation requires a final report upon project completion and, if deemed necessary, a midterm progress report. The Foundation encourages open communication between its scientific department and the researchers throughout the project’s duration.

Contact Information

For questions or additional information, researchers can reach out to Luuk Kerckhaert (Luuk@plnheart.org), the scientific officer of the PLN Foundation.

Do you want to submit a proposal? You need the documents below:

PLN Sparkle Grant – preproposal

PLN Sparkle Grant – full proposal