PNI Seed Grant Program

UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program Call for Proposals: 

“Psychoneuroimmunological Interactions with Neural Reward"

We anticipate funding 2-3 projects up to $20,000 per year for two years, analyzing the reciprocal interactions between central neural reward systems and immune function.  Scope includes effects of immune system/inflammation on reward system function AND/OR effects of reward system activity on immunity.  Priority will be given to applications with implications for mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep/insomnia, addiction) and interface with social determinants of health and equity, diversity, & inclusion. 

Cousins Center seed grants support immunological assays, supplies, and other research costs

For more information on seed grant program scope, aims, and application procedures, please contact Dr. Steve Cole, Associate Director, Cousins Center for PNI, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, David Geffen School of Medicine (steve.cole@ucla.edu). 

One paragraph (300 word) Letter of Intent is due by October 28, 2022.

Please send to Dr. Steve Cole.

Examples of previous Cousins Center projects in this area:

·         Eisenberger NI, … Irwin MR. Inflammation-induced anhedonia: endotoxin reduces ventral striatum responses to reward. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Oct 15;68(8):748-54.

·         Boyle CC, … Irwin MR. Motivation and sensitivity to monetary reward in late-life insomnia: moderating role of sex and the inflammatory marker CRP. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Sep;45(10):1664-1671.

·         Dutcher JM, Boyle CC, Eisenberger NI, Cole SW, Bower JE. Neural responses to threat and reward and changes in inflammation following a mindfulness intervention. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Mar;125:105114.

Psychoneuroimmunological Interactions with Neural Reward