Request for applications

September 2026

Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF) is a private nonprofit foundation established by philanthropists Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert. A core mission of GFF is to accelerate treatments and cures for neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). GFF’s major priorities include supporting research addressing NF1-associated peripheral nerve tumors, brain tumors, vision impairment, and cognitive and behavioral manifestations, as well as novel tools and technologies that may serve to more broadly enable neurofibromatosis research.

The scope of the current RFA is defined below and GFF anticipates releasing subsequent RFAs that cover the landscape of opportunity that will move NF1 research forward and advance disease-modifying treatments for NF1. These RFAs support efforts addressing a range of NF1 manifestations across bench-to-bedside stages of drug discovery and technology development.

GFF welcomes collaboration across labs with complementary expertise, encourages cross-disciplinary applications, and invites active GFF-funded investigators as well as new investigators to the GFF consortium to apply.

Background

NF1 is an autosomal dominant, genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in every 2,500 births throughout the world. Hallmark features of NF1 include multiple café au lait (light brown) skin spots, neurofibromas (small benign growths) on or under the skin, and tumors on nerves that can lead to disfigurement, blindness, and cancer. NF1 can also result in cognitive disability, skeletal deformity, and cardiovascular complications. The course of the disease is both unpredictable and variable among individuals. Even within the same family, patients may experience vastly different symptoms with varying degrees of severity.

NF1 is caused by germline mutations in the neurofibromin 1 (NF1) gene, which encodes the neurofibromin protein. Neurofibromin is primarily characterized as a GTPase-activating protein, catalyzing the conversion of active Ras-GTP into inactive Ras-GDP, thereby negatively regulates Ras/MAPK pathway activity. In NF1 disease, NF1 haploinsufficiency is thought to underlie vasculopathy and cognitive symptoms. The remaining majority of NF1 clinical manifestations require a separate mutational event in the somatic NF1 allele (a ‘second hit’). Tumor manifestations are typically benign; however, the accumulation of additional pathogenic mutations leads to progression to a more aggressive and/or malignant state.

Scope and key review criteria

The scope of this RFA is to address key knowledge and resource gaps to support the development of novel interventional therapeutic approaches and drug candidates for NF1-associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors prioritizing a focus on plexiform neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Projects spanning exploratory and foundational research that close knowledge gaps in nerve sheath tumor biology, tools and technologies that enable the NF1 field, translational therapeutic development from target identification through to advanced preclinical development, and clinical non-interventional studies including biomarker discovery and validation are actively solicited in this RFA.

Applications may fall broadly into one or more of the following categories listed below, and applicants are encouraged to identify the project’s primary and, if applicable, secondary purpose. All applications are required to include a statement addressing the impact of the project on our collective mission to find improved treatments and cures for NF1.

1. Exploratory research

• Foundational, mechanistic, and hypothesis-generating work on NF1-associated nerve sheath tumor biology, including cell of origin, microenvironmental and immune drivers, and determinants of progression to malignancy.
• Successful applications would describe the key knowledge gap that is being addressed and how the proposed work would advance understanding of NF1-associated nerve sheath tumor biology.

2. Tools and technology

• Projects developing models, assays, biomarkers, computational resources, and delivery platforms for NF1-associated nerve sheath tumors are eligible.
• Projects addressing delivery of therapeutics to NF1-associated nerve sheath tumors are eligible, where targeting Schwann or other key cells and the tumor microenvironment, payload size, redosing, immunogenicity, manufacturability, and route of administration remain limiting.
• Successful applications would describe the key resource gap that is being addressed and the translational impact of the proposed resource.

3. Therapeutic approaches

• Treatment strategies including combinatorial and emerging therapeutic modalities such as gene therapy and immunotherapy may be proposed. Approaches of interest include restoring neurofibromin, intervening in the cellular pathways and programs that drive tumor initiation and malignant progression, targeted cytotoxic strategies, and engaging the immune system, as well as rational combinations of these.
• Development of therapeutics may begin and potentially advance across one or more of the following stages: target identification, target validation, screening, hit-to-lead, and lead optimization. Novel therapeutic strategies and biological or genetic medicines may follow different development paths to be outlined in the application. Successful applications would include preliminary data supporting entry at the proposed stage, together with explicit go/no-go criteria for subsequent stages proposed within the award period. The application would also define the target cell population and tissue compartment, the delivery modality and route of administration, and the models and assays used for testing as applicable. Availability of validated assays and models to support lead optimization and candidate selection would be considered.
• Studies testing combinations of existing therapies or drug re-purposing studies would need to provide robust justification and strong preliminary data to be considered.

4. Clinical non-interventional studies

• Clinical studies in NF1 patient population, including biomarker discovery and validation are eligible.
• Successful applications would define the patient population, study design, outcomes and endpoints, and how data and/or specimens would be made available to the research community.
• For biomarker proposals, successful applications would state the intended context of use, whether diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, or pharmacodynamic, and the criteria by which the biomarker would be considered validated.

Eligibility criteria

• Collaborations are encouraged between teams with complementary expertise and capabilities. Applying teams may consist of investigators from the same or different institutions and may be international. One Principal Investigator (PI) should be designated as the Administrative PI and is responsible for administrative leadership while scientific leadership is shared by all PIs on the team. Applications must include a rationale for the proposed collaboration, the specific role of all PIs, and synergistic opportunities.
• PIs identified as administrative PIs must be independent researchers at the level of Assistant Professor or above at their respective institutions. Research Assistant Professors and above can be included as Co-PIs. Companies are required to contact GFF prior to submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to assess eligibility and identify appropriate applicant.
• Applications may include expertise or work performed by contract research organizations (CROs). Studies with significant CRO involvement require discussion in advance of submitting an application.
• Applicants may include in-kind support from Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute (NGNRI) and if they do, a letter of support is required. NGNRI is the first brick-and-mortar research institute dedicated to curing NF. Together, GFF and NGNRI collectively represent investments in a research pipeline that allows projects to seamlessly progress from bench to bedside. Please refer to the contacts listed below for inquiries.

Award length and budget

GFF expects to support both pilot and full research awards during this application cycle.

• Pilot awards: GFF welcomes bold, new research ideas and PIs are welcome to apply for pilot awards with specific go/no-go criteria. Applications for full research awards may also be recommended as a pilot award by the review committee. Projects recommended for pilot awards would receive up to $150,000 in total project costs for 1 year. Upon successful completion of milestones, pilot awards would be considered for conversion to full research awards, with up to 5 years of additional funding with up to $350,000 per year in total project costs. Total project costs include indirect costs up to 10% of the total direct research cost minus travel and equipment expenses.
• Full research awards: Projects may span up to 5 years with up to $350,000 per year in total project costs. Total project costs include indirect costs of up to 10% of the total direct research cost minus travel and equipment expenses.
• Please contact GFF prior to proposing deviations from the budget or duration guidance.

Review and selection process

All LOIs will be reviewed by GFF and invited full proposals will undergo rigorous review by an external peer review panel. Applications will be evaluated according to the Key Review Criteria outlined above, scientific merit, and team synergies (if applicable). GFF will provide summaries of reviewer critiques and evaluations to full proposal applicants. Based on peer review and GFF priorities, GFF will work with selected applicants to revise submitted project plans and/or budgets prior to award execution.
 

Application instructions

The application process entails two stages:

1. Two-page LOI: See LOI components below.

2. Full-length proposals: Guidelines for preparing the full application will be included with the invitation to submit full proposal. All full applications must be submitted online via GFF’s application portal.

Letter of intent

All applicants must submit a LOI to GFF prior to submission of a full proposal. The LOI application consists of the following components and must be formatted in Arial 11-point or Times New Roman 12-point font with no less than 0.5 inch margins. To submit your LOI, please upload a single combined pdf of the requested documents via the form included below.

1. Project Title

2. Applicant/PI Information: Team Science applications must identify one PI for administrative purposes (the Administrative PI for the proposal). For teams with US and international PIs, it is preferred that the US PI is designated as the applicant.

3. Organization/Institution Information: This is the Administrative PI’s institution.

4. Key Personnel Information: Identify other PIs and other key personnel on the team. All PIs share authority for project leadership. Please describe the nature of and rationale for the proposed collaboration, and the specific roles of all key personnel, including the Administrative PI.

5. LOI: Two-page maximum that includes:

a. specific aims

b. preliminary data including figures and tables

c. overview of proposed studies

d. statement addressing NF1 relevance

6. Supplement: GFF-funded awardees are required to provide an additional one-page (maximum) summary that includes progress and conclusions of funded efforts and/or connecting the scope of prior award to the new proposed scope as applicable.

7. References: Additional one-page maximum.

Key dates

Note: Timeline is subject to change at GFF’s discretion. GFF is committed to working with Institutions for the earliest possible project start date.

Gilbert Family Foundation Contacts

For questions regarding GFF and/or this RFA, please contact Dr. Poornima Venkat at PoornimaVenkat@GilbertFamilyFoundation.org

For questions regarding expertise or resources available through NGNRI, please contact Dr. Elwy Okaz at ElwyOkaz@GilbertFamilyFoundation.org

If you have any questions, technical issues, or need to change your application after submission, please reach out to Caroline Poole at CarolinePoole@Rock.com or 313-771-3082.
 
 
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