The IQSEC2 Research and Advocacy Foundation will provide a 1-year grant, with a no cost extension of up to one year granted with approval, to support research related to IQSEC2-related disorder. The foundation will award either one grant of $60,000 or two grants for $30,000.

 Background

IQSEC2 is a genetic condition that causes intellectual disability and sometimes other physical, neurological, or psychiatric symptoms. People with this condition can have seizures that are often difficult to control with medications. Other symptoms may include motor and language development delay, regression of learning abilities, autistic-like behavior, characteristic hand movements, and behavioral problems. Physical features may include abnormal head shape (plagiocephaly), very small head (microcephaly), reduced muscle tone (hypotonia), and crossed eyes (strabismus). This condition is caused by mutations in the IQSEC2 gene, which is located on the X-chromosome. Depending on the severity of the gene mutation, the features can range from only intellectual disability to a syndrome that includes the other symptoms. In general, males are more affected than females. Most cases are not inherited from a parent but are caused by a new (de novo) mutation. There is no specific treatment, but early intervention and other services can support development.

The IQSEC2 Research and Advocacy Foundation, in collaboration with the Orphan Disease Center, is seeking grant applications that will address both symptoms of the disease (i.e. intractable seizures) and/or mechanistic studies that are oriented towards developing therapies addressing the underlying cause of IQSEC2 mediated intellectual disability, autism and epilepsy. The grant will exclusively be on IQSEC2 mutation mediated disease and not on other disease mutations that may have some overlap. The grant is intended to serve as a seed for additional funding from other granting agencies and part of the application will need to contain a section where the researchers discuss how they will do this.  In addition, it will be critical for the researcher to suggest how this grant will fit into the strategic goals of the IQSEC2 foundation towards reducing morbidity and developing novel treatments of IQSEC2 mediated disease. Innovative therapies are particularly welcome.

 Eligibility

All individuals holding a faculty-level appointment at an academic institution or a senior position at a non-profit institution or foundation are eligible to respond to this RFA. Researchers with no prior experience with IQSEC2 are encouraged to apply. 

Full Applications are Due Friday, December 22, 2023 by 8pm EST

To Apply:

Step 1: Please review the  RFA Guidelines.

Step 2: Download and complete the below forms:

Step 3: Apply through Submittable

For any scientific inquiries regarding this grant please email Deborah Requesens.

For any administrative inquiries regarding this grant please email Leslie Silverman.