The Interagency Collaborative to Advance Research in Epilepsy (ICARE) is a voluntary working group of public and non-profit organizations in the United States that provide sustained funding for epilepsy research and training. ICARE was established in 2010 and meets annually to better coordinate research-related activities among these groups, and to encourage collaborations where compelling opportunities exist. At the 2014 meeting, the group discussed and agreed upon the potential benefits of a community-wide portfolio analysis. The database of funded epilepsy research projects contributed by the ICARE member organizations will provide a means to better inform the group about the landscape of funded epilepsy research and is expected to aid with coordination strategies, leverage resources, avoid duplication of effort, and assess progress being made against the epilepsy research priorities as defined by the 2014 NINDS Benchmarks for Epilepsy Research and the recommendations from the 2012 IOM report "Epilepsy Across the Spectrum." Furthermore, the shared ontology created by the categorization of research according to scientific areas and types of support (e.g., basic, translational, clinical research, research projects, training and career awards, resources) will provide for the mapping of funding opportunities across organizations to help epilepsy researchers at different career stages identify potential sources of support.
Visit the CARE Epilepsy Research Portfolio Ontology page for a complete description of the ICARE portfolio ontology.
