Investigator Research Support Program
Request for Applications (RFA) — 2026
Program Overview
Research Support
- Up to $15,000 in research funding per project
- Investigator-initiated study design — you keep full scientific independence
- Priority given to clinical-stage studies
Study Intervention
- Standardized NeuroFiber® formulations provided at no cost
- Available as a prebiotic powder and whole-food bar
- Proprietary multi-fiber blend designed to support microbiome balance
Funding Amount & Key Dates
Funding
2026 Submission Dates
Neurological and Gastrointestinal Areas of Interest
Neurological Conditions
- Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies
- Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
- Migraine and headache disorders
- Any condition with gut-brain axis involvement
Gastrointestinal Conditions
- Constipation and motility disorders
- Intestinal inflammation and permeability
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Gut microbiome dysbiosis in disease contexts
Eligibility
Clinical
Fellows, residents, and physicians at accredited medical institutions
Academic
Researchers at universities, research institutes, or medical centers
Early Career
Early career investigators are especially encouraged to apply
Applicants must have the institutional resources and oversight necessary to complete the proposed work, including applicable ethical approvals (IACUC, IRB, or equivalent) prior to project initiation.
Application Requirements
Applications should be concise and include the following four components:
Biosketch or CV
Investigator biosketch or full curriculum vitae
Project Summary
300 words or fewer describing the proposed work
Specific Aims & Plan
Brief research plan including proposed use of study material and expected outcomes
Timeline & Budget
Project timeline and budget narrative within the $15,000 limit
Review and Selection Process
Evaluation Criteria
Scientific merit, innovation, feasibility, and relevance to microbiome-diet-host interactions and patient care
Decision Process
Final funding decisions will be made by an internal review board
Notification
All applicants will be notified of decisions via email by the dates listed above
Dissemination Support
Publication Support
We encourage the presentation and publication of all research conducted under this grant program.
Conference & Open Access
Additional support for conference registration, travel, and open-access publication fees is available upon request.
Terms and Conditions of Award
By accepting an award, investigators agree to the following:
Publication Rights
Awardees retain full rights to publish findings regardless of outcome, including negative or null results. Sorridi requests a 30-day review period prior to any submission and must be acknowledged in all publications.
Data Sharing
Awardees agree to share primary study data upon completion or publication, whichever comes first. Data used for internal scientific purposes only and not shared with third parties without consent.
Conflict of Interest
All publications and presentations must disclose receipt of product supply and research funding from Sorridi Therapeutics per journal and institutional conflict of interest policies.
Progress Reporting
A brief progress report at 6 months and a final report within 90 days of completion. Reports should summarize progress, key findings, and protocol modifications.
Research Summaries
Sorridi Therapeutics has conducted two foundational studies informing the development of NeuroFiber®. Plain-language summaries are provided below.
How NeuroFiber Ingredients Interact with Gut Bacteria in Parkinson’s Disease
Gut bacteria from six people with Parkinson’s disease were exposed to fiber formulations of increasing complexity using a validated model of the human GI tract (SIFR® platform). This ex vivo study characterizes how NeuroFiber ingredients are metabolized by gut bacteria and generates mechanistic evidence for future clinical design.
The osmotic laxative produced no fermentation activity. Fiber-containing substrates directly engaged gut bacteria and drove SCFA production.
More fiber sources in a blend produced greater SCFA levels. The most complex multi-fiber blend outperformed simpler formulations on every fermentation measure.
Fiber formulations enriched taxa depleted in PD (Prevotella, Roseburia) and reduced Akkermansia, which is frequently elevated in PD — consistently across all six donors.
Fiber formulation — both the number of fiber sources and the delivery format — directly shapes how gut bacteria from people with Parkinson’s disease engage in beneficial fermentation. More complexity, and delivering fibers in a whole-food format, consistently produced stronger responses. This provides mechanistic support for NeuroFiber’s formulation approach and informs the design of future clinical studies.
Full paper available here: biorxiv.org — 10.64898/2026.04.13.718214
Safety & Early Findings in Adults with Parkinson’s Disease
18 adults with Parkinson’s disease consumed one NeuroFiber® bar daily for four weeks. Blood and stool samples were collected before and after. This open-label pilot was designed to assess feasibility and generate early signals — not to prove causation.
All 18 participants completed the full 4-week study. No serious adverse events. Routine bloodwork remained within normal ranges throughout.
63–75% of participants with baseline constipation reported improvement. Self-reported bowel movement frequency increased for most participants.
Fecal calprotectin (inflammation marker) decreased on average. Bile acid levels shifted, suggesting changes in microbial metabolic activity.
A daily multi-fiber intervention is feasible and well tolerated in people with PD, with encouraging early signals around digestive symptoms and gut inflammation. Because this was a small, open-label pilot without a control group, these results are hypothesis-generating — they inform the design of the larger, placebo-controlled studies needed to confirm these effects.
See abstract from AAN 2026: neurology.org — 10.1212/WNL.0000000000212978
Frequently Asked Questions
Are preclinical (in vitro or animal) studies eligible?
My research area isn't listed above — can I still apply?
What form does the study material come in, and how much will I receive?
Is IRB/IACUC approval required before I apply, or before the study starts?
Can I apply if I missed the first submission date?
Ready to submit your proposal?
Applications can be submitted through the form below or by contacting the Sorridi Therapeutics research team directly.