Submission Deadline: June 30, 2018

What is believed to be the world’s first prize for published "negative" scientific results, the "ECNP Preclinical Data Network Prize" has been announced by the ECNP's Preclinical Data Forum. The €10,000 prize, aimed initially at neuroscience research, is to encourage publication of data where the results do not confirm the expected outcome or original hypothesis.

Science is historically self-correcting. This process is most effective when both positive and negative results are published. However, negative results are less likely to get published because they are often believed to generate less "value" for an individual scientist, organization, or journal. Indeed, compared with the positive data, negative data may appear less exciting, are less likely to open new avenues of research and therefore new funding opportunities. Unpublished data is effectively a waste of valuable real and human capital, particularly in the face of the reproducibility challenge currently discussed in various fields of science: reproducibility in neuroscience has come under particular focus in recent years.

The €10,000 annual prize money comes from sponsorship from the Cambridge, MA-based charity, Cohen Veterans Bioscience. It will be awarded by the ECNP's Preclinical Data Forum, which is a mixed industry and academic group which aims to improve the replicability and reliability of scientific data, especially in drug development.

The call for papers opens on Wednesday 8th November 2017, with a closing date of 30th June 2018 (application details below).

For more information, please visit www.ecnp.eu/preclinical-data-prize or contact:
Dr Anton Bespalov, anton.bespalov@paasp.net 
Dr Thomas Steckler, TSTECKLE@its.jnj.com 

About the ECNP
The European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) is the parent organization hosting the Preclinical Data Forum Network. The ECNP is an independent scientific association dedicated to the science and treatment of disorders of the brain. It is the largest non-institutional supporter of applied and translational neuroscience research and education in Europe. www.ecnp.eu/research-innovation/ECNP-networks/List-ECNP-Networks/Preclinical-Data-Forum.aspx

About Cohen Veterans Bionscience
Cohen Veterans Bioscience is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research organization dedicated to fast-tracking the development of diagnostic tests and personalized therapeutics for the millions of veterans and civilians who suffer the devastating effects of trauma-related and other brain disorders. To support & learn more about Cohen Veterans Bioscience’ research efforts, visit www.cohenveteransbioscience.org. 

Publication Award

The ECNP Preclinical Data Forum opens a call for the nominations for the best publication of negative results in neuroscience. The award itself will be a monetary prize of 10,000 (ten thousand) Euro, made available through a generous sponsorship support provided by the Cohen Veterans Bioscience.

Who May Apply

Applications should be submitted by the first or corresponding author of a publication that:

• Was written in English and was published or is accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal that is CURRENTLY listed by Web of Science and Scopus
• Date of publication is not older than January 1, 2012
• Reports results of a non-clinical study (or set of studies)
• Is not a review
• Is a full-length paper with detailed materials and methods section(s) (within the body of the paper or as supplementary information)

It is expected the authors of to-be-nominated papers are confident that technical failures are not the reason for obtaining results.  Further, the authors of to-be-nominated papers should be willing to share raw data with the third parties (if requested and not part of the publication).

How to Apply

Corresponding authors may nominate their papers by sending the PDF of the paper via E-mail to: Dr Anton Bespalov, anton.bespalov@paasp.net, executive partner of the Award. Please include an accompanying letter indicating why you think the paper merits the award.

Timelines

The call is open immediately after the publication of this announcement and will close on June 30, 2018.  The review committee will select and inform the winner by August 1, 2018.  The public announcement and presentation of the Award will take place on in October 2018, during the ECNP Congress in Barcelona. The winner will be invited to present a talk. Travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the ECNP, an Information Partner of the Award.

For more information, please visit www.ecnp.eu/preclinical-data-prize or contact:
Dr Anton Bespalov (PAASP), anton.bespalov@paasp.net 
Dr Thomas Steckler, TSTECKLE@its.jnj.com