The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $15 million (M) to the Department of Defense NFRP to support innovative, high-impact NF research.  Applications to the FY17 NFRP are being solicited by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

FY17 NFRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

Areas of Emphasis:  The NFRP encourages applications that specifically address the critical needs of the NF community in one or more of the FY17 Areas of Emphasis.  Not all Areas of Emphasis are applicable to each award mechanism offered by the FY17 NFRP.  If the proposed research project does not address one of the FY17 Areas of Emphasis, justification that the proposed research project addresses an important problem related to NF research and/or patient care should be provided.

Health services research

·         Evidence-based clinical care pathways

·         Innovative healthcare delivery systems

·         Utilization of technology and informatics

Heterogeneity of neurofibromas and other NF-related tumors

Nontumor manifestations

·         Sleep, pain, hypotonia, communication, etc., including quality of life measures, self-reported and otherwise

Novel disease and treatment response markers using genomics, epigenetics, systems biology, metabolomics, or similar approaches

·         Transition from benign to malignant

Nutritional, environmental, and other modifiers of NF

Post-adolescent manifestations

Preclinical efficacy studies

Target identification, drug discovery, targeted and immunotherapies

Other

 

Clinical Trial Award – Letter of Intent due Jul7 26, 2017

• ·         Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
• ·         Fund Phase 0, I, or II clinical trials relevant to NF and/or schwannomatosis; combinations of phases are permitted.
• ·         Funding must support a clinical trial and may not be used for preclinical studies.
• ·         Scientific rationale and preliminary data required for Phase I, II clinical trial applications.

·         Maximum funding of $900,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 4 years
• ·          

Exploration – Hypothesis Development Award – Letter of Intent due July 26, 2017

• ·         All academic levels (or equivalent)

·         Fund the initial exploration of innovative, high-risk, high-gain and potentially. groundbreaking concepts in NF research

·         Projects involving human subjects or human biological substances must be exempt under 32 CFR 219.101(b) or eligible for expedited review under 32 CFR 219.110 or 21 CFR 56.110.

·         Preliminary and/or published data is encouraged but not required.

• ·         Clinical trials not allowed

·         Maximum funding of $100,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 2 years

 

Investigator-Initiated Research Award – Letter of Intent due July 26, 2017

• ·         Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

• Fund highly rigorous, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to NF research and/or patient care.

• ·         Optional Feature:  Applications that include a Qualified Collaborator who meets criteria identified in the announcement may apply for a higher level of funding.

·         Preliminary and/or published data required.

• ·         Clinical trials not allowed.

·         Maximum funding of $525,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·         Maximum funding of $575,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for applications including an Optional Qualified Collaborator

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 3 years

 

New Investigator Award – Letter of Intent due July 26, 2017

• ·         Independent investigators at or below the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) or an established investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor seeking to transition into a career in NF research

·         Support the continued development of promising independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators into a career in the field of NF research

·         Experience in NF research is allowed, but not required

·         Preliminary and/or published data required

• ·         Clinical trials not allowed

·         Maximum funding of $450,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 3 years

 

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and General Application Instructions available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website.  The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov.  A listing of all CDMRP funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

 

Applications must be submitted through the federal government’s single-entry portal, Grants.gov.  For email notification when Program Announcements are released go to the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil) and select Subscribe to Funding Opportunities & Program Communications.  For more information about the NFRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk

301-682-5507

help@eBrap.org