The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides $16 million (M) to the Department of Defense Parkinson’ Research Program (PRP) to support research to understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat Parkinson’s disease.  Applications to the FY19 PRP 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) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC).

The PRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY19 PRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in April 2019.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

 

IMPORTANT:  The PRP seeks to focus applications and direct funding by providing Focus Areas to address the critical needs in Parkinson’s disease research. 

https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2019/19prppreann

Investigator-Initiated Research Award

Independent investigators at or above the level of assistant professor (or equivalent)

• ·        Supports highly rigorous, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to Parkinson’s disease research and/or patient care.
• ·        Preliminary data to support feasibility are required.  Any unpublished, preliminary data provided should originate from the laboratory of the Principal Investigator (PI) or a member(s) of the research team.

·        Preliminary data to support feasibility required

• ·        Clinical trials not allowed

Partnering PI Option:

• ·        Provides a higher level of funding to support synergistic partnerships between two or three independent investigators collaborating on a single application.
• ·        PIs are expected to demonstrate within the application the synergistic components that will significantly advance the project, such that the research outcomes could not otherwise be accomplished through the independent efforts of a single PI.
• ·        The proposed partnership should result in a level of productivity that is greater than that achievable by each PI independently. 
• ·        Applications to this award mechanism must address at least one of the four FY19 Focus Areas noted below:
• ·        Clinical and research applications of digital health technology for Parkinson’s disease monitoring, including early identification
• ·        Mechanisms of non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease from basic biology to clinical application
• ·        Sleep biology in Parkinson’s disease
• ·        Quantifiable gene-environment interactions and the risk of Parkinson’s disease

Individual PI:

·       Maximum funding of $1.5 million (M) in total costs

·       Maximum period of performance 3 years

Partnering PI Option:

·       Maximum funding of $2.4M in total costs

• ·       Maximum period of performance 3 years

 

Early Investigator Research Award

Postdoctoral or clinical fellow, instructor, or assistant professor within 10 years of advanced degree or residency training (or equivalent)

Verification of eligibility criteria must be provided in an Eligibility Statement signed by an appropriate institutional official and the PI. 

• ·         The EIRA supports early-career investigators exploring innovative, high-impact ideas or new technologies applicable to Parkinson’s disease research and/or patient care. The PRP seeks applications from investigators working in a broad spectrum of disciplines including, but not limited to, basic science, engineering, bioinformatics, population science, translational research, and clinical research.
• ·         The application should demonstrate the PI’s potential for, and commitment to, pursuing a career in Parkinson’s disease research under the guidance of a designated Mentor(s). Evaluated criteria will include mentorship and mentorship environment with an identified path to independence.

·         Preliminary data not required

·         Clinical trials not allowed

• ·         Applications to this award mechanism must address at least one of the four FY19 Focus Areas.

·         Maximum funding of $360,000 in total costs

• ·         Maximum period of performance 2 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 that will be 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 and other USAMRMC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

 

Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are released.  For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the PRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil