The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) to support United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation.  The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

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

http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/kcrp

Consortium Development Award - Letter of Intent due December 20, 2017

• An eligible Principal Investigator (who will be the Consortium Director) will be a faculty member at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent) level. 
• co-PIs should be at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent) level.
• Goal of the Consortium Development Award is to ensure the establishment of the consortium infrastructure for future multi-institutional clinical trials
• Provides support to create a Coordinating Center and to establish the necessary collaborations at potential Clinical Trial Sites for the development of a multi-institutional kidney clinical effort
• Minimum of three separate institutes: one Coordinating Center and at least two Clinical Sites (other than the Coordinating Center)
• Awardee will be eligible to apply for FY19 Consortium Award, if funds are available
• Maximum funding of $1.0 million total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 2 years
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.

Idea Development Award – Letter of Intent due December 20, 2017

Established Investigators: 

• Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and 10 years or more from a terminal degree; or
• Early Career Investigators:
• Investigators at the level of Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Assistant Research Professor (or equivalent) and less than 10 years from a terminal degree (excluding time spent in medical residency or family medical leave) at the time of application submission deadline are eligible.
• Supports new ideas that represent innovative, high-risk/high-gain approaches to kidney cancer research, and have the potential to make an important contribution to kidney cancer.
• Supports new ideas that represent innovative, high-risk/high-gain approaches to kidney cancer research, and have the potential to make an important contribution to kidney cancer.
• Preliminary data is required
• Innovation and Impact are the most important review criteria.
• Clinical Trials are not allowed
• Areas of Emphasis include:
• Microenvironment, Metabolism, Chromatin and Gene Regulation, Rare Cancers, Screening, Early Detection, Novel Imaging Technologies, Liquid Biopsy, Biomarker Development, Prognosis, Targeted Therapies, Immunotherapies, Resistance, Novel Interventions, Surgical, Ablation, Radiation, Prognosis, Managing Toxicity, Survivorship and Patient Experience, Surveillance, Genetic Risk Factors.
• Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Period of performance not to exceed 3 years

Concept Award – Letter of Intent due December 20, 2017

• All investigators at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow (or equivalent) are eligible.
• Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in kidney cancer
• Emphasis on innovation
• Clinical trials not allowed
• Preliminary data not allowed
• Blinded review
• Maximum funding of $75,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 1 year

Translational Research Partnership – Letter of Intent due December 20, 2017

• The Initiating PI must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor or equivalent.
• The Partnering PI must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor or equivalent.  Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to be Partnering PIs

• ·        Supports partnerships between clinicians and laboratory scientists that accelerate ideas in kidney cancer into clinical applications
• ·        Supports translational correlative studies
• ·        Preliminary data required

• Clinical trials are not allowed
• Maximum funding of $600,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.

A pre-application (letter of intent) is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application (letter of intent) 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, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the KCRP 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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $5 million (M) to the Department of Defense Lupus Research Program (LRP) to support innovative and impactful research that addresses fundamental issues in lupus.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

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

Applications submitted to the FY17 LRP must address at least one of the three Focus Areas listed below:

•           Understand lupus disease heterogeneity including, but not limited to, progressive stages of lupus disease over time, strategies and technologies to subtype patients, lupus disease mechanisms, biopsychosocial studies, personalized medicine, variation in treatment and its effects on patient outcomes, socioeconomic studies, environmental studies, and epidemiological studies.

•           Understand how the underlying genetic components of lupus disease relate to clinical disease characteristics using functional genomic studies.

•           Determine the pathobiology of lupus in target human tissues including, but not limited to, imaging studies, genetics of lupus disease in particular tissues, and metabolomics.

http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/lrp

Concept Award – Letter of Intent Due December 21, 2017, Full Application Due January 4, 2018

• Investigators at all academic levels
• Supports high-risk studies that have the potential to reveal new avenues for investigation into lupus.
• Must describe how the new idea will enhance existing knowledge of lupus.
• Must address at least one of the FY17 LRP Focus Areas
• Submission of letter of intent is required prior to full application submission
• Inclusion of preliminary data is encouraged
• Clinical trials are not allowed
• Maximum funding of $150,000 for total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 1 year

Impact Award – Letter of Intent Due December 21, 2017, Full Application Due January 4, 2018

• Assistant Professor level or above (or equivalent)
• Supports new high-risk, high-reward ideas that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements in the field of lupus research.
• Must describe how the new idea will enhance existing knowledge of lupus or develop a novel course of investigation.
• Emphasis is on impact
• Must address at least one of the FY17 LRP Focus Areas
• Submission of letter of intent is required prior to full application submission
• Inclusion of preliminary data is encouraged
• Clinical trials are not allowed
• Maximum funding of $525,000 for total 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 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 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.  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 LRP 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

Washington, D.C. - VA Secretary David Shulkin recognized the National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF) on September 7, 2017 in a letter addressed to VA colleagues and NAVREF conference attendees. Secretary Shulkin acknowledged in the letter that NAVREF's annual conference had played a "significant role in educating research leaders" and that our community should continue "forging new partnerships" as the VA modernizes itself. NAVREF would like to thank Secretary Shulkin for his kinds words and we thank all of our NAVREF members for their dedication and support over the past 25 years. 

Read the original letter from Secretary Shulkin here. 

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $125 million (M) to the Department of Defense Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program (PHTBIRP). As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation aligned with specific DHA J9 Directorate research program areas, including Joint Program Committee-5/Military Operational Medicine Research Program (JPC-5/MOMRP). This Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity and subsequent awards will be managed and executed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) with strategic oversight from JPC-5/MOMRP.  The PH/TBIRP and the JPC-5/MOMRP in collaboration with the Defense Suicide Prevention Office and Service Resiliency Proponents will be seeking applications/proposals to examine the efficacy and effectiveness of peer-to-peer support tools to translate and integrate content into the everyday routines of Service members (SM) to enhance psychological health readiness and mitigate negative behavioral health issues including suicide behaviors.  The expectation of this research is to demonstrate the utility of these peer-to-peer support psychological health readiness tools to benefit our SMs and the public at large.

The PH/TBIRP and JPC-5/MOMRP are providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY17 PHTBIRP Program Announcement and General Application Instruction for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in October 2017.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program-Specific Broad Agency Announcement is released.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Peer Support Program (PSP)Translational Research Award

• Intramural (DoD) and extramural investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications
• Proposals/applications to the FY17 PHTBIRP PSP Translational Research award should examine the efficacy and effectiveness of peer-to-peer support tools to translate and integrate content into the everyday routines of SMs to enhance psychological health readiness and mitigate negative behavioral health issues including suicide behaviors. The expectation of this research is to demonstrate the utility of these peer-to-peer support psychological health readiness tools to benefit our SMs and the public at large.
• The CDMRP expects to allocate FY17 funding to fund approximately 2-3 PSP translational research awards.  The maximum period of performance is 3 years.  The maximum allowable total costs per award (direct and indirect) for the entire period of performance is $3M

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 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.  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 PHTBIRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $5 million (M) to the Department of Defense Lupus Research Program (LRP) to support innovative and impactful research that addresses fundamental issues in lupus.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The LRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY17 LRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in October 2017.  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.

Applications submitted to the FY17 LRP must address at least one of the three Focus Areas listed below:

•           Understand lupus disease heterogeneity including, but not limited to, progressive stages of lupus disease over time, strategies and technologies to subtype patients, lupus disease mechanisms, biopsychosocial studies, personalized medicine, variation in treatment and its effects on patient outcomes, socioeconomic studies, environmental studies, and epidemiological studies.

•           Understand how the underlying genetic components of lupus disease relate to clinical disease characteristics using functional genomic studies.

•           Determine the pathobiology of lupus in target human tissues including, but not limited to, imaging studies, genetics of lupus disease in particular tissues, and metabolomics.

 

Concept Award

• Investigators at all academic levels

·         Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in lupus research

·         Emphasis is on innovation

·         Clinical trials are not allowed

• Preliminary data is discouraged

·         Maximum funding of $150,000 for total costs

• Maximum period of performance is 1 year

 

Idea Award

• Investigators at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

·         Supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research

·         Emphasis is on impact

·         Clinical trials are not allowed

• Preliminary data is encouraged but not required

·         Maximum funding of $525,000 for total 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 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 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.  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 LRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program (OPORP) to support research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes for Service members and Veterans who have undergone limb amputation.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

Focus Areas:  The OPORP will only consider applications that specifically address the critical needs of the Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes research community in one or more of the FY17 Focus Areas.  The OPORP will solicit research applications that address at least one of the following FY17 Focus Areas:

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Form:  Analysis of variables related to currently available clinical options such as, but not limited to, device size, shape, material, and configuration.

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Fit:  Analysis of currently available clinical options that facilitate device fit-related characteristics such as comfort and usability through variables such as human-device interface and component connection.

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Function:  Analysis of the variables related to currently available clinical options such as device control, passive response, active/actuated response, power, sensors, overall performance with respect to activities of daily living and other real-world activities.

Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Award – Preproposal 10/20/17

Funding Level 1/New Investigators:  Investigators that meet the following criteria at the application submission deadline date:

·        Are within 5 years of their last training position

·        Are able to demonstrate the freedom to pursue research goals outside of a formal mentorship program or arrangement

·        Can provide evidence of organizational support, such as start-up funds provided by the institution and/or use of a technician, space, facilities, and resources

·        PIs working within a laboratory team are eligible to apply for this award, provided they meet the criteria above.

·        Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible for this award.

 

Funding Level 2:  Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications.

Funding Level 1/New Investigator Option may support pilot research or research that is already supported by preliminary data and has the potential to make significant advancements toward clinical translation.

Funding Level 2 Option is supported by preliminary data and has the potential to make significant advancement towards clinical translation.

The OPORA is focused on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of prosthetic and orthotic device options currently available, not on the development of new, or the improvement of existing, technology.  The intent of the award is to generate clinically useful evidence that will enhance and optimize patient outcomes.

Animal studies are not allowed.

 

Funding Level 1/ New Investigators:

·       Maximum funding of $500,000 for total costs.

·       Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Funding Level 2:

·       Maximum funding of $2.5M for total costs.

·       Maximum period of performance is 4 years

•  
• ·       All direct and indirect costs of any subaward (subgrant or subcontract) must be included in the total direct costs of the primary award.

The applicant may request the entire maximum funding amount for a project that may have a period of performance less than the maximum number of years allowed per funding level.

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 are 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, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the OPORP 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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) to support United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation.  The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The KCRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY17 KCRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in October 2017.  Pre-application (Letter of Intent) 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.

Consortium Development Award

• ·         Investigators at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

• Supports infrastructure development to establish the necessary collaborations among a Coordinating Center and Clinical Sites
• Multi-institution collaboration required
• Supports clinical trials of novel interventions with the potential to have a significant impact on patient care in kidney cancer
• Proposed trials may be Phase 0, Phase 1, or Phase 2

·         Minimum of three separate institutes: one Coordinating Center and at least two Clinical Sites (other than the Coordinating Center)

·         Maximum funding of $1.6 million total costs

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 2 years
• ·         Awardee will be eligible to apply for FY19 Consortium Award, if funds are available

 

Idea Development Award

Established Investigators: 

• ·         Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and 10 years or more from a terminal degree; or
• ·         Early Career Investigators:
• ·         Investigators at the level of Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Assistant Research Professor (or equivalent) and less than 10 years from a terminal degree (excluding time spent in medical residency or family medical leave) at the time of application submission deadline are eligible.

·         Supports new ideas that represent innovative, high-risk/high-gain approaches to kidney cancer research, and have the potential to make an important contribution to kidney cancer.

·         Preliminary data is required; need not be in kidney cancer.

·         Innovation and Impact are the most important review criteria.

·         Clinical Trials are not allowed

·         Areas of Interest include:

• ·         Microenvironment, Metabolism, Chromatin and Gene Regulation, Rare Cancers, Screening, Early Detection, Novel Imaging Technologies, Liquid Biopsy, Biomarker Development, Prognosis, Targeted Therapies, Immunotherapies, Resistance, Novel Interventions, Surgical, Ablation, Radiation, Prognosis, Managing Toxicity, Survivorship and Patient Experience, Surveillance, Genetic Risk Factors

·         Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Period of performance not to exceed 3 years

 

Concept Award

• ·         Investigators at all academic levels

·         Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in kidney cancer

·         Emphasis on innovation

·         Clinical trials not allowed

·         Preliminary data not allowed

• ·         Blinded review

·         Maximum funding of $75,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 1 year

 

Translational Research Partnership

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

• Supports partnerships between clinicians and laboratory scientists that accelerate ideas in kidney cancer into clinical applications

·         Supports translational correlative studies

• Preliminary data required

• ·         Funding for clinical trials not allowed

·         Maximum funding of $600,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

• ·         Maximum period of performance is 3 years

A pre-application (letter of intent) is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application (letter of intent) 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 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.  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 KCRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP) to support promising, necessary research for the treatment of burdensome and very prevalent auditory system injury that will foster new directions in the field of hearing restoration and propel the science forward to therapeutic interventions that restore auditory function.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The HRRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY17 HRRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in September 2017.  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.

Focus Areas: The HRRP will only consider applications that specifically address the critical needs of the Hearing restoration research community in one or more of the FY17 Focus Areas. The HRRP will solicit research applications that address at least one of the following FY17 Focus Areas:

• Develop reliable in vitro human models for evaluating hearing restoration therapies

• Accelerate translation of biological regeneration into therapies that restore auditory function including, for example, treatments that enhance:

1. Synaptic plasticity

2. Hair cell and neural regeneration

• Develop and validate assessment techniques and/or treatment methods that address functional hearing restoration including, for example:

1. Personalized prognostic indicators of therapeutic success

2. Better differential diagnostic tests

3. Improved evaluation of treatment methods

 

Translational Research Award (TRA)

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications.

·         Pre-application (Letter of Intent) is required.

·         Supports preclinical translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising initiatives relevant to hearing restoration into clinical applications.

·         In this first year of the program, applications submitted must focus on the development of reliable in vitro human models to evaluate hearing restoration therapies or research that translates biological regeneration initiatives into therapies that restore auditory function.

• Preliminary data required.

·         Maximum funding of $1,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

·         Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s rate agreement.

 

 

Focused Research Award (FRA)

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications.

·         Pre-application (Letter of Intent) is required.

·         Supports functional hearing restoration research that develops and validates assessment techniques and treatment methods using patient-centric outcomes to identify potential predictive indicators for successful treatment of functional auditory system deficits.

·         Research in this area should result in refined diagnostic tools and improved evaluation of the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches for functional hearing restoration.

• Preliminary data required

·         Maximum funding of $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

·         Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s rate agreement.

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 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.  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 other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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

 

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million (M) to the Department of Defense Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program (OPORP) to support research that evaluates the comparative effectiveness of orthotic and prosthetic clinical interventions using patient-centric outcomes for Service members and Veterans who have undergone limb amputation.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The OPORP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications.  FY17 OPORP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in September 2017.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcement is released.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Focus Areas:  The OPORP will only consider applications that specifically address the critical needs of the Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes research community in one or more of the FY17 Focus Areas.  The OPORP will solicit research applications that address at least one of the following FY17 Focus Areas:

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Form:  Analysis of variables related to currently available clinical options such as, but not limited to, device size, shape, material, and configuration.

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Fit:  Analysis of currently available clinical options that facilitate device fit-related characteristics such as comfort and usability through variables such as human-device interface and component connection.

·         Orthotic or Prosthetic Device Function:  Analysis of the variables related to currently available clinical options such as device control, passive response, active/actuated response, power, sensors, overall performance with respect to activities of daily living and other real-world activities.

Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Award

Funding Level 1/New Investigators:  Investigators that meet the following criteria at the application submission deadline date:

·        Are within 5 years of their last training position

·        Are able to demonstrate the freedom to pursue research goals outside of a formal mentorship program or arrangement

·        Can provide evidence of organizational support, such as start-up funds provided by the institution and/or use of a technician, space, facilities, and resources

·        PIs working within a laboratory team are eligible to apply for this award, provided they meet the criteria above.

·        Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible for this award.

 

Funding Level 2:  Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications.

Funding Level 1/New Investigator Option may support pilot research or research that is already supported by preliminary data and has the potential to make significant advancements toward clinical translation.

Funding Level 2 Option is supported by preliminary data and has the potential to make significant advancement towards clinical translation.

The OPORA is focused on outcomes-based best practices through analysis of the merits of prosthetic and orthotic device options currently available, not on the development of new, or the improvement of existing, technology.  The intent of the award is to generate clinically useful evidence that will enhance and optimize patient outcomes.

Animal studies are not allowed.

 

Funding Level 1/ New Investigators:

·       Maximum funding of $500,000 for total costs.

·       Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Funding Level 2:

·       Maximum funding of $2.5M for total costs.

·       Maximum period of performance is 4 years

•  
• ·       All direct and indirect costs of any subaward (subgrant or subcontract) must be included in the total direct costs of the primary award.

The applicant may request the entire maximum funding amount for a project that may have a period of performance less than the maximum number of years allowed per funding level.

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 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.  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 OPORP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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

The FY17 Defense Appropriations Act provides $12 million (M) to the Department of Defense Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) to support research of exceptional scientific merit that has the potential to make a significant impact on improving the function, wellness, and overall quality of life for injured military Service members and Veterans, their caregivers and family members, and the American public.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

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

Focus Areas:  The FY17 RTRP encourages research projects that specifically address needs in the field of vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) in the following focus areas:

1. Immune system regulation as specifically applied to VCA
2. Psychosocial considerations and challenges associated with VCA
3. Develop ex vivo VCA tissue preservation techniques or technologies to extend the time between procurement and transplantation (goal: 24 hours)
4. Develop pre-habilitation or rehabilitation strategies that improve reconstructive transplant functional outcomes
5. Develop standardized quantitative functional outcome measures for VCA, especially for face transplant
6. Graft clinical monitoring – acute and chronic, as applied to VCA

Concept Award – Letter of Intent due November 15

• Investigators at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow (or equivalent)
• Pre-application (Letter of Intent) is required.
• Supports the exploration of a highly innovative new concept or untested theory that addresses an important problem relevant to reconstructive transplant. 
• Preliminary data are NOT allowed.
• Reviewers at both tiers of review will be blinded to the identity of the Principal Investigator (PI), collaborators, and their organizations.
• Applications must address at least one of the FY17 RTRP Focus Areas.
• Maximum funding of $200,000 for total costs (direct plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 18 months

Investigator-Initiated Research Award – Preproposal due September 20

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• Preproposal is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
• Supports studies with potential to make an important contribution to the reconstructive transplant research field, patient care, and/or quality of life.
• Preliminary or published data required.
• Multiple PI Option supports synergistic partnerships among two to four  investigators collaborating on a single application; multi-institutional collaborations are encouraged
• Applications must address at least one of the FY17 RTRP Focus Areas.
• Individual PIs:
• Maximum funding of $1 million (M) for total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years
• Multiple PI Option:
• Maximum funding of $1.5M for total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years

Technology Development Award – Preproposal due September 20

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• Preproposal is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
• Supports research critical for the translation of promising preclinical findings into products focused on reconstructive transplantation.
• Proof of concept must be established.
• Transition plan is required.
• Applications must address at least one of the following FY17 RTRP Focus Areas:
• Develop ex vivo VCA tissue preservation techniques or technologies to extend the time between procurement and transplantation (goal: 24 hours)
• Graft clinical monitoring – acute and chronic, as applied to VCA
• Maximum funding of $1M for total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years

Qualitative Research Award – Preproposal due September 20

• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)
• Preproposal is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
• Supports qualitative research studies that will help researchers and clinicians to better understand the experiences of individuals who are considering or have already received reconstructive transplant surgery.
• Demonstrated qualitative research experience within the research team is required.
• Theoretical perspective of qualitative research must be identified.
• Rigorous and appropriate data collection and data analyses methods are important components.
• Multiple PI Option supports synergistic partnerships among two to four investigators collaborating on a single application; multi-institutional collaborations are encouraged.
• Applications must address the following FY17 RTRP Focus Area:
• Psychosocial considerations and challenges associated with VCA
• Individual PIs:
• Maximum funding of $1M for total costs
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years
• Multiple PI Option:
• Maximum funding of $1.5M for total 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 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 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, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org.  For more information about the RTRP 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