Last week the VHA CFO circulated the attached financial alert that provides VA guidance on the law change related to the transfer of Inter Agency Agreement funds from VAMCs to NPCs. The guidance itself simply details the steps VAMC offices need to take per standard operating procedure in order to ensure the funds become “no year” funds consistent with the law’s requirement that funds “shall be available without regard to fiscal year limitations.” However, many of you expressed concern about the statement that this policy is not applicable for funds collected/transferred after October 1, 2021. It appears several federal agencies—including VA and OMB—are working to make an administrative fix to the legislation that would make it easier to implement. The fix would deem anything transferred after Sep 30, 2021 to be obligated, thereby satisfying the Economy Act provision that originally created this situation. This is considered a fairly routine fix. The impact is that the process used by VA to account for the funds may change from FY21 to FY22. However, the bottom line is that IAA funds transferred to NPCs will be available to NPCs without regard to fiscal year limitations in FY21, FY22, and beyond. No action is required on your part. Please let me know if you have any questions.

The FY21 Defense Appropriations Act is anticipated to provide funding to the Department of Defense PRMRP to support research that will improve the health, care, and well-being of all military Service members, Veterans, and beneficiaries by encouraging, identifying, selecting, and managing medical research projects of clear scientific merit and direct relevance to military health. As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency 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) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

FY21 PRMRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

 

Congressionally Directed Topic Areas: Applications submitted to the FY21 PRMRP must address at least one of the FY21 PRMRP Congressionally directed topic areas. As of the release date of this pre-announcement, the FY21 PRMRP Topic Areas have not been finalized. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government to include any of these Topic Areas or others in the FY21 PRMRP. The potential FY21 PRMRP Topic Areas are as follows:

• ·       Arthritis
• ·       Burn pit exposure
• ·       Cardiomyopathy
• ·       Congenital heart disease
• ·       Diabetes
• ·       Dystonia
• ·       Eating disorders
• ·       Emerging viral diseases
• ·       Endometriosis
• ·       Epidermolysis bullosa
• ·       Familial hypercholesterolemia
• ·           Fibrous dysplasia
• ·           Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
• ·           Food allergies
• ·           Fragile X
• ·           Frontotemporal degeneration
• ·           Hemorrhage control
• ·           Hepatitis B
• ·           Hydrocephalus
• ·           Hypertension
• ·           Inflammatory bowel diseases
• ·           Malaria
• ·       Metals toxicology
• ·       Mitochondrial disease
• ·       Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
• ·       Myotonic dystrophy
• ·       Non-opioid therapy for pain management
• ·       Nutrition optimization
• ·       Pathogen-inactivated blood products
• ·       Peripheral neuropathy
• ·       Plant-based vaccines
• ·       Platelet like cell production
• ·           Polycystic kidney disease
• ·           Pressure ulcers
• ·           Pulmonary fibrosis
• ·           Respiratory health
• ·           Rheumatoid arthritis
• ·           Sleep disorders and restriction
• ·           Suicide prevention
• ·           Sustained release drug delivery
• ·           Vascular malformations
• ·           Women's heart disease

 

https://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/prmrp

Clinical Trial Award – Preproposal due May 13, 2021

Assistant Professor level or above (or equivalent)

• ·      Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·      Supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials of novel interventions with the potential to have a significant impact on patient care in the topic area(s) of interest.
• ·      Proposed projects may range from small proof-of-concept trials through large-scale, definitive trials.
• ·      Two options will be offered:
• ○        Planning Phase with Clinical Trial Option: Provides support to prepare and submit an Investigational New Drug/Investigational Device Exemption (IND/IDE) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and requires FDA/regulatory approval or exemption to proceed before the Clinical Trial Award is made.
• ○        Clinical Trial Only Option: Provides support for the clinical trial. Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption applications to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if needed, must be approved by the FDA and included in the application submission.

Clinical Trial:

• ·      Funding limit not defined; requested funding must be appropriate for the scope of work proposed
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years for the clinical trial

Planning Phase with Clinical Trial Option:

• ·      Maximum of $500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for the Planning Phase Option
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 18 months for the Planning Phase Option

Discovery Award – Letter of Intent Due April 29, 2021

Postdoctoral fellow or clinical fellow (or equivalent) and above

• ·      Supports the exploration of a highly innovative new concept or untested theory.
• ·      Not intended to support the logical progression of an already established line of questioning.
• ·      Reviewers will be blinded to the identity of the Principal Investigator (PI), collaborators, and their organization(s).
• ·      Clinical trials will not be funded.
• ·      Maximum of $200,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 2 years

Focused Program Award – Preproposal due May 13, 2021

Full Professor level or above (or equivalent)

• ·      Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·      Supports a synergistic, multidisciplinary research program of at least four distinct but complementary projects addressing an overarching goal.
• ·      Projects should work together to answer critical questions, resolve differing hypotheses, and translate laboratory findings to clinical applications.
• ·      Projects may range from exploratory/hypothesis-developing through small-scale clinical trials that together will address the overarching goal/question.
• ·      Research team of highly qualified, multidisciplinary project leaders should be led by a PI with demonstrated success in directing large, focused projects.

 

• ·      Maximum of $7.2 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Investigator-Initiated Research Award – Preproposal due by April 28, 2021

Assistant Professor level or above (or equivalent)

• ·      Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·      Supports research that will make an original and important contribution to the field of research or patient care in the topic area(s) of interest.
• ·      Partnering PI Option available.
• ·      Clinical trials will not be funded.
• ·      Maximum of $1.6 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• ·      Maximum of $2 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for applications including a Partnering PI Option
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Technology/ Therapeutic Development Award – Preproposal due by April 28, 2021

Assistant Professor level or above (or equivalent)

• ·      Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·      Supports the translation of promising preclinical findings into clinical applications for prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, or quality of life.
• ·      Product-oriented (e.g., device, drug, clinical guidelines). The product(s) to be developed may be a tangible item such as a pharmacologic agent (drugs or biologics) or device, or a knowledge-based product.
• ·      New for FY21: Two funding levels available, depending on the maturity of the product. The following are general descriptions, although not all-inclusive, of the scope of research projects that would be appropriate to propose under each funding level:
• ○        Funding Level 1: Supports research that is supported by significant preliminary data but has not advanced to the level of clinical translation.
• ○        Funding Level 2: Supports research that is in the final states of preclinical development with potential for near-term clinical development. Applications must provide relevant data that support the rationale for the proposed study. Funding Level 2 recipients must submit or obtain an IND/IDE application to the FDA, or must transition the product to clinical practice, within the period of performance.
• ·      Clinical trials will not be funded.

Funding Level 1:

• ·      Maximum of $2 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Funding Level 2:

• ·      Maximum of $4 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• ·      Maximum period of performance is 4 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 and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

 

 

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

 

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk
 301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org

The FY21 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Gulf War Illness Research Program (GWIRP) to support research addressing Gulf War Illness treatment, diagnosis and pathobiology underlying symptoms of disease.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency 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) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

 

The FY21 GWIRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.   

 

Applications submitted to the FY21 GWIRP must address one or more of the following overarching challenges:

 

• Treatments:  Eliminate the health consequences associated with Gulf War Illness (GWI) and/or revolutionize treatment
• Diagnosis:  Better define and diagnose GWI
• Subtyping:  Distinguish subtypes to better target treatments; or monitor therapy; or identify severity of GWI; or why GWI is worse for some Veterans than for others
• Determinants:  Identify and validate determinants of GWI, latency, and impacts on organs and systems
• Consequences:  Determine whether GWI alters risk for developing neurological conditions, cancers, or other serious conditions; or whether GWI alters outcomes of other infections/diseases
• Communicate & Educate:  Help Veterans, their caregivers, and clinicians communicate effectively about GWI, its symptoms, and potential treatments

https://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/gwirp

 

Idea Award – Preproposal due May 7, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

·      Supports high-risk/high-reward research in the earliest stages of development that will contribute to markers or treatments for Gulf War illness (GWI).

·      Emphasis is on impact and innovation; applications must articulate how results will lead to a clinical impact for Veterans with GWI, even if a clinical impact is not an immediate outcome.

·      Preliminary data are not required.

·      Clinical trials are not allowed.

·      Submission of a pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

·      Biorepository Contribution Options:

·      Supports additional costs associated with submission of samples and data to the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network

·      Applicants must submit a Biorepository Contribution Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resources Network.

·      Application to this option is not a requirement for Idea Award submission.

·      Maximum funding of $200,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum funding of $220,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs).

·      Maximum period of performance is 2 years

 

Research Advancement Award – Preproposal due May 7, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

• Supports applied research in GWI aimed at continued expansion and validation of markers and treatments that are supported evidence in the GWI field. 
• Preliminary data in the field of GWI and other supporting information is required.
• Applications must articulate how results will lead to a clinical impact for Veterans with GWI, even if a clinical impact is not an immediate outcome.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• Submission of a pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

·      Biorepository Contribution Option:

·      Supports additional costs associated with submission of samples and data to the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.

·      Applicants must submit a Biorepository Contributions Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network

·      Application to this option is not a requirement for Research Advancement Award submission.

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

·      Maximum funding of $620,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum period of performance is 3 years

 

Clinical Evaluation Award – Preproposal due May 7, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

• Supports translation of validated GWI research, including qualified and replicated preclinical findings, to a Gulf War Veteran population.
• Statistically powered biomarker trials with the potential to validate use of biomarkers as clinical endpoints or proof-of-concept intervention trials (e.g., pilot, first in human, Phase I-IIa) are encouraged under this funding opportunity.
• Preliminary data are required.
• Funding for this award mechanism must support research in a Gulf War Veteran population.  Proof of availability and access to necessary cohort(s) and/or critical regents must be provided.
• Submission of a pre-application is required application submission is by invitation only.
• Biorepository Contribution Option:
• Supports additional costs associated with submission of samples and data to the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.
• Applicants must submit a Biorepository Contribution Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.
• Application to this option is not a requirement for Clinical Evaluation Award submission.
• Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option:
• Supports additional costs associated with collaboration with the GWIRP-support Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC).
• Applicants must submit a Clinical Consortium Collaboration Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and clearly articulating the qualifications of the research team and institutions to participate as a new Clinical Research Site in the Consortium.
• Application to this option is not a requirement for Clinical Evaluation Award submission.
• Pre-application is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
• Maximum funding of $1,500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum funding of $1,520,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs).

·     Maximum funding of $1,700,000 for direct costs with the Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum period of performance is 3 years

 

Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award – Preproposal due May 7, 2021

Independent investigators at all academic levels

• Supports large-scale, pivotal (Phase IIb or III) trials that revolutionize the clinical management of GWI.
• Proposed research should lead to an approach that is fundamentally better than interventions already approved or in clinical development.
• Objective biomarkers to measure the biological effect of an investigational therapeutic or predictive/cohort-selective biomarkers that indicate whether a specific therapy will be effective in an individual Gulf War Veteran or Gulf War Veteran subgroup must be included in the trial design.
• Investigators must have experience in successfully leading large-scale projects and demonstrated the ability to implement a clinical project successfully.
• Funding must be used to support a clinical trial.
• Proposal submission is required: application submission is by invitation only.
• Biorepository Contribution Option:
• Supports additional costs associated with submission of samples and data to the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network
• Applicants must submit a Biorepository Contribution Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.
• Application to this option is not a requirement for Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award submission.
• Clinical Consortium Collaborative Option:
• Supports additional costs associated with collaboration with the GWIRP-supported Gulf War Illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortium (GWICTIC).
• Applicants must submit a Clinical Consortium Collaborative Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and clearly articulates the qualifications of the research team and institution to participate as a new Clinical Research Site in the Consortium.
• Application to this option is not a requirement for Therapeutic/Biomarker Trial Award submission.

·     Maximum funding of $5,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·     Maximum funding of $5,020,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs).

·     Maximum funding of $5,500,000 for direct costs with the Clinical Consortium Collaboration Option (plus indirect costs).

·      Maximum period of performance is 3 years

 

New Investigator Award – Preproposal due May 7, 2021

PIs may apply under one of the following three eligibility categories:

 

Transitioning Postdoctoral Fellow:  Senior postdoctoral fellows with at least 3 years of postdoctoral training

Early-Career Investigator:  Independent investigators within 5 years of last training position

New GWI Researcher:  Established independent investigators who have received less than $300,000 in federally funded, non-mentored GWI research

• Encourages applications from early-stage and established investigators new to the field of GWI research.
• Previous experience in GWI research is not required; however, collaborations with experienced GWI researchers is strongly encouraged.
• Preliminary data are not required.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• Biorepository Contribution Option:
• Supports additional costs associated with submission of samples and data to the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.
• Applicants must submit a Biorepository Contribution Statement providing a detailed accounting of proposed costs and a commitment to work with the GWIRP-supported Biorepository Resource Network.
• Application to this option is not a requirement for New Investigator Award submission.

·     Maximum funding of $500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·     Maximum funding of $520,000 for direct costs with the Biorepository Contribution Option (plus indirect costs)

·     The 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 and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

 

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

 

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk
301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org

The March 2021 issue of DIA Global Forum includes an article about us! 

Click here for the full article

In this special presentation, USVets.TV interviews Rick Starrs, CEO of the National Association of Veterans Research and Education Foundations (NAVREF), on some of the important work that NAVREF does and the breakthroughs in Veterans medical research NAVREF has facilitated.

Click here to watch the full interview: http://www.usvets.tv/Featured-Content/US-Vets-Featured-Videos/VideoId/4355/usvetstv-interviews-rick-starrs-ceo-of-the-national-association-of-veterans-research-and-education-foundations-navref

Former Marine Infantryman and Scout Sniper Tristan Wimmer and fellow Veterans are BASE Jumping to remove the stigma of mental health and bring awareness to the staggering number of suicides among veterans and others who suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBI). He’s pledged to jump 22 times in a day to raise $22K for research that will help make brain trauma more detectable and treatable.

Our country’s heroes are increasingly taking their own lives after they return from war. Tristan’s own brother, Kiernan – a former Raider and recon Marine with TBI sustained in Iraq – struggled with injury-related depression and anxiety for a decade before he succumbed to suicide.

Through the 22 Jumps event, Tristan brings new hope to this epidemic by partnering with Cohen Veterans Bioscience CVB) to raise money for TBI research that will bring new and effective solutions and ensure that no more of our nation's Veterans and service members continue to suffer in silence. CVB is also supporting advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the lives of people suffering from TBI. Donations from this event will support the Brain Trauma Blueprint, a collaborative roadmap to accelerate the development of a new generation of diagnostics and therapeutics for TBI.

Please visit Cohen's website for more information or to contribute to this worthy cause. You can also visit www.22jumps.org to learn more details about the project. 

Released: January 22, 2021

CDMRP Research Funding for 2021

The Fiscal Year 2021 Department of Defense Appropriations Act provides research funding for the following peer reviewed programs managed by the Department of Defense office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP):

• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorders Research Program - $4.0 million
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program - $40.0 million
• Autism Research Program - $15.0 million
• Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research Program - $7.5 million
• Breast Cancer Research Program - $150.0 million
• Chronic Pain Management Research Program - $15.0 million
• Combat Readiness Medical Research Program - $10.0 million
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program - $10.0 million
• Epilepsy Research Program - $12.0 million
• Gulf War Illness Research Program - $22.0 million
• Hearing Restoration Research Program – $10.0 million
• Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program - $40.0 million
• Kidney Cancer Research Program - $50.0 million
• Lung Cancer Research Program – $20.0 million
• Lupus Research Program - $10.0 million
• Melanoma Research Program - $30.0 million
• Military Burn Research Program - $10.0 million
• Multiple Sclerosis Research Program - $20.0 million
• Neurofibromatosis Research Program - $20.0 million
• Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson’s Research Program - $16.0 million
• Orthotics and Prosthetics Outcomes Research Program - $15.0 million
• Ovarian Cancer Research Program - $35.0 million
• Pancreatic Cancer Research Program - $15.0 million  
• Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program – $15.0 million
• Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (20 Topics) - $115.0 million
• Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (42 Topics) - $370.0 million
• Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program - $30.0 million
• Prostate Cancer Research Program - $110 million
• Rare Cancers Research Program - $17.5 million  
• Reconstructive Transplant Research Program - $12.0 million
• Scleroderma Research Program - $5.0 million 
• Spinal Cord Injury Research Program - $40.0 million
• Tick-Borne Disease Research Program - $7.0 million
• Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program - $175.0 million
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program - $8.0 million
• Vision Research Program - $20.0 million

Pre-announcements and comprehensive Program Announcements will be forthcoming. The pre-announcements will provide a general overview of the anticipated funding mechanisms. The Program Announcements will include detailed descriptions of funding mechanisms, evaluation criteria, submission requirements, and deadlines. Each Program Announcement may be downloaded from CDMRP https://cdmrp.army.mil, Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov, or eBRAP https://eBRAP.org upon its release. For email notification when pre-announcements and Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage.

For more information about the CDMRP, our research programs, previous awardees, as well as research highlights please visit the website at https://cdmrp.army.mil.

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-7783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil

Greetings and Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had the chance to relax and spend some quality time with loved ones.  Let’s get energized for a productive and prosperous 2021!  Here are 6 items of interest to start the new year:

1. NPPO Annual Report to Congress.  The newest version has been added to the VA Annual Report section of the website.
2. SCRS White Paper.  Attached is the most recent white paper from SCRS, “Patient Centricity and Virtualizing Technologies in a COVID-19 World”.

1. NIH GPS Reminder.  Remember that the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which serves as the terms and conditions of all NIH awards, requires each institution to make its FCOI policy publicly available on a pubic website.  See NIH GPS Section 4.1.10 for more information.

1. Legislative Update.

•                                                                i.      Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): Several changes to the PPP program were included, such as allowing qualifying entities to be eligible for a second loan (called “PPP Second Draw”) of up to $2 million. To be eligible, qualifying entities must:

·        Employ no more than 300 workers;

·        Have used or will use the full amount of their first PPP loan; and

·        Demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts during the same quarter in 2020 versus 2019.

·        Organizations primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including public policy advocacy organizations and think tanks, are ineligible for the loan.

The bill also simplifies the loan forgiveness process for loans of $150,000 or less. 

•                                                              ii.      Changes to the Charitable Contribution Deduction:

• Extends until 2021 the above-the-line temporary charitable deduction that was included in the CARES Act. Non-itemizer individuals in tax year 2021 can deduct $300 for cash contributions to qualifying public charities, and non-itemizer couples filing jointly qualify for $600. Donations to donor advised funds and supporting organizations are not eligible for this deduction.
• Extends for one year the increased limit from the CARES Act on deductible charitable contributions for corporations and taxpayers who itemize. The limits for 2021 will be 100 percent of AGI for individuals and 25 percent of taxable income for corporations.

•                                                            iii.      Paid Sick Leave: Extends the refundable payroll tax credits for paid sick and family leave that were established in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, through March 31, 2021.
•                                                             iv.      Changes to the Charitable Contribution Deduction:

• Extends until 2021 the above-the-line temporary charitable deduction that was included in the CARES Act. Non-itemizer individuals in tax year 2021 can deduct $300 for cash contributions to qualifying public charities, and non-itemizer couples filing jointly qualify for $600. Donations to donor advised funds and supporting organizations are not eligible for this deduction.
• Extends for one year the increased limit from the CARES Act on deductible charitable contributions for corporations and taxpayers who itemize. The limits for 2021 will be 100 percent of AGI for individuals and 25 percent of taxable income for corporations.

1. Calendar Highlights

JAN 7               Non-Profit Oversight Board (NPOB) Quarterly Meeting

JAN 13             NAVREF Webinar:  “Adapt, Survive, and Thrive: How the Clinical Research Workforce Rebuilds” presented by Medix Staffing Solutions

JAN 19             SCRS Webinar: “Engaging Physicians in a Healthcare Setting to Increase Research Activity”  Register Here

(Washington, D.C.) - The Board of Directors of the National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations announces the appointments of Genet D’Arcy, M.D. and Rebecca Rosales, MBA, to the NAVREF Board as Directors.  Dr. D’Arcy serves as the Associate Chief of Staff for Education at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Denver, CO.  Ms. Rosales serves as the Executive Director of the Northern California Institute for Research and Education affiliated with the San Francisco VA Health Care System in San Francisco, CA. 

“We are thrilled to have these stellar leaders join our board,” said Board Chair Ron Hakes.  “Their experience, expertise, and passion for supporting veterans will be tremendous assets to the board and the 75 VA-affiliated nonprofit research and education foundations that comprise our membership.” 

Dr. D’Arcy earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado College and her medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  She began working at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Neurologist in 1992.  Ms. Rosales earned her Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s College of California.  She is a Certified Research Administrator and has been a member of the Society of Research Administrators International since 2004.  Ms. Rosales joined NCIRE in 2017. 

The Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) Defense Appropriations Bill has not been signed into law.  Although FY21 funds have not been appropriated for the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP), the OCRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY21 funding opportunities. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government.

The FY21 Defense Appropriations Act is anticipated to provide funding to the Department of Defense OCRP to support patient-centered research to prevent, detect, treat, and cure ovarian cancer to enhance the health and well-being of Service members, Veterans, retirees, their family members, and all women impacted by this disease.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency 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) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

Subject to the FY21 Congressional appropriation for OCRP funding, FY21 OCRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms will be posted on the Grants.gov website.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. 

https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2021/21ocrppreann

Investigator-Initiated Research Award

Must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).

Partnering PI Option: 
Up to two investigators may collaborate on a single application, each of whom will be recognized as a Principal Investigator (PI) and receive a separate award. 

·      Supports meritorious basic and clinically oriented research in ovarian cancer.

·      Impact is an important review criterion.

·      Preliminary data are required.

·      Clinical trials are not allowed. 

Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

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

• Maximum funding of $800,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option.
• Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Ovarian Cancer Academy Award – Early-Career Investigator

NEW!  Must be within 5 years of their last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.) or clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent as of the full application submission deadline.  A letter attesting to eligibility is required.

·      Supports the addition of new Early-Career Investigators (ECIs) to the unique, interactive virtual academy that provides intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for junior faculty.

·      ECIs whose ability to commit to conducting ovarian cancer research is limited by lack of resources or other overwhelming obstacles are encouraged to apply.

·      A Designated Mentor who is an experienced ovarian cancer researcher with ovarian cancer funding is required.

·      A Designated Mentor may only mentor one ECI.

·      The Designated Mentor is not required to be at the same institution as the ECI.

·      Preliminary data are required.

·      Clinical trials are allowed.

·      Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

·      Maximum funding of $725,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

·      Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Pilot Award

Investigators at or above the postdoctoral level (or equivalent).

·      Supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will drive the field of ovarian cancer research forward.

·      Innovation and Impact are important review criteria.

·      Goal is to develop preliminary data; thus, preliminary data are not required, but are allowed.

·      Clinical trials are not allowed.

·      Pre-application is required and blinded; application submission is by invitation only.

·      Maximum funding of $250,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

·      Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Clinical Translational Research Award

Must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).

·      Supports translational research addressing high-impact or unmet needs in ovarian cancer.

·      Supports research projects related to or associated with planned, ongoing, or completed clinical trials supported by other funding sources. 

·      Emphasis on the utilization of precision medicine and computational approaches that identify individual tumor characteristics and predictive biomarkers across diverse groups to optimize patient care and outcomes.

·      Preliminary data are required.

·      Clinical trials are not allowed.

·      Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• Maximum funding of $450,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Teal Expansion Award

Investigators of the following awards:

• OCRP FY14-FY17 Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early Career Investigator Award
• OCRP FY15-FY17 Investigator-Initiated Research Award
• OCRP FY15-FY18 Pilot Award

·      Supports the expansion of the initial research idea or the generation of a new idea based on the original research project.

·      Impact is an important review criterion.

·      Preliminary data are required.

·      Outcomes Statement is required.

·      Clinical trials are allowed.

·      Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• Maximum funding of $450,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Proteogenomics Research Award

Must be at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow or clinical fellow (or equivalent).

·      Supports the genomic and/or transcriptomic and/or proteomic analysis of currently available clinical specimens with a focus on answering biologic and pathophysiologic questions of clinical relevance in ovarian cancer.

·      Innovation and impact are important review criteria.

·      Analysis of clinical trial-derived specimens and/or large patient specimen cohorts is encouraged.

·      Clinical trials are not allowed.

·      Preliminary data are not required but are allowed.

·      Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.

• Maximum funding of $250,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Omics Consortium Award

Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).

·      Supports a multi-institutional research effort conducted by leading cancer researchers and advocates that focuses on the compilation of new and/or use of existing large datasets to study the origin of ovarian cancer, with an emphasis on early detection and screening.

Two options are available:

Omics Development Award Option:

·      Funds support assembling consortium members and laying the groundwork for the research project, including proof of concept.

·      Ovarian cancer advocate(s) are required on the research team.

·      Funded applicants will be eligible to compete for the consortium award, which will support the execution of the full research project and is anticipated to be offered in FY23, pending availability of funds.

Omics Consortium Award Option:

·      The research effort will provide immediate benefits for ovarian cancer patients in initial diagnosis and therapy and the end result will lead to improvements in early detection and screening detection of ovarian cancer. 

·      Consortium should maximize the use of resources and minimize unnecessary duplication among consortium members by sharing resources among all consortium members.

·      Ovarian cancer advocate(s) are required on the research team.

·      Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.

Omics Development Award Option:

• Maximum funding of $400,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Omics Consortium Award Option:

• Maximum funding of $2.5 million for direct costs (plus indirect costs) from FY21 and future appropriations.
• Maximum period of performance is 4 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 USAMRDC 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 OCRP 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