The FY20 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) to support research of exceptional scientific merit in the area of kidney cancer.  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 KCRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY20 funding opportunity.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government.  The FY20 KCRP 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. 

Applications submitted to the FY20 KCRP Idea Development Award mechanism are encouraged to address one or more of the following Areas of Emphasis:

·        Treatments/Survivorship

·        Basic/Translational Science

·        Diagnostics/Prognostics/Biomarkers/Surveillance

·        Population-Based Studies

https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2020/20kcrppreann

Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Investigator Award

Within 3 years of last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.) or clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent, as of full application submission deadline

Letter attesting to eligibility required

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

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

·      Requires Designated Mentor who is an experienced kidney cancer researcher with kidney cancer funding

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

·      Preliminary data required

·      Clinical trials allowed

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

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

·     Maximum period of performance 4 years

Clinical Consortium Award – Clinical Trial Site

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

·      Supports expansion of a consortium that will facilitate rapid execution of collaborative Phase II or Phase I/II clinical trials to bring to market high-impact, novel therapeutic interventions that will ultimately and significantly decrease impact of kidney cancer

·      Funds may not be used for research or development of clinical protocols

·      Trials that incorporate investigations of biomarkers for risk assessment, early detection, prediction of aggressiveness, and/or progression of prostate cancer encouraged

·      Up to two (2) Clinical Trial Sites will be selected and be jointly responsible for proposing, selecting, and conducting trials within the existing Kidney Cancer Research Consortium

·      Sites must provide plans for accruing patients from populations disproportionately affected by kidney cancer

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

Clinical Trial Sites:

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

·      Maximum period of performance 3 years

Clinical Trial Nurse Training Award New for FY20

As of full application submission deadline, Principal Investigators must possess an RN, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in nursing

·      Prepares nurses for active careers in collaborative clinical kidney cancer research and patient care

·      Requires participation of a mentor with extensive experience in kidney cancer clinical research

·      Emphasis placed on structured, interdisciplinary clinical research training environment

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

·     Maximum funding of $300,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·     Maximum period of performance 2 years

Concept Award

Investigators at all academic levels

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

·      Emphasis on innovation

·      Funding for clinical trials not allowed

·      Preliminary data not allowed

·      Blinded review

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

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

·     Maximum period of performance 1 year

Idea Development Award  Modified for FY20

Established Investigators: 

Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and 10 years or more from a terminal degree

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

·      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 required

·      Innovation and Impact are the most important review criteria

·      Funding for clinical trials not allowed

·      FY20 KCRP Areas of Emphasis strongly encouraged (see Areas of Emphasis listed above)

·      Different funding options, based on the scope of research.  It is the responsibility of the PI to select the funding option that is most appropriate for the research proposed. 

·      Early Detection Option:  Supports basic or preclinical research that focuses on biomarkers, improved imaging capabilities, and/or new technologies that may foster new paradigms for the early detection of kidney cancer.  With justification, applications under the early detection option may request a higher level of funding within the defined period of performance.  Such studies may require additional resources due to the participation of human subjects and/or use of human biospecimens.

·      Epidemiology Option:  Supports preclinical research that is already supported by substantial preliminary or published data and strongly validates clinical translation in a well-defined context within the kidney cancer field.  With compelling justification, epidemiology option studies may request higher levels of funding within the defined period of performance.  Such studies may require additional resources due to the participation of human subjects and/or use of human biospecimens

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

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

·      Maximum period of performance 3 years

Early Detection Option:

·      Maximum funding of $650,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum period of performance 3 years

Epidemiology Option:

·      Maximum funding of $2 million in direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum period of performance 3 years

Postdoctoral and Clinical Fellow Award New for FY20

As of full application submission deadline, Principal Investigators:

• Must possess a doctoral and/or medical degree (or equivalent).
• Have 3 years or less of postdoctoral and/or mentored clinical research training experience (excluding family medical leave)
• All other academic ranks are ineligible.

·      Supports research opportunities focused on kidney cancer for individual in the early stages of their careers

·      Requires participation of a designated mentor who is an experienced kidney cancer researcher

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

·      Maximum funding of $195,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·      Maximum period of performance 3 years

Translational Research Partnership Award

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

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

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

·      Maximum period of performance 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 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 KCRP 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

The FY20 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP) to support promising, necessary research for treatment of burdensome and very prevalent auditory system injury.  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 HRRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY20 funding opportunity.  This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government.  The FY20 HRRP Program Announcement and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanism will be posted on the Grants.gov website.  Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcement are released. 

Applications submitted to the FY20 HRRP must address one or more of the following Focus Areas:

• Accelerate translation of biological regeneration/repair mechanisms into therapies that treat auditory system injury and restore auditory function.  For example, but not limited to:

• o   Hair cell regeneration/repair/recovery
• o   Neural regeneration/repair/recovery
• o   Treatment for synaptopathy and hidden hearing loss

• Diagnostic tests that help differentiate sensory, neural, synaptic, and central processing disorders, that may inform applicability and outcomes for current or future hearing restoration therapeutics.
• Develop reliable in-vitro human models to facilitate the understanding, derivation and characterization of human auditory cells, and/or to facilitate the evaluation of hearing restoration therapies.
• Develop and/or validate techniques/methods beyond the audiogram to diagnose acute auditory system injury in austere or remote environments.  For example, but not limited to, simple and rapid assessments that are compatible with portable platforms.

• https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2020/20hrrppreann
• Focused Research Award
• Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) are eligible to submit applications.

• Preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• Funding Level 1 supports exploratory, high-risk/high-reward research in the earliest stages of development.
• Research must have the potential to yield new avenues of investigation, such as new approaches, new research tools, or new paradigms.
• While preliminary data is not required, applicants must provide solid rationale of the research idea. 
• The investigating team must have sufficient expertise to test the idea.
• Funding Level 2 supports the advancement of more mature research that has the potential to make significant advancements toward clinical translation.
• Preliminary data supporting the readiness and feasibility of the proposed research is required.
• May include, as a portion of the proposed research, a pilot clinical trial component that collects preliminary data to inform the feasibility, rationale, and design of subsequent clinical trials. 
• The PI is responsible for selecting the funding level most appropriate for the research proposed.  The funding level should be selected based on the scope of the research project, rather than the amount of the budget.
• Tinnitus or vestibular-related research is excluded.

Funding Level 1:

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

·        The maximum period of performance is 2 years.

Funding Level 2:

·        Maximum funding of $1M for direct costs (plus indirect costs)

·        The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Funding Level 2 with Pilot Clinical Trial Option:

·        Maximum funding of $1.25M for direct costs (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 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 HRRP 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

The FY20 Defense Appropriation Act provides $10 million to the Department of Defense Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) to support a research portfolio in the treatment of burns and the trauma associated with burn injuries sustained during combat or combat-related activities. Outcomes of successful research are anticipated to benefit Service members, Veterans, and the general public.  The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY20 MBRP Program Announcement and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanism are posted on the Grants.gov website.

The MBRP encourages applications that propose research that advances the development or refinement of interventions, technologies, or knowledge projects that will enable non-medical personnel or medical first responders to provide appropriate burn care closer to the point of injury to enhance the potential for better long-term outcomes. Applications submitted to the FY20 MBRP must address at least one of the following Focus Areas:   

• Burn care solutions for use by non-medical first responders in a Prolonged Field Care (PFC) scenario.
• Burn care solutions for use by the medical first responder in the pre-hospital setting (not necessarily in a PFC scenario).

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

Clinical Translational Research Award – Preproposal due May 15, 2020

Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)

• Supports clinical research projects that are likely to have a major impact on therapy by applying promising and well-founded laboratory, pre-clinical, or clinical research findings to the care of the burn-injured patient.
• The proposed study must include clinical research, and may include initial proof of concept trials, studies involving use of human anatomical substances, observational studies, and/or involve some retrospective data analysis.
• Large randomized clinical trials are discouraged.
• Preliminary data is required.
• Animal research is not allowed.
• Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• Maximum funding of $1.5 million (M) for total costs (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 Announcement and General Application Instructions available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for the 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 MBRP 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 FY20 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) to support innovative, high-impact lung cancer research.  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 FY20 LCRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

Applications submitted to the FY20 LCRP must address one or more of the following Areas of Emphasis:

*Identify innovative strategies for the screening and early detection of lung cancer.

*Understand the molecular mechanisms of initiation and progression to lung cancer.

*Identify innovative strategies for prevention of the occurrence of lung cancer.

*Identify innovative strategies for the treatment of lung cancer.

*Identify innovative strategies for the prevention of recurrence of or metastases from lung cancer.

*Develop or optimize prognostic or predictive markers to assist with therapeutic decision-making.

*Understand mechanisms of resistance to treatment (primary and secondary).

*Understand contributors to lung cancer development other than tobacco.

*Identify innovative strategies for lung cancer care delivery (disparities/clinical management/ surveillance/symptom management).

Relevance to Military Health: The LCRP seeks to support research that is relevant to the healthcare needs of military Service members, Veterans, and their families. Relevance to military health will be considered in determining relevance to the mission of the DHP and FY20 LCRP during programmatic review.   Investigators are strongly encouraged to consider the following characteristics as examples of how a project may demonstrate relevance to military health:

*Use of military or Veteran populations, biospecimens, data/databases, or programs in the proposed research

*Collaboration with Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigators

*Description of how the knowledge, information, products, or technologies gained from the proposed research could be implemented in a dual-use capacity to address a military need that also benefits the civilian population

*Explanation of how the project addresses an aspect of lung cancer that has direct relevance to military Service members, Veterans, or other military health system beneficiaries, including environmental exposures other than tobacco

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

Concept Award – Letter of Intent due May 27, 2020

Investigators at all academic levels

• Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in lung cancer.
• Emphasis on innovation.
• Clinical trials not allowed.
• Preliminary data discouraged.
• Relevance to military health strongly encouraged.
• Maximum funding of $100,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Period of performance should not exceed 1 year.

Idea Development Award – Preproposal due May 6, 2020

Established Investigators:  Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent); or

New Investigators:  Investigators that meet the following criteria by the application submission deadline date:

• Have not previously received a LCRP Idea Development Award or Early Investigator Synergistic Idea Award
• Are within 10 years of first faculty appointment (or equivalent)
• Supports new ideas in the early stages of development representing innovative, high-risk/high-gain research.
• Emphasis on innovation and impact.
• New Investigator category supports applicants early in their faculty appointments or in the process of developing independent research careers.
• Clinical trials not allowed.
• Preliminary data required.
• Relevance to military health strongly encouraged.
• Maximum funding of $350,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Period of performance should not exceed 2 years.

Investigator-Initiated Translational Research Award - Preproposal due May 6, 2020

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

*Supports translational research that will develop promising ideas in lung cancer into clinical applications.  Translational research may be defined as an integration of basic science and clinical observations.

• This mechanism is intended to fund a broad range of translational studies including, but not limited to, the following:
• Studies advancing/translating in vitro and/or animal studies to applications with human samples/cohorts
• Late-stage preclinical work leading to/preparing for a clinical trial, e.g., Investigational New Drug submission
• Correlative studies that are associated with an ongoing or completed clinical trial and projects that develop endpoints for clinical trials
• Preliminary data required.
• Relevance to military health strongly encouraged.
• Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Period of performance should not exceed 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 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 LCRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website.

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk

301-682-5507

help@eBrap.org

The Office of Research and Development (ORD) is pleased to announce a webinar scheduled for Thursday, March 19^th, from 2:30-4:00pm EST.  Details can be found below:

• Topic:  ORD Research Response to COVID-19

• Date: Thursday, March 19th, 2020 

• Time: 2:30 – 4:00pm EST

• Purpose:  The purpose of this training is to provide an update on VA’s Office of Research and Development organizational and research activities in response to COVID-19.  The presenters will discuss strategies for handling research-related activities in the context of COVID-19 in the VA.

• Presenters:
• • Rachel Ramoni, DMD, ScD – Chief Research and Development Officer (CRADO)
  • Wendy Tenhula, PhD – Deputy CRADO
  • Grant Huang, MPH, PhD – Deputy CRADO, Enterprise Optimization (Acting)
  • Molly Klote, MD – Director, Office of Research Protections, Policy and Education

• Target Audience:  Research committee members, research office staff, compliance officers, and Investigator and study team members.

• Webinar registration:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4368294131989473035

• Software Requirements:  Be sure you have Adobe Flash installed on your computer.  We suggest you log on using chrome.
• Recording:  This training will be recorded

Please distribute this announcement within your facility to others who may benefit from this training. 

 

You can find registration information for future ORPP&E training opportunities as well as recordings of past webinars on our cyberseminar webpage:   https://www.research.va.gov/programs/orppe/education/webinars/default.cfm

Handouts will be sent out the morning of the scheduled training.

 

Please email vhacoordregulatory@va.gov if you would like to be added to our training notification listserv.

The FY20 Defense Appropriation Act provides $3 million (M) to the Department of Defense Bone Marrow Failure Research Program (BMFRP) to provide support for research of exceptional scientific merit and innovation with high impact that focuses on BMF diseases. 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’s Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The FY20 BMFRP Program Announcement and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanism are posted on the Grants.gov website.

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

Idea Development Award – Preproposal due date May 11, 2020

Established Investigators: Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and 10 years or more from first faculty appointment (or equivalent) at the time of the application submission or

Early Career Investigators:
Independent investigators at the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and less than 10 years from his/her first faculty appointment (or equivalent) at the time of application submission deadline are eligible.

• Pre-application is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
• Supports innovative ideas and high-impact approaches based on scientifically sound evidence to move toward the vision to understand and cure bone marrow failure (BMF).
• Proposed research should have a high probability of revealing new avenues of investigation.
• Research project should include well-formulated, testable hypothesis and a well-developed and articulated research approach.
• Strong BMF research team.
• May include relevant preliminary data.
• Clinical trials will not be supported.

• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $325,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• The maximum period of performance is 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 Announcement and General Application Instructions that will be available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for the 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 BMFRP 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

NAVREF is seeking to hire a clinical trial facilitator to support the newly created Partnered Research Program at VA’s Office of Research and Development.  Please see the position description in our jobs section.  This will be a NAVREF position with a WOC appointment working for the manager of the Partnered Research Program (a VA position).  This will be a remote (virtual) position working 40-hours per week, Mon-Fri.  We’d like to hire and start as early as April 1, 2020.

We are seeking someone with good understanding and familiarity with VA NPCs, VA research, clinical trials, and project management.  Please share within your organization, with colleagues, and with other qualified individuals. 

All interested parties should submit a resume to Hawk Tran at htran@navref.org.  This announcement closes on March 20, 2020

As part of NAVREF’s mission to advance the success of the VA-affiliated research and education corporations, we host an annual conference and several workshops throughout the year. These meetings are essential opportunities to learn best practices, engage your peers, and build connections. However, we are also committed to the health and safety of our members, and we are always vigilant about monitoring the local conditions where these events are held.

COVID-19 is a developing situation and, like all of you, we are monitoring it closely. We are continuing to confidently plan for the NAVREF Annual Conference September 13-16, 2020 in Washington DC, the NPC Essentials Workshop April 16-17, 2020, in Denver, and a potential Grants Management Workshop in July 2020. We currently have no plans to postpone or cancel either of the scheduled events.

We remain in close contact with hotel representatives on sanitary, health, and other measures that should be in place at the facilities hosting these events. We continue to monitor guidelines from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other pertinent public health organizations as part of our collective responsibility to focus on the facts and to act with common sense and sound judgment.  As part of our balanced approach, we are also evaluating our options for virtual presentation should this option be needed.

Members are advised to check the NAVREF website. We will update it regularly as the situation evolves and make sure it contains links to reliable public health resources.

We look forward to seeing some of you in Denver and all of you later this year in DC!

Links Updated as of March 10, 2020: 

Colorado COVID-19 Information:   https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/environmental-health/news/coronavirus-info.html

CDC COVID-19 Information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

WHO COVID-19 Information: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

The FY20 Defense Appropriation provides $15 million (M) to the Department of Defense Autism Research Program (ARP) to provide support for research of exceptional scientific merit and innovation with high impact that focuses on autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  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’s 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).

FY20 ARP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website. 

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

 

Clinical Trial Award – preapplication due April 15, 2020

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

Early-Career Investigator Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option: Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) may collaborate on a single application with a young investigator (at the level of postdoctoral fellow up to early-career independent faculty) who meets the following criteria at the application submission deadline date:

• Must be in a current postdoctoral training position or have completed postdoctoral training by the application deadline
• Is no more than 7 years from the receipt of a terminal degree
• Has the freedom to commit at least 50% time to the project

Supports research with the potential to have a major impact on the treatment and/or management of ASD.

Applications in the following areas are strongly encouraged:

Preliminary data relevant to the proposed clinical trial are required.

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

Early-Career Investigator Partnering PI Option supports the development of young investigators pursuing or wishing to pursue a career in ASD clinical trial research.

The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $2,000,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).

Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Early-Career Investigator Partnering PI Option:

The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $2,300,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Clinical Translational Research Award – preapplication due April 15, 2020

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

• Supports early-phase, proof-of-principle translational studies with the potential to have a major impact on the treatment and/or management of ASD.
• Applications in the following areas are strongly encouraged:
• • Dissemination/implementation of clinically validated interventions
  • Behavioral, cognitive, and other non-pharmacological therapies for ASD core symptoms or to alleviate co-occurring conditions.
  • Pharmacological, genetic, and other biological treatments for ASD core symptoms or to alleviate co-occurring conditions.
  • Improve diagnosis and access to services across the life span
  • Interventions promoting success in key transitions to adulthood for individuals living with ASD
  • Healthcare provider-focused training or tools to improve healthcare delivery for individuals with ASD across the life span and the continuum of care (i.e., primary care, urgent/emergent care, and disaster relief)
  • Cultural, socioeconomic, and gender factors in diagnosis, treatment efficacy, delivery, and access to services
  • Understanding heterogeneity in treatment response
• Preliminary data relevant to the proposed project are required.
• Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $600,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

 

Idea Development Award – preapplication due April 15, 2020

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

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

• Supports the development of innovative, high-impact ideas that advance the understanding of ASD and ultimately lead to improved outcomes.
• Applications in the following areas are strongly encouraged:
• • Test of implementation strategies to increases use of evidence-based practices
  • Development of healthcare provider-focused training or tools to improve healthcare delivery for individuals with ASD across the life span and the continuum of care (i.e., primary care, urgent/emergent care, and disaster relief)
  • Assessment of novel therapeutics using valid preclinical models
  • Mechanisms of heterogeneous clinical expression of ASD
  • Environmental risk factors
  • Improve diagnosis across the life span
  • Factors promoting success in key transitions to independence for individuals living with ASD
  • Cultural and socioeconomic factors in treatment efficacy, delivery, and access to services
  • Mechanisms underlying sex differences in ASD diagnosis
  • Mechanisms underlying conditions co-occurring with ASD (e.g., sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, inflammation, aggression, depression, anxiety, attention deficit, seizures)
  • Factors impacting quality of life during geographic relocation, such as military permanent change of station
  • Long-term treatment outcomes from previous clinical trials for ASD core symptoms or to alleviate co-occurring conditions
• Preliminary data are required.
• Multiple PI Option: Up to two investigators may collaborate on a single application, each of whom will be recognized as a PI and receive a separate award.
• Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.

• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $550,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

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