Posted June 29, 2021

The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) featured CDMRP’s Vision Program Manager, Dr. Q. Tian Wang at its Defense Research Funding Opportunities webinar. The event drew more than 200 researchers who were interested in learning more about the VRP and available funding opportunities.

Dr. Wang discussed the VRP’s history, the two-tier review process, and the current Program Announcements.

The VRP’s FY21 Program Announcements include four funding mechanisms:

• Investigator Initiated Research Awards (IIRA)
• Translational Research Awards (TRA)
• Focused Translational Team Science Awards (FTTSA)
• And a new Clinical Trial Award (CTA).

Find specific information about VRP funding opportunities here: https://cdmrp.health.mil/funding/vrp.

In addition, Dr. Wang outlined the program’s research priorities. She noted that this year Congress provided $20 million for VRP. The program focuses on the need for better diagnostics, treatments and restoration therapies for the nation’s wounded warriors. .  She cited surveillance data showing more than 275,000 eye injury incidents in the U.S. armed services between 2000 and 2017.  In addition, through the third quarter of 2020, more than 430,000 U.S. Service members worldwide have sustained Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  TBI, in the absence of direct ocular trauma, can cause an array of visual dysfunction from light sensitivity to total blindness. 

View the entire webinar here:  https://www.eyeresearch.org/in-action/naevr-and-arvo-host-virtual-defense-research-funding-opportunities-webinar.

Read additional questions and answers from the event here: VRP FY21 Funding Opportunities Q&A

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