DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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NEWS RELEASE

Released: June 2, 2009

Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program
Funding for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09)

The Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) Defense Appropriations Act provides $5 million to the Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) to promote innovative research focused on multiple sclerosis. The MSRP challenges the scientific community to design innovative and integrated research that will enhance knowledge relevant to understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of, and to quantifying and treating, MS. The vision of the MSRP is to prevent the occurrence, reverse or slow the progression and disability, and lessen the impact of MS. This program is administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The FY09 MSRP award mechanisms are listed in the table below. Mechanism-specific Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities, including the intent of the award mechanism, eligibility, and submission deadlines, and Application Instructions and General Information are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov and CDMRP websites (https://www.grants.gov and https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL, respectively) in June 2009.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Metric Development and Validation Award Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Supports the development of readily accessible, cost-effective, validated analytical methods to quantify the disease, monitor disease progress, and evaluate the efficacy of new disease therapies
  • Preliminary data relevant to MS and the proposed project is encouraged but not required
  • Clinical trials will not be supported
  • Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only
  • Maximum funding of $100,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance not to exceed 1 year
  • Anticipate 9 awards
Synergistic Idea Award Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Supports new innovative ideas and new scientific collaborations
  • Collaborative partnerships must involve at least two and up to a maximum of four PIs from different research disciplines
  • PIs of the collaborative partnership jointly design a single project
  • Preliminary data relevant to MS and the proposed project is encouraged but not required
  • Clinical trials will not be supported
  • Preproposal submission is required; application submission is by invitation only
  • Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance not to exceed 2 years
  • Anticipate 5 awards

Information in this press release regarding the Metric Development and Validation and Synergistic Idea Award mechanisms is being provided to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. All applications submitted must conform to the requirements specified in the Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities, which will be posted on Grants.gov at a later date. The number of awards anticipated is based on available funds, average cost of applications, and quality of applications received. The MSRP reserves the right to make awards in greater or lesser numbers than anticipated. Each Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions, which detail the pre-application and application submission requirements and process, along with the required forms for application submission, will be available electronically for downloading from the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov) upon release. Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities and Application Instructions will also be available on the CDMRP website (https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL). Pre-application and application submission deadlines will be listed in the Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity. Each award mechanism will require submission of a pre-application (a Preproposal) through the CDMRP eReceipt website, https://cdmrp.org. Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov.

Requests for email notification of the Program Announcements release may be sent to help@cdmrp.org. For more information about the MSRP or other CDMRP-sponsored programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL).

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