DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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NEWS RELEASE

Released: January 7, 2010

Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program
Funding for Fiscal Year 2010

The Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) Defense Appropriations Act provides $13.75 million to the Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) to find and fund the best research to eradicate the clinical impact of neurofibromatosis (NF) and Schwannomatosis. This program is administered by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The FY10 NFRP encourages proposals that specifically address critical needs of the NF community in the following areas:

  • Complications of neurofibromatosis with high mortality such as neoplasms and cerebrovascular abnormalities;
  • Complications of neurofibromatosis with high morbidity such as skeletal maladies, learning deficits, hormone-associated effects, and pain;
  • Refinement and standardization of imaging techniques, molecular and cellular markers, and quality of life metrics for use in future clinical trials
  • Translational research such as the development or preclinical testing of therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurofibromatosis.

FY10 NFRP Program Announcements for proposals in the following mechanisms are anticipated to be posted and available on Grants.gov in January and February 2010.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Clinical Trial Award All levels of experience
  • Fund Phase 0, I, or II clinical trials relevant to NF and/or Schwannomatosis; combinations of phases are permitted
  • Preclinical data required for all clinical trial proposals
  • Phase I or pilot clinical trial data required for Phase II clinical trial proposals
  • Maximum funding of $900,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance should not exceed 4 years
  • Anticipate 2 awards
Exploration -Hypothesis Development Award All levels of experience
  • Fund the initial exploration of innovative, untested research and pursue serendipitous observations
  • Projects involving human subjects or human biological substances must be exempt under 32 CFR 219.101(b)(4)
  • Preliminary data is encouraged but not required
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Maximum funding of $100,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance should not exceed 2 years
  • Anticipate 5 awards
Investigator-Initiated Research Award PI: Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

Optional Qualified Collaborator: Must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Fund basic and clinically oriented research relevant to NF and/or Schwannomatosis
  • Optional Qualified Collaborator: Collaborations that meet the criteria outlined in the program announcement will be qualified for a higher level of funding
  • Preliminary data required
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Maximum funding of $525,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Maximum funding of $675,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs) for proposals including a optional qualified collaborator
  • Period of performance should not exceed 3 years
  • Anticipate 3 awards
Investigator-Initiated Research Award - Focused Research PI: Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

Optional Qualified Collaborator: Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Fund basic and clinically oriented research relevant to NF and/or Schwannomatosis
  • Proposal must address the one or more of the following research focus areas: pain, wound repair, nerve regeneration, stress and inflammation, cognitive dysfunction and health-related quality of life, and/or neurofibromin protein
  • Optional Qualified Collaborator: Collaborations that meet the criteria outlined in the program announcement will be qualified for a higher level of funding
  • Preliminary data required
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Maximum funding of $525,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Maximum funding of $675,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs) for proposals including a optional qualified collaborator
  • Period of performance should not exceed 3 years
  • Anticipate 3 awards
New Investigator Award Must be an independent investigator at or below the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) with less than $300,000 direct costs in previous NF-related federal funding
  • Fund investigators in the early stages of their careers
  • Experience in NF research is allowed, but not required
  • Optional Qualified Collaborator: Collaborations that meet the criteria outlined in the program announcement will be qualified for a higher level of funding
  • Preliminary data required
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance should not exceed 3 years
  • Anticipate 3 awards
Postdoctoral Traineeship Postdoctoral Ph.D. PIs:
  • Must have successfully defended a doctoral thesis by September 1, 2010; and
  • Must not have been in the setting of the proposed research for more than 3 years; and
  • Must have 5 years or less of postdoctoral research experience.
Posdoctoral M.D. PIs:
  • Must have an M.D.; and
  • Must be able to devote at least 40% effort, and
  • By August 1, 2010 must be:
    • Enrolled in an accredited intern training program; or
    • Enrolled in an accredited residency or fellowship training program with at least 2 years of training remaining; or
    • Within 3 years of last formal training
  • Enable recent medical or other doctoral degree graduates to obtain the necessary experience to pursue an independent career in NF research
  • Funds can cover salary, travel, and tuition, but not research
  • Maximum funding of $100,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance should not exceed 2 years
  • Anticipate 4 awards

The government reserves the right to make changes to the award mechanisms offered and the mechanism elements if necessary. The number of awards anticipated is based on available funds, average cost of proposals, and quality of proposals received. The NFRP reserves the right to make awards in greater or lesser numbers than anticipated. All applications must conform to the final Program Announcements and 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 USAMRMC funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

A pre-application is required for all award mechanisms and must be submitted through the CDMRP eReceipt website (http://cdmrp.org) prior to application submission. Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov.

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

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