DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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NEWS RELEASE

Released: August 13, 2014

Defense Health Program
Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program
Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14)

The FY14 Defense Appropriations Act provides $12 million (M) to the Department of Defense's Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program (PRARP). The PRARP was initiated in 2011 to address the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as they pertain to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the PRARP is devoted to (1) understanding the association between TBI and AD; and (2) reducing the burden on caregivers and individuals affected by TBI-AD symptoms, especially in the military community. Support for these objectives is anticipated to be delivered by the research community through a combination of mechanistic and preclinical studies. This program is administered by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, through the Office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The PRARP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. FY14 Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in September 2014. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Convergence Science Research Award (CSRA) Independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • The intent of the FY14 CSRA is to support efforts to generate research resources and tools, or novel research efforts for professionals and practitioners in health sciences related to the PRARP's mission.
  • The research impact is intended to benefit the military community, while meeting a public purpose for the benefit of the civilian community.
  • Applications must address any of the CSRA Overarching Challenges and Focus Areas as described below.
  • Maximum funding of $500,000 plus indirect costs
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement
Quality of Life Research Award (QUAL) Independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • The intent of the research funded through the QUAL is to reduce the burden on caregivers and individuals affected by the common symptoms of both TBI and AD, especially in the military community.
  • Applications must address one or both of the QUAL Overarching Challenges and any of the Focus Areas as described below.
  • Maximum funding of $500,000 plus indirect costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.
Military Risk Factor Research Award (MRFA) Independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • The intent of the MRFA is to facilitate high-impact; systematic, population-based research investigating the association between TBI and the subsequent development of AD.
  • Applications should describe how the association of TBI and subsequent AD will be characterized. Applications should also describe how the proposed study will work with well-defined, already identified study cohorts.
  • Applications should carefully consider how their studies will characterize the cognitive and behavioral symptoms that result in functional impairments in the proposed cohort.
  • Studies that use combinations of measures (e.g., neuropsychological assessments, imaging, genomics, and cerebral spinal fluid) are encouraged.
  • Applications that develop interdisciplinary teams or consortia as part of the support plan for executing the research are encouraged.
  • Applications must address the MRFA Overarching Challenge and any of the Focus Areas as described below.
  • Maximum funding of $5,500,000 in total costs.
  • Period of performance not to exceed 4 years.
  • Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution's rate agreement.

Convergence Science Research Award (W81XWH-14-PRARP-CSRA) Overarching Challenges and Focus Areas:

This CSRA funding opportunity requires applications to address any of the following PRARP overarching challenges:

  • Paucity of Research Resources: The paucity of research resources to examine the interrelationship between TBI and subsequent AD for military veterans.
  • Paucity of Clinical Studies: The paucity of clinical studies to examine the interrelationship between TBI and subsequent AD for military veterans.
  • Diagnostic Technologies, Tests, Interventions or Devices: The need for technologies, tests, interventions, or devices with the potential to diagnose AD at its earliest stages.

In addition to addressing one or more of the specified Overarching Challenges, applications must also address at least one of the following FY14 PRARP Focus Areas in support of the specified Overarching Challenges. An application that proposes research outside of these Focus Areas is acceptable, as long as the applicant provides a strong rationale:

  1. Genomics/Proteomics/Bioinformatics: Studies or technologies (e.g., genetic, proteomic and epigenetic strategies) intended to characterize neurological change(s) associated with TBI and subsequent AD. In addition, relevant technologies or tests may be considered under this focus area.
  2. Pathology of Tau: Novel research and technologies dedicated to unraveling the basic pathological mechanisms of Tau associated with TBI and AD.
  3. New! Roles of non-neuronal cells in TBI/AD pathogenesis: Technologies, tests, studies, or devices that will examine the roles of astrocytes (or other non-neuronal cells) in AD neurodegeneration due to TBI.

Quality of Life Research Award (W81XWH-14-PRARP-QUAL) Overarching Challenges and Focus Areas:

This QUAL funding opportunity requires applications to address one of the following PRARP overarching challenges:

  • Quality of Life: The need for technologies, tests, interventions, epidemiological studies, or devices with the potential to benefit individuals suffering from common symptoms of TBI and AD.
  • Caregiver Burden: The need for technologies, tests, interventions, epidemiological studies, or devices with the potential to reduce caregiver burden for individuals affected by the common symptoms of TBI and AD.

In addition to addressing one or both of the specified Overarching Challenges, applications must also address at least one of the following FY14 PRARP Focus Areas in support of the specified Overarching Challenges. An application that proposes research outside of these Focus Areas is acceptable, as long as the applicant provides a strong rationale:

  • Care Interventions and Quality of Life: Research intended to stabilize or improve the quality of life of those affected by the common symptoms of TBI and AD. Examples of research in this focus area include:
    • Cognitive Training Interventions
    • Studies of Health and Wellness
    • Behavioral Interventions
    • Neuropsychological Interventions
  • Caregiver support: Research intended to reduce the burden of care on the caregiver for individuals affected by the common symptoms of TBI and AD. Examples of research in this focus area include:
    • Caregiver Training
    • Home-Based Support
    • Behavioral Interventions
    • Relationship Interventions

Military Risk Factors Research Award (W81XWH-14-PRARP-MRFA) Overarching Challenges and Focus Areas:

This MRFA funding opportunity requires applications to address the following PRARP overarching challenge:

  • Paucity of Clinical Studies: The paucity of clinical studies and other research resources to examine the interrelationship between TBI and subsequent AD for military veterans.

In addition to addressing the specified Overarching Challenge, applications must also address at least one of the following FY14 PRARP Focus Areas in support of the specified Overarching Challenges. An application that proposes research outside of these Focus Areas is acceptable, as long as the applicant provides a strong rationale:

  • Genomics/Proteomics/Bioinformatics: Studies or technologies (e.g., genetic, proteomic and epigenetic strategies) intended to characterize neurological change associated with TBI and subsequent AD. In addition to studies, relevant technologies or tests may be considered under this focus area.
  • Imaging: Development and application of anatomic and molecular imaging strategies to characterize neurological change associated with TBI and subsequent AD.

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 this 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 and must be submitted through the CDMRP electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) (https://eBRAP.org) prior to the pre-application deadline. Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov. Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcement is released. Requests for email notification of the Program Announcement release may be sent to help@eBRAP.org. Email notifications of funding opportunities are sent as a courtesy and should not be used as a sole source of notification; applicants should monitor Grants.gov for official postings of funding opportunities.

For more information about the PRARP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil