DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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NEWS RELEASE

Released: March 2, 2015

Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program
Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15)

The FY15 Defense Appropriations Act provides $15 million (M) to the Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) to support innovative, high-impact NF research. Applications to the FY15 NFRP are being solicited by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The executing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The NFRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. FY15 NFRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are anticipated to be posted on the Grants.gov website in April/May 2015. Pre-application (Letter of Intent) 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.

Areas of Emphasis: The NFRP encourages applications that specifically address the critical needs of the NF community in one or more of the FY15 Areas of Emphasis. Not all Areas of Emphasis are applicable to each award mechanism offered by the FY15 NFRP. If the proposed research project does not address one of the FY15 Areas of Emphasis, justification that the proposed research project addresses an important problem related to NF research and/or patient care should be provided.

  • Health services for NF
  • Heterogeneity of neurofibromas and other NF-related tumors
  • Manifestations of NF post-adolescence
  • Mechanisms of pain
  • Novel disease markers for NF using genomics, epigenetics, system biology, metabolomics or other similar approaches
  • Target identification and drug discovery for the treatment of NF
  • Environmental, nutritional, and other modifiers of NF

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Clinical Trial Award Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Fund Phase 0, I, or II clinical trials relevant to NF and/or schwannomatosis; combinations of phases are permitted.
  • Scientific rationale and/or preliminary data required.
  • Scientific rationale and preliminary data required for Phase I, II clinical trial applications.
  • Anticipated that budgets will not exceed $900,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance not to exceed 4 years
Exploration - Hypothesis Development Award All levels of experience
  • Fund the initial exploration of innovative, high-risk, high-gain and potentially. groundbreaking concepts in NF research
  • Projects involving human subjects or human biological substances must be exempt under 32 CFR 219.101(b) or eligible for expedited review under 32 CFR 219.110 or 21 CFR 56.110.
  • Preliminary data encouraged but not required.
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Anticipated that budgets will not exceed $100,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance not to exceed 2 years
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
  • Fund highly rigorous, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to NF research and/or patient care.
  • Optional Feature: Applications that include a Qualified Collaborator who meets criteria identified in the announcement may apply for a higher level of funding.
  • Preliminary or published data required.
  • Clinical trials not allowed.
  • Anticipated that budgets will not exceed $525,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Anticipated that budgets will not exceed $575,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs) for applications including an Optional Qualified Collaborator
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years
New Investigator Award Must be an independent investigator at or below the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) or an established investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor seeking to transition into a career in NF research
  • Support the continued development of promising independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators into a career in the field of NF research
  • Experience in NF research is allowed, but not required
  • Preliminary and/or published data required
  • Clinical trials not allowed
  • Anticipated that budgets will not exceed $450,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
  • Period of performance not to exceed 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 funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

Applications must be submitted through the federal government's single-entry portal, Grants.gov. Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are released. Requests for email notification of the Program Announcements release may be sent to help@eBRAP.org. For more information about the NFRP 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