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Bone Marrow Failure

NEWS RELEASE

Released: April 2, 2021

Defense Health Program
Department of Defense Bone Marrow Failure Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21)

The FY21 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Bone Marrow Failure Research Program (BMFRP) to support research of exceptional merit that focus on bone marrow failure diseases. The managing agent for the anticipated Program Announcements/Funding Opportunities is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The BMFRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY21 funding opportunities. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government. The FY21 BMFRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms will be posted on the Grants.gov website. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. 

The objective of the FY21 BMFRP is to fund scientifically meritorious research focused on BMF diseases. Investigator‐initiated research is encouraged in the areas of congenital or acquired BMF. Studies focused on BMF syndromes and their progression to other malignancies, such as leukemia, are acceptable. However, research primarily focused on myeloproliferative neoplasms, leukemia, or other malignancies is discouraged. Stem cell biology studies and translational projects, including bone marrow transplantation studies, should be clearly related to BMF diseases.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Idea Development Award Established Investigators: Independent investigators at or above the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent); or an Assistant Professor (or equivalent) with greater than 10 years from their first faculty appointment by the application submission deadline or

Early Career Investigators: Independent investigators at the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and within 10 years from first faculty appointment (or equivalent).
  • Preproposal is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
  • Supports innovative ideas and high-impact approaches based on scientifically sound evidence to move toward the vision to understand and cure BMF.
  • Strong BMF research team.
  • Research project should include well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale and a well- developed and articulated research approach.
  • Translational potential should be considered and described.
  • May include relevant preliminary data.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $450,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.
Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) by the application submission deadline.
  • Preproposal is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
  • Preliminary data is required.
  • Emphasis on Research Approach and Impact.
  • Strong BMF research team.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Partnering PI Option: Allows two PIs, termed Initiating and Partnering PIs, to collaborate on a single application.
  • Funding Level 1: Supports studies that further develop ideas, expand upon key discoveries, and have the potential to make significant advances in research, patient care, and/or quality of life in at least one of the FY21 BMFRP IIRA Focus Areas.
    • Understanding the causes and progression of BMF diseases
    • Finding effective BMF treatments and cures
  • Correlative studies to existing clinical trials/studies are encouraged.
  • Translational potential should be considered and described.
  • Funding Level 2: Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling efforts: The proposed studies should be empirical in nature, product driven, and focused on the accumulation of data to support an IND application to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Applicants are required to identify lead BMF therapy candidate(s), and transition plans should be considered and adequately described.
 Funding Level 1:
  • Maximum funding of $600,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Period of performance not to exceed 3 years.

Funding Level 2: IND-enabling efforts

  • Maximum funding of $800,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Period of performance not to exceed 4 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 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 the award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

Submission deadlines are not available until the Program Announcements are released. For email notification when Program Announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org. For more information about the BMFRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

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


Last updated Thursday, May 26, 2022