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Neurofibromatosis

NEWS RELEASE

Released: March 27, 2024

Department of Defense
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
Neurofibromatosis Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2024

The FY24 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) to support innovative, high-impact, Neurofibromatosis (NF) research. The managing agent for the anticipated program announcements/funding opportunities is the CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The NFRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY24 funding opportunities. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government. The FY24 NFRP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms will be posted on the Grants.gov website. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the announcements are released.

Applications submitted to the FY24 NFRP must address one or more of the following Areas of Emphasis:

  • NF Type 2 and schwannomatosis-related areas (e.g., hearing, balance, schwannoma, ependymoma, meningioma, LZTR1, SMARCB1)
  • Endpoint validation, biomarker discovery, and technological innovation for assessments
  • Application of data science
  • Non-tumor manifestations not limited to:
    • Pain
    • Cognitive manifestations
    • Sleep
  • Heterogeneity of NF-related phenotypes
  • Genetics, genomics, epigenetics, systems biology, metabolomics, or similar approaches
  • Preclinical efficacy studies
  • Target identification and drug discovery
  • Nutritional, environmental, and other modifiers of NF
  • Health services research

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Neurofibromatosis Research Academy-Leadership Award Academy Director - must be an independent and established NF investigator at or above the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent) as of the full application submission deadline.

Deputy Director - must be an independent NF researcher at the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent) as of the full application submission deadline and at a different institution from the Director.

Both the Director and the Deputy Director are required to commit a minimum of 10% effort each during the first year and 20% each in subsequent years.
  • Pre-application submission is required; full application submission is by invitation only.
  • Supports the establishment and management of a multi-institutional, interactive, virtual research academy that consists of Scholars (early-career investigators) and their Career Guides (primary mentors) from different institutions under the leadership of an Academy Director and Deputy Director to foster collaborative research and career development.
  • Must have vision and plan of how the leadership team will help Academy scholars to advance research and promote development as next generation of NF leaders.
  • Leadership/support, network opportunities, management and communication plans for the Academy must be clearly articulated.
  • Supports visionary individuals who are established NF researchers with a strong record of mentoring and commitment to leadership.
  • Academy leadership (Director and Deputy Director) must have past publication records in peer-reviewed journals and past and/or present research funding.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $1.3 million (M) for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 5 years.
Clinical Trial Award Investigators must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • Supports phase 0, 1, or 2 clinical trials relevant to NF and/or schwannomatosis; combinations of phases are permitted.
  • Funding must support a clinical trial and may not be used for preclinical studies.
  • Scientific rationale and preliminary data are required for phase 1 and 2 clinical trial applications.
  • Maximum funding of $800,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum funding of $1.0M for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for applications including a Collaborator.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.
Early Investigator Research Award
  • Investigators must be involved in a postdoctoral training or medical residency program and possess up to 4 years continuous postdoctoral research experience.
  • Investigators must have successfully defended a doctoral thesis or possess an M.D. degree and commit a minimum of 50% of their effort towards the project.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • Supports research focused on NF for individuals in the early stages of their careers.
  • Investigators must have a designated mentor who is an experienced NF researcher.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $200,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
Exploration-Hypothesis Development Award Investigators may be from all academic levels (or equivalent).
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • Supports 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 the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 32, Section 219, Part 104(d) (32 CFR 219.104[d]) or eligible for expedited review under 32 CFR 219.110 or 21 CFR 56.110.
  • Preliminary and/or published data are encouraged but not required.
  • Mentorship is highly encouraged.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $100,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Investigators must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and must plan to commit a minimum of 10% level of effort for each budget period throughout the entirety of the award.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • Supports highly rigorous, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to NF research and/or patient care.
  • Optional Features: Applications meeting the criteria identified in the announcement may apply for a higher level of funding for the following options:
    • Qualified Collaborator.
    • NF Open Science Initiative.
  • Preliminary and/or published data are required.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $525,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum funding of $575,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for applications including either an Optional Qualified Collaborator or a Data Sharing Option.
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.
New Investigator Award Early-Stage Investigator (ESI): An independent investigator who is at or below the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and able to commit at least a 30% level of effort during each budget year of their efforts toward the proposed NF research project.

Established Investigator (EI): An independent investigator who is above the level of Assistant Professor and able to commit at least a 10% level of effort during each budget year of their efforts toward the proposed NF research project.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • ESI: Supports research conducted by promising independent investigators.
  • EI: Supports research conducted by independent investigators who will transition from other research fields. The investigator will bring their expertise into a career in the field of NF research.
  • Experience in NF research is allowed, but not required.
  • Preliminary and/or published data are required.
  • Must not have received a New Investigator Award previously from any program within the CDMRP.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $450,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.
Synergistic Idea Award Investigators must be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent is required prior to full application submission.
  • Supports new or existing partnerships between two or three investigators to address a central innovative question or problem in NF that may include high risk, provided there is a potential for significant impact.
  • Investigators are expected to demonstrate within the application the synergistic components (i.e., leveraging disciplines, expertise, or critical resources) that will significantly advance the project such that the research outcomes as a whole will be realized rapidly and efficiently and could not otherwise be accomplished through the independent efforts of a single investigator.
  • Preliminary and/or published data are required.
  • Synergy, Research Strategy, Personnel, and Impact are the most important review criteria.
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
  • Maximum funding of $2.0M for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 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 funding opportunity announcements that will be available for 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 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 funding opportunity announcements are released. For email notification when 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 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@health.mil