DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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Parkinson's

NEWS RELEASE

Released: February 27, 2025

Department of Defense
Defense Health Agency
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
Parkinson's Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25)

The FY25 Defense Appropriations Bill has not been signed into law. The CDMRP is unable to release new funding opportunities under the current Continuing Resolution. The CDMRP is providing pre-announcement information to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to anticipated funding opportunities should the CDMRP receive FY25 appropriations. Pre-announcements should not be construed as an obligation or promise by the government. Once funding is available, CDMRP funding opportunities will be posted on the Grants.gov website. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when opportunities are released, contingent upon future funding.

The FY25 Defense Appropriations Act is anticipated to provide funding for the Parkinson's Research Program (PRP) to support Parkinson's disease (PD) research. The CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) is the program office managing these anticipated FY25 funding opportunities.

Applications submitted to the FY25 PRP must address one or more of the following focus areas:

  • Understanding how Parkinson's disease biological and clinical heterogeneity impacts disease presentation, clinical course and therapeutic outcomes, from prodromal to late-stage Parkinson's disease.
  • Development and characterization of in vitro model systems that approximate in vivo cellular and system complexity.
  • Biological mechanisms or biomarkers (e.g., clinical, fluid, imaging, tissue, devices) of unmet medical needs that could lead to the development of treatments for PD. Applications focused on laboratory models through to human participants would be considered. Examples of unmet medical needs of interest include, but are not limited to:
    • Non-motor symptoms:
      • - Cognitive
      • - Psychiatric
      • - Fatigue
      • - Sleep and circadian rhythms disruptions
      • - Autonomic
      • - Sensory
      • - Olfaction
      • - Pain
    • Motor symptoms:
      • - Tremor
      • - Gait and balance
      • - Dystonia
      • - Dyskinesia
  • Interventions that address unmet medical needs of PD that include both clinical and preclinical models. Examples of interventions of interest include, but are not limited to:
    • Non-pharmacological
    • Surgical
    • Non-surgical devices
    • Non-invasive central nervous system stimulation
    • Biologicals
    • Pharmacological

Award Mechanism PI Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Early Investigator Research Award

Updated for FY25!		 Postdoctoral or clinical fellow, instructor, or assistant professor within 10 years of advanced degree or residency training completion (or equivalent)

Verification of eligibility criteria must be provided in an Eligibility Statement signed by an appropriate institutional official and the Principal Investigator (PI) 		Supports PD research opportunities for investigators in the early stages of their careers.
  • The Early Investigator is considered the PI of the application and must exhibit strong potential for and commitment to pursuing a career as an investigator at the forefront of PD research; however, the PI is not required to have previous PD research experience.
  • Different research levels, based on the career status of the PI, are available.
    • Funding Level 1 (Postdoc): Applications must include at least one Mentor appropriate to the proposed research project who has experience in PD research and mentoring, as demonstrated by a record of active funding, recent publications, and successful mentorship. The selected Mentor(s) should also demonstrate a clear commitment to the development of the PI toward independence as a PD researcher.
      - Preliminary data are encouraged
    • Funding Level 2 (Junior Faculty): Mentor not required.
      - Preliminary data are required
  • Clinical trials are not allowed.
Applications to this award mechanism must address at least one of the four FY25 PRP Focus Areas. 		Funding Level 1
  • Maximum funding of $300,000 in total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
Funding Level 2
  • Maximum funding of $1,000,000 in total costs.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Independent investigators at or above the level of assistant professor (or equivalent) Supports highly rigorous, multidisciplinary, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to PD research. This award mechanism supports the full spectrum of research from basic science through clinical research.
  • Preliminary data are required.
    • Any unpublished, preliminary data provided should originate from the laboratory of the PI or a member of the research team.
  • Clinical trials are allowed
  • Partnering PI Option: Allows two PIs, termed Initiating and Partnering PIs, to collaborate on a single application.
Applications to this award mechanism must address at least one of the four FY25 PRP Focus Areas.
  • Maximum funding of $2,000,000 in total 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 PRP 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


    Last updated Thursday, February 27, 2025