Defense Health Program Department of Defense Melanoma Research Program Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) - August 4, 2021 deadlines

The FY21 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding to the Department of Defense Melanoma Research Program (MRP) to support innovative, high-impact melanoma research.  As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, the Defense Health Agency J9, Research and Development Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation.  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 FY21 MRP program announcements and General Application Instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the Grants.gov website.

Applications submitted to the FY21 MRP must address one or more of the following focus areas:

• Identify methods to decrease risk of melanoma development beyond sunscreen and protective clothing
• Identify and understand risk factor determinants for melanoma, including variants (e.g., uveal, acral, mucosal melanoma)
• Identify how the tumor microenvironment (e.g., stromal, immune, microbiome) impact tumor initiation, response to therapy, progression, and dormancy
• Understand how precursor lesions and endogenous host factors may lead to melanomagenesis
• Develop new decision-making tools for the detection and diagnosis of melanoma that include easily accessible technology (beyond the dermoscope) for primary care physicians and dermatologists
• Develop prediction and surveillance tools for distinguishing patient at risk for recurrence and/or metastasis.  Identify biological determinants to differentiate patient populations
• Understand mechanisms that underlie metastatic spread to different (regional/nodal) sites or the different distant sites of metastasis from acral, mucosal, and uveal melanomas
• Delineate the molecular pathways, tumor microenvironment, immune response that influence metastatic spread, recurrence, and/or dormancy

The MRP challenges the research community to redefine the concept of prevention and has issued a FY21 MRP Challenge Statement that must be considered when responding to the FY21 MRP Focus Areas and funding opportunities.

The MRP encourages studies for rare melanomas across the entire spectrum from initiation to distant macro-metastasis.

https://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/mrp

Mid-Career Accelerator Award – Letter of Intent due August 4, 2021

Assistant or Associate Professors at least 7 years or more from first faculty appointment.

Instructors and Full Professors are not eligible.

• A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• Supports mid-career researchers to conduct impactful melanoma research.
• Must address at least one of the FY21 MRP Focus Areas.
• Must show evidence of at least one peer-reviewed extramural funding award.
• Preliminary data relevant to melanoma are required.
• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $750,000 for direct costs.
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• The maximum period of performance is 3 years.
• Clinical trials are not allowed

Team Science Award – Letter of Intent due August 4, 2021

At least two and up to three investigators must partner in one overarching multidisciplinary research study.

Independent investigators at or above the level of Associate Professor (or equivalent).

Inclusion of at least one military, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs investigator, or early-career investigator is encouraged.

• A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• Supports new or existing partnerships between two or three independent investigators focusing research across the whole research spectrum.
• 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 that could not otherwise be accomplished through independent efforts of a single investigator.
• Emphasis on synergy, multidisciplinary research, and impact.
• Must address at least one of the FY21 MRP Focus Areas.
• Preliminary data are required.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $700,000 for direct costs.
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Translation Research Award – Letter of Intent due August 4, 2021

Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent)

• A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• Supports studies aiming to leverage existing biobanks, biorepositories, ongoing or completed clinical trials to address a translational question or problem in melanoma.
• Collaborator Option allows two Principal Investigators (PIs), termed Initiating PI and Partnering PI, to collaborate on a single application. 
• Emphasis on translation and impact.
• Must address at least one of the FY21 MRP Focus Areas.
• Preliminary data are required.
• Clinical trials are not allowed.
• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $600,000 for direct costs.
• Collaboration Option: The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $700,000 for direct costs
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• The maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Melanoma Academy Leadership Award – Letter of Intent due August 4, 2021

Academy Director must be an independent, established melanoma researcher at the level of Associate Professor or equivalent.

Deputy Director must be an independent, established melanoma researcher at the level of Associate Professor or equivalent.

• A letter of intent if required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
• Supports visionary individuals who are established melanoma researchers with a strong record of mentoring and commitment to leadership.
• The Melanoma Academy Leadership Award is an opportunity to establish a virtual melanoma research center focused on fostering the next generation of melanoma researchers across the spectrum of research disciplines.
• The Academy Director with Deputy Director will establish an interactive network of early-career investigators (Scholars) to work independently and collaboratively on issues within the scope of melanoma research.
• The Melanoma Academy will include Scholars from multiple, different organizations.
• The Academy Director, with the Deputy Director, will oversee the interactive Melanoma Academy of Scholars and their designated Career Guides (mentors), facilitate regular interactive communication among all members, and assess research progress and career progression of the Scholars.
• The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,300,000 for direct costs.
• Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
• The maximum period of performance is 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 announcements and General Application Instructions 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 and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420. 

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 MRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Help Desk
301-682-5507
help@eBrap.org