DoD Funding Opportunities for the Epilepsy Research Program
The FY22 Defense Appropriations Act is providing funding for the Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) to understand the mechanisms of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) and associated comorbidities to improve quality of life, especially in Service Members, Veterans, and caregivers. 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 FY22 ERP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms is posted on the Grants.gov website.
Applications submitted to the FY22 ERP must address one or more of the following Focus Areas:
- Innovative Research: Tools intended to better inform or improve upon PTE research and care, which may include the following:
o Strategies that will improve seizure detection, characterization, visualization, or diagnosis
o Development of new models or better characterization of existing etiologically relevant models for PTE
- Markers and Mechanisms: Identifying biomarkers or mechanisms of PTE, which may include the following:
o Predictive biomarkers for epileptogenesis (acute and chronic)
o Research into the prevention of epilepsy and/or seizures
- Epidemiology: Epidemiological characterization of PTE following traumatic brain injury (TBI), which may include the following:
o Understanding and improving the quality of life of individuals with PTE, their families, and their caregivers
o Predictors of the development of epilepsy
o Outcomes, including latency to and prevention of epilepsy, comorbidities, and mortality
- Longitudinal Studies: Studies of the evolution of PTE, which may include the following:
o Understanding and improving quality of life of individuals with PTE, their families, and their caregivers
o Treatment and healthcare outcomes research, including quality of care
o Natural history of PTE and prognosis
o Comorbidities (e.g., depression, functional deficits, sleep disorders, major illness)
Idea Development Award – Letter of Intent due May 19, 2022
Level I: Principal Investigator (PI) o The named PI must be at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow (e.g., research associate, fellow, medical resident, or equivalent), or within 3 years of their first independent faculty position (or equivalent) at the time of the application submission deadline (excluding time spent in residence or on family medical leave). o The named PI can be from any field or discipline, but must demonstrate suitable experience relevant to the proposed research.
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Research Partnership Award – Letter of Intent due May 19, 2022
The Initiating PI and each named Co-PI must be at or above the level of an assistant professor (or equivalent) at the time of the application submission deadline.
o The PI and each named Co-PI can be from any field or discipline, but must demonstrate suitable experience relevant to the proposed research.
Supports new or existing collaborative research partnerships between/among investigators to address a research problem or question in a manner that would be unachievable through separate efforts.
o Research must address the short-term and long-term impact on the PTE research field, patient care, and/or those living with PTE.
o Research must be relevant to military Service Members, their families, and Veterans with PTE.
o The application must demonstrate the study team’s experience in PTE research, including expertise in the fields of BOTH TBI and epilepsy.
o Applications must include preliminary and/or published data.
o Employing collaborations with members of the PTE lived experience community to optimize research impact is encouraged but NOT required.
o Clinical trials are NOT allowed.
o A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,300,000 for total costs.
o Indirect costs may be proposed in accordance with the institution’s negotiated rate agreement.
o The maximum period of performance is 3 years.
**NEW for FY22**
Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (P-TERC) – Letter of Intent due May 19. 2022
Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (Virtual P-TERC) Leadership (Director and Deputy Director)
o Must be independent investigators at or above the level of associate professor (or equivalent).
o Must have PTE research funding (past and present) and have a record of PTE publications in peer-reviewed journals.
The scientific expertise of the Director and Deputy Director should be complementary and within different disciplines along the epilepsy care spectrum.
The Director and Deputy Director ARE NOT REQUIRED to be located at the same organization.
Solicits applications for the Virtual P-TERC Director and Deputy Director, who will establish the Virtual P-TERC and lead the Center in meeting its overarching goal.
The overarching goal of the Virtual P-TERC is to develop successful, highly productive PTE researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment to enhance quality and expand quantity of the PTE research field.
The Virtual P-TERC should be a unique, interactive virtual research center providing intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for new PTE investigators.
The Virtual P-TERC should foster convergent science wherein investigators from different disciplines solve specific problems together and take a cross-disciplinary approach to move the PTE field forward.
The Virtual P-TERC Leadership are expected to catalyze the growth and professional development of the Faculty in collaboration with the Faculty member’s Career Guide, assess the progress of the Faculty, promote the cross-pollination of different scientific disciplines, and facilitate communication and collaboration among all of the Faculty and Career Guides.
A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,250,000 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.
Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center Faculty Award – Letter of Intent fur May 19, 2022
Principal Investigator (Faculty Member)
Independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent) may be named by the organization as the PI on the application.
The PI should be new to the field of PTE research as evidenced by only nominal publication and/or funding history in the field.
Career Guide
Must hold a position at or above the level of an associate professor (or equivalent).
Must be a PTE researcher that possesses qualifications, background, and experience in BOTH TBI and epilepsy as well as a track record for mentoring investigators in the field.
The PI and Career Guide DO NOT need to be located at the same organization.
Solicits applications for Faculty members to join the Virtual P-TERC.
Supports an impactful research project with an emphasis on discovery that investigates questions across the PTE research spectrum.
Supports the career development of the Faculty member to advance and sustain an independent career at the forefront of PTE research.
Research must address the short-term and long-term impact on the PTE research field, patient care, and/or those living with PTE.
Research must be relevant to military Service Members, their families, and Veterans with PTE.
Preliminary data are encouraged but NOT required.
Employing collaborations with members of the PTE lived experience community to optimize research impact is encouraged but NOT required.
Clinical trials are NOT allowed.
A letter of intent is required; an invitation to submit a full application is not required.
The maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $500,000 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.
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 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.
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 ERP 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
For more information, please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.