the fy22 defense appropriations act provides funding for the vision research program (vrp) to support impactful military-relevant vision research.  the managing agent for the anticipated funding opportunities is the cdmrp at the u.s. army medical research and development command (usamrdc).

the fy22 vrp program announcements and general application instructions for the following award mechanisms are posted on the grants.gov website.    

applications submitted to the fy22 vrp must address one or more of the following focus areas:

• eye injury or visual dysfunction as related to military exposure. examples of military exposure may include, but are not limited to:

o   blast, penetrating, blunt, thermal, or chemical trauma

o   directed energy weapons such as laser, high-power microwaves, particle beams and ionizing radiation

• diagnosis, stabilization, and treatment of eye injuries in austere environments and prolonged field care settings
• restoration of visual function after military exposure-related vision loss or severe visual impairment

funding opportunities-fy22 vrp, congressionally directed medical research programs (cdmrp) (army.mil)

clinical trial award (cta) – preproposal due july 15, 2022

• ·     the overall lead principal investigator (pi) must be an independent investigator at or above the level of associate professor (or equivalent) with demonstrated success in leading large collaborative research project(s).
• ·     the overall lead pi must devote a minimum of 20% effort.
• ·     leaders of individual projects may be independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).

each project leader, including the overall lead pi, may lead no more than one project.

• ·       preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·       supports studies that will yield highly impactful discoveries or major advancements in research and/or patient care.
• ·       research must address one or more of the fy22 vrp focus areas.
• ·       funding level 1 supports exploratory, high-risk/
  high-reward research in the earliest stages of development.

o   research must have the potential to yield new avenues of investigation, such as new approaches, new research tools, or new paradigms.

o   while preliminary data are not required, applicants must provide solid rationale of the research idea.

o   the investigating team must have sufficient expertise to test the idea.

• ·       funding level 2 supports the advancement of more mature research that has the potential to make significant advancements toward clinical translation.

o   preliminary data supporting the readiness and feasibility of the proposed research are required. 

• ·       pi is responsible for selecting the funding level that is most appropriate for the research proposed. the funding level should be selected based on the stage of the research project, rather than the amount of the budget.

clinical trials are not allowed.

funding level 1:

• ·    the maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $260,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·    the maximum period of performance is 2 years.

funding level 2:

• ·    the maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).

the maximum period of performance is 3 years.

investigator-initiated research award (iira) – preproposal due july 15, 2022

independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).

• ·       preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·       supports studies that will yield highly impactful discoveries or major advancements in research and/or patient care.
• ·       research must address one or more of the fy22 vrp focus areas.
• ·       funding level 1 supports exploratory, high-risk/
  high-reward research in the earliest stages of development.

o   research must have the potential to yield new avenues of investigation, such as new approaches, new research tools, or new paradigms.

o   while preliminary data are not required, applicants must provide solid rationale of the research idea.

o   the investigating team must have sufficient expertise to test the idea.

• ·       funding level 2 supports the advancement of more mature research that has the potential to make significant advancements toward clinical translation.

o   preliminary data supporting the readiness and feasibility of the proposed research are required. 

• ·       pi is responsible for selecting the funding level that is most appropriate for the research proposed. the funding level should be selected based on the stage of the research project, rather than the amount of the budget.
• ·       clinical trials are not allowed.

funding level 1:

• ·    the maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $260,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·    the maximum period of performance is 2 years.

funding level 2:

• ·    the maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·    the maximum period of performance is 3 years.

translational research award (tra) – preproposal due july 15, 2022

independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent).

• ·       preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·       supports translational research that moves promising laboratory research into clinical applications.
• ·       research must address one or more of the fy22 vrp focus areas.
• ·       it is expected that an ind or ide application will be submitted during or by the end of the period of performance.
• ·       preliminary data are required.
• ·       may include, as a portion of the proposed research, a pilot clinical trial component that collects preliminary data to inform the feasibility, rationale, and design of subsequent clinical trials.
• ·    the maximum allowable funding for the entire period of performance is $1,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• ·    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 vrp 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.

the investigators in the pathogenesis of infectious disease (path) award provides $500,000 over five years to support accomplished investigators at the assistant professor level to study pathogenesis, with a focus on the interplay between human and microbial biology, shedding light on how human and microbial systems are affected by their encounters.

for more information, please contact jill sherman, international research facilitator, at  intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

the kids brain health network (kbhn) invites early career investigators engaged in neurodevelopmental disabilities research from all disciplines to apply for the 2022 early career investigator & mentorship awards competition.

summary

• award: $50 000 per year for two years (total award $100 000) comprised of $50 000 funding from kbhn and $50 000 from an eligible partner
• award term: 24 months from september 2022 (or otherwise as negotiated).
• early career investigator eligibility: must be a faculty member or principal investigator at an eligible research institution who is an early career investigator (within five years from the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays in research). the individual must be engaged in neurodevelopmental disability research in one or more of the priority areas outlined below and can use the funds to support a postdoctoral fellow.
• types of partners required: canadian or international institutions or organizations (private, public, not-for-profit) of any type (see details below).
  • application deadline: june 13^th, 2022
  • anticipated date for award notice: july 15^th, 2022

together, brain canada and the als society of canada are pleased to announce the continuation of the discovery grant program. the purpose of this program is to invest in the best possible projects that are focused on identifying causes of, or treatments for als and/or related neurological diseases, or research focused on avenues to maximize function, minimize disability and optimize quality of life through symptom management, and support to persons or families living with als.

the 2022 als canada – brain canada discovery grant program consists of two streams that will fund novel and innovative research approaches, supported by sound rationale and a feasible experimental plan:

stream 1 : aimed at nurturing novel ideas looking to obtain preliminary data or to pursue ideas supported by very early data signals. up to six awards of up to $125,000 will be awarded in this cycle.

stream 2 : aimed at funding more ambitious projects that are supported with some level of preliminary data to justify the larger investment. up to two awards of up to $300,000 will be awarded in this cycle.

evidence clearly shows that increasing equity, diversity and inclusion (edi) in research environments enhances excellence, innovation and creativity. brain canada and als canada are committed to excellence through equity and encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply to our funding opportunities. 

please refer to the terms of reference for additional details.

deadline for receipt of full applications: july 5, 2022  at 13:00 et

for more information, please contact research@als.ca.

the specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• establish a pan-canadian clinical trials consortium that will enhance connections between domestic and international clinical trial networks to create efficiencies of scale and support high quality trials that are designed and sized to maximize their impact;
• increase the impact of clinical trials through improved research design, increased recruitment, and enhanced clinical trial network capacity in canada, including through the development and seed funding of new clinical trial networks where there are currently gaps;
• build clinical trial capacity through training, mentorship, methods development, and information-sharing across member networks and other components of the ctf;
• maximize research impact and knowledge mobilization within and beyond the consortium to help ensure evidence is integrated in and used to inform health policy, decision making and planning; and
• advance equitable access to clinical trials for canadians regardless of geography, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

the canadian cancer society awards for excellence in cancer research recognize individuals who have made, and are making, valuable contributions to the cancer research ecosystem in canada. recipients are leaders in their fields who exemplify excellence in science and outstanding service to the scientific community. posthumous nominations are not eligible. winners will be recognized and will receive a personalized glass plaque commemorating their award. each award also comes with a $20,000 contribution to the recipient’s research program.

if you are interested in being nominated for this award, please contact dr. batia stolar, associate vice-president, research and graduate studies, at  bstolar@lakeheadu.ca

the goal of the exploration stream is to inspire high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research.

exploration grants support research that pushes boundaries into exciting new areas. researchers are encouraged to think “outside of the box,” undertake research that would defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. with the exploration stream, there is recognition that innovation often carries risk; proposals for high-risk research projects that have the potential to deliver game-changing impacts are strongly encouraged.

exploration stream grants support projects that:

• bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches;
• propose to explore something new, which might fail; and
• have the potential for significant impact.

exploration grants support research with a range of impacts—economic, scientific, artistic, cultural, social, technological, environmental or health-related. this list is not exhaustive; other types of impacts are also recognized. diversity of perspectives is important, and the fund encourages research proposals led from any discipline, from those in the social sciences and humanities, to health, the natural sciences and engineering.

to better promote ground-breaking and interdisciplinary research, the new frontiers in research fund (nfrf) has a mandate to explore innovative merit review processes, and the flexibility for competition parameters and processes to evolve from one competition to the next.

the fy22 crrp funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms are posted on the grants.gov website. 

the fy22 crrp will solicit research applications addressing at least one of the focus areas described below.  the focus areas broadly describe current needs to ensure readiness for delivering front-line care in combat situations and for delivering medical damage control capability, assets, and lifesaving interventions to address the emerging needs of the warfighter and service medics during prolonged and en route care in austere and combat environments, including the acute and early management of combat-related trauma at the point of injury. 

applications submitted to the fy22 crrp must address one or more of the following focus areas:

• solutions to enhance warfighter readiness, such as solutions to address:

○       sleep disorders

○       myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

○       service-related post-traumatic arthritis

○       eating disorders

○       sarcoidosis

○       valley fever

○       complementary health measures to accelerate return to duty

○       regenerative medicine

• ·        solutions to enhance combat care delivery throughout the far-forward environment, such as:

○       telemedicine solutions that enable medical capabilities at far-forward battlespace locations worldwide

○       medical simulation technology that support sustainment of critical skills and medical decision-making

○       blood products, including freeze-dried plasma and platelets

○       ruggedized oxygen generation systems for medical use

○       solutions for the assessment of mild traumatic brain injury, to include portable and hand-held detection devices

○       extracorporeal life support

○       initial treatment and transport of patients with highly transmissible infectious disease

• ·        wound care solutions for complex trauma and tissue regeneration that span the operational medical care continuum or roles of care (e.g., acute through chronic care), such as:

○       multi-modal wound care solutions that provide a combination of hemostasis, wound healing, infection prevention, and/or analgesia

○       repair and restoration of genitourinary injury and tissue damage

the areas of encouragement were identified as capability and knowledge gaps that are of high priority and programmatic relevance and can be found appended to the fy22 funding opportunity announcement.  investigators are strongly encouraged to propose research ideas that specifically address one of the fy22 areas of encouragement within each focus area (if applicable).

funding opportunities-fy22 combat readiness-medical research program, congressionally directed medical research programs (cdmrp) (army.mil)

rapid development and translational research award (rdtra) – preproposal due june 23, 2022

extramural and intramural applicants

independent investigators at all academic levels (or equivalent)

• ·     submission of a preproposal is required; application submission is by invitation only.
• ·     supports high-impact research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas into clinical applications, including healthcare products, technologies, and/or practice guidelines. 
• ·     proposed research must have the potential for rapid development and translation of applicable advances for improving medical readiness, mitigating fatalities, optimally treating life-threatening injuries, and promoting positive long-term outcomes for military health and medicine, as well as the general public. 
• ·      supports preclinical research, clinical research, and small-scale clinical trials (e.g., first in human, phase 1/1b).  fundamental basic research and phase 2/3 clinical trials are not supported under this funding opportunity.
• ·      proposed research must address at least one of the fy22 crrp focus areas.
  • ·     different funding options are available.  applicants may apply for either the rdtra, or the rdtra with option.  it is the responsibility of the principal investigator to select the funding option that is most appropriate for the research proposed.

o  for applications proposing an rdtra with option, each phase of research must be a distinct research effort with non-overlapping period of performance, research outcomes/milestones, and budget.  research products from the first phase of performance shall be leveraged in the subsequent option phase.

o    exercise of the option is contingent on the availability of sufficient future congressional appropriations to the crrp, alignment of the proposed research during the option to that fiscal year’s congressional language, and acceptable performance by the recipients.

rdtra:

• ·    maximum funding of $2,200,000 for total costs (to include direct and indirect costs).
• ·    maximum period of performance is 2 years.

rdtra with option:

• ·    maximum funding of $2,200,000 (rdtra) and 1,000,000 (option) for total costs (to include direct and indirect costs).
• ·    maximum period of performance is 2 years for the first phase of performance of the rdtra and 1 year for the option.

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 crrp 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.