DOD, Spinal Cord Injury, Investigator-Initiated Research Award | HT9425 23 SCIRP IIRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT9425 23 SCIRP IIRA

The Department of Defense Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a funding opportunity designed to support new, investigator-driven studies that can meaningfully advance spinal cord injury (SCI) research and translate into better patient care and improved quality of life. The program is looking for projects that are positioned to make a clear contribution to the field, whether by deepening scientific understanding of SCI, improving rehabilitation and long-term outcomes, or addressing practical needs that affect daily living for people with SCI. While the work can fall anywhere along the spectrum from basic to translational research, the intent is not to fund projects that remain purely exploratory or limited to target identification without a broader plan for impact.

A core requirement is a strong, well-argued impact statement. Applicants are expected to explain both the near-term and longer-term value of the work, not only for the scientific community but also for individuals living with SCI and the broader SCI community. To be responsive, proposals must address at least one of the FY23 SCIRP Focus Areas, meaning the project needs to align with the program's defined priorities for that fiscal year rather than operating outside them. In practical terms, reviewers will be looking for a compelling rationale that connects the proposed research aims to tangible advances in knowledge, clinical practice, assistive approaches, or other outcomes that can realistically improve lives.

Another major emphasis is relevance to military health. Projects should be clearly connected to the needs of spinal cord-injured Service Members, Veterans, and/or their family members and care partners. The opportunity explicitly encourages collaboration with military and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers and clinicians, reflecting the program's interest in ensuring that funded research is grounded in real-world military and Veteran care contexts. Applications that demonstrate an understanding of the unique circumstances of military-related SCI, including care pathways and long-term support needs, are positioned to better meet this expectation.

The IIRA also requires preliminary support for the proposed idea. Applicants must include preliminary and/or published data that relate to the SCIRP mission and provide credible justification for the project. The program is flexible about where these early observations come from: they can be based on laboratory findings, population-level analyses, clinical experience and patient observations, or even anecdotal evidence that is then supported with appropriate preliminary work. The key point is that the application cannot be purely speculative; it must show enough foundation to justify investment and to indicate the project is feasible.

In terms of allowable research activities, the award can support preclinical studies in animal models (with caveats), research involving human subjects or human anatomical substances, and ancillary studies connected to an existing clinical trial. However, clinical trials themselves are not permitted under this funding opportunity, so projects must be structured accordingly. If animal studies are proposed, the application must provide a clear and convincing justification for the chosen model, including why it is relevant to human SCI and why it is appropriate for the specific scientific questions being asked. This expectation is meant to ensure that preclinical work is thoughtfully designed and has a credible path to informing human SCI understanding or care.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The funding instrument type includes grants and cooperative agreements, and eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types unless additional eligibility clarifications apply in the full announcement. The opportunity number is HT9425 23 SCIRP IIRA, and it falls under CFDA 12.420. The posting indicates an expected eight awards, with an award ceiling listed as 0, which generally suggests applicants should consult the full announcement for budget limits and any funding caps or constraints. The opportunity was created March 30, 2023, with an original closing date of September 7, 2023.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOD, Spinal Cord Injury, Investigator-Initiated Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 30, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for HT9425 23 SCIRP IIRA

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