DoD Spinal Cord Injury Translational Research Partnership Award

The summary for the DoD Spinal Cord Injury Translational Research Partnership Award grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Dept of the Army USAMRAA, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

DoD Spinal Cord Injury Translational Research Partnership Award: The SCIRP Translational Research Partnership Award (TRPA) mechanism was first offered in FY09. Since then, 22 TRPA applications have been received, and 8 have been recommended for funding. The intent of the TRPA is to promote multi-institutional, multidisciplinary partnerships among clinicians and basic scientists that accelerate the movement of promising ideas in spinal cord injury research into clinical applications. This award is intended to support both new and established scientists across a broad spectrum of disciplines in research projects that are likely to have a major impact on spinal cord injury research. The TRPA supports the development of translational research partnerships among two or three independent investigators (known as partners). Applications should address one or more of the FY11 SCIRP Areas of Encouragement or justify the applicability of the research to the spinal cord injured military and/or veteran population. At least one partner must be a clinician, and at least one partner must have experience in spinal cord injury basic research. A clinician is defined as an individual who is credentialed (possesses the necessary degrees, licenses, and other certifications) as a care provider in any relevant capacity at the institution of record. Biosketches should include appropriate documentation of credentials. It should be clear that all partners have substantial intellectual input into the design of the research project. A proposed project in which one of the partners merely provides tissue samples or access to patients will not meet the intent of this mechanism. Observations that drive a research idea may be derived from a basic discovery, population-based studies, or a clinicians firsthand knowledge of patients and preliminary data. While the ultimate goal of translational research is to move an observation forward into clinical application, members of the partnership should view translational research as a two-way continuum between bench and bedside. Developing the research plan must involve a reciprocal flow of ideas and information within the partnership. Developmental pathways for translational research that may be useful for designing translational research studies for support under this mechanism may be found at (http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/trwg/Pathways-to-Clinical-Goals). Applications must include preliminary data relevant to SCI and the proposed project. Important aspects of the TRPA are as follows: 1. Translational: The application should provide evidence for the reciprocal transfer of ideas between basic and clinical science in developing and implementing the research plan. 2. Partnership: The success of the project depends on the unique disciplines, skills, and contributions of each partner. Of the two to three partners, at least one must be a clinician, and at least one must have experience in SCI basic research. 3. Multi-institutional: At least two distinct institutions must be involved. 4. Impact: The proposed research should have a significant impact on the concepts or methods that are likely to accelerate the movement of promising ideas in spinal cord injury research into clinical applications. Research involving human subjects and human anatomical substances is permitted; however, clinical trials are NOT ALLOWED under this funding opportunity. A clinical trial is defined as a prospective accrual of human subjects where an intervention (e.g., device, drug, biologic, surgical procedure, rehabilitative modality, behavioral intervention, or other) is tested on a human subject for a measurable outcome with respect to exploratory information, safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy. This outcome represents a direct effect on the human subject of that intervention or interaction. The SCIRP encourages clinical trials with a focus on rehabilitation through the FY11 SCIRP Clinical Trial Award Rehabilitation mechanism (Funding Opportunity Number: W81XWH-11-SCIRP-CTA). Use of Human Subjects and Human Anatomical Substances: All DOD-funded research involving new and ongoing research with human subjects and human anatomical substances must be reviewed and approved by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Office of Research Protections (ORP), Human Research Protection Office (HRPO), in addition to the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) of record. Local IRB approval at the time of submission is NOT required. The HRPO is mandated to comply with specific laws and directives governing all research involving human subjects that is supported by the DOD. These laws and directives are rigorous and detailed, and will require information in addition to that supplied to the local IRB. Allow a minimum of 4 months for regulatory review and approval processes. Refer to the General Application Instructions, Appendix 5, for more information.