Defense Health Program DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RESEARCH PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2013 STRATEGIC PLAN

The Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) Defense Appropriations Act provides for $5 million (M) to the Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP). The Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) is administered by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

To allow investigators time to plan and develop applications, the MSRP is providing its strategic plan for the award mechanism to be offered in 2013. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Focus Areas: The FY13 MSRP encourages research projects that specifically address the critical needs of the MS community in the following focus areas:

Biological basis of symptoms and their management (e.g., cognition, quality of life, rehabilitation, restoration of function, pathophysiological basis of pain)

Mechanistic studies of environmental risk factors

Endocrinological influences on disease activity and progression

Comorbidities and their impact on disease activity and progression

Idea Development Award

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

Supports conceptually innovative, high-risk/potentially high-reward research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries in understanding the causes and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and/or improvements in patient care and/or quality of life

Preliminary data that are relevant to MS and the proposed research project should be included

Clinical trials are not allowed

Must address at least one of the MSRP FY13 Focus Areas

Maximum funding of $400,000 in direct costs (plus indirect costs)

Period of performance not to exceed 2 years

All applications must conform to the final program announcement and general application instructions that will be available for electronic downloading from the Grants.gov website upon official announcement of funding opportunity release. Submission deadlines will not be available until the program announcement is released. Requests for email notification of the program announcement release may be sent to help@cdmrp.org. For more information about the MSRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (http://cdmrp.army.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil