DoD Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Idea Development Award | W81XWH 19 TSCRP IDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 19 TSCRP IDA

The Department of Defense Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program (TSCRP) Idea Development Award (Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-19-TSCRP-IDA) supports conceptually innovative research projects in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) that are designed to open up new directions in the field and produce high-impact results. The intent is to fund ideas that could lead to major advances in TSC science and, ultimately, meaningful improvements in patient care. The mechanism is aimed at research that goes beyond routine next-step studies, favoring projects that rethink assumptions, introduce new approaches, or apply creative, potentially higher-risk strategies with the possibility of substantial payoff.

A central expectation of this opportunity is that the proposed work is anchored by a clear, well-formulated, and testable hypothesis. Even though the program emphasizes innovation, it is not meant to fund purely speculative concepts without support; applicants are expected to provide strong scientific rationale and preliminary data. Preliminary support can include unpublished findings from the principal investigator (PI) or named collaborators, as well as relevant evidence from the published literature that directly informs the proposed TSC research question and approach. In other words, the award looks for a balance: bold ideas that are still grounded in credible early evidence.

Applications are evaluated heavily on impact and innovation. On impact, proposals are expected to spell out both short-term and long-term significance, explaining how successful completion would materially advance TSC research and/or clinical care. On innovation, the program is explicitly looking for work that creates a new paradigm, challenges existing paradigms, or tackles established problems from a fresh angle. Projects characterized as incremental or simply the next logical experiment in an existing line of research are not viewed as competitive under this mechanism.

The funding announcement also includes a New Investigator Option intended to grow the pipeline of TSC researchers. This track is designed for early-career investigators building an independent TSC research program and for established investigators who are transitioning into TSC from other fields. Importantly, New Investigator and Established Investigator applications are reviewed in separate pools, which helps ensure early-career or field-transition applicants are evaluated relative to similar applicants. New Investigators are strongly encouraged to strengthen their proposals through collaboration with investigators who have demonstrated TSC expertise or other relevant specialized capabilities, typically evidenced by prior funding and publications.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA. It is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity within science and technology and other research and development activities (CFDA 12.420). The funding instruments listed include grants and cooperative agreements. Eligibility is broadly described as unrestricted, meaning applications are generally open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement. The opportunity was created February 19, 2019, with an original closing date of May 9, 2019, and it anticipated making about three awards. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the summary data, which typically indicates that applicants should consult the full program announcement for the specific budgeting limits and any cost or duration guidance not captured in the abbreviated listing.

• 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 Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Idea Development 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 Feb 19, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 09, 2019. (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 3 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 W81XWH 19 TSCRP IDA

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