DOD Epilepsy, Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center Faculty Award | W81XWH 22 ERP VIRTUAL P TERC F

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 ERP VIRTUAL P TERC F

The DOD Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (Virtual P-TERC) Faculty Award is a Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to grow the post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) research workforce by supporting independent investigators who are new to the PTE field. The core idea is that strong science in PTE depends not only on good project funding, but also on building a pipeline of capable, connected researchers who can stay in the field long term. To do that, the Virtual P-TERC functions as a multi-institutional, interactive, largely online research and career-development hub that provides structured mentoring, national networking, collaboration opportunities, and a peer cohort of other investigators entering PTE research.

Under this mechanism, the applicant is a Faculty member within the Virtual P-TERC and serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) on the grant. The application must balance two things at once: a focused discovery-oriented PTE research project and a clearly developed plan for the PI's career development and sustainment in PTE. Research topics can span the full PTE spectrum, including biology and etiology, prevention, diagnosis and detection, prognosis, treatment, and quality of life. Projects are expected to align with at least one FY22 ERP Focus Area when possible, or otherwise provide a strong justification for why the proposed topic is critical to advancing PTE knowledge and fits the ERP mission.

A defining feature of this award is the required mentorship structure. Each Faculty/PI must name a Career Guide (primary mentor) who is an experienced PTE researcher with a strong track record of funding and publications and a demonstrated commitment to the PI's development into an established PTE investigator. The Career Guide does not need to be at the same institution as the PI, which is especially important for applicants whose home institutions lack PTE expertise or resources. Both the PI and Career Guide are expected to actively participate in Virtual P-TERC activities, including ongoing interactions with the center's Leadership (Director and Deputy Director). Faculty are required to join all professional development and training activities hosted by the Virtual P-TERC, including monthly calls with Leadership. In addition, the PI and Career Guide must attend in-person style multi-day workshops held every two years (biennial), and a one-day workshop in alternating years.

The program is explicitly aimed at independent investigators who are new to PTE research, not strictly limited to early-career researchers. Eligibility is based on being independent while having only a nominal publication and/or funding history in PTE, paired with clear potential to make meaningful contributions to the field. Review will consider the PI's accomplishments and trajectory, their commitment to participating in and benefiting from the Virtual P-TERC environment, and the strength of the mentoring arrangement. A required component is a Career Development and Sustainment Plan, prepared with the Career Guide, that lays out the strategy for gaining the skills, competencies, and professional footing needed to build and maintain an independent, productive PTE research program, including the ability to compete for future funding and manage a research laboratory.

From a research rules standpoint, clinical trials are not allowed. However, the opportunity supports a broad range of non-trial approaches such as preclinical studies in animal models, observational human subjects research, studies using human anatomical substances, and studies using existing datasets. Ancillary studies linked to an existing clinical trial are also allowed. While preliminary data are encouraged, they are not required, but applicants must show evidence that they can execute the chosen traumatic brain injury (TBI) model either in their own lab or via collaborators. Applicants are also encouraged to leverage existing cohort resources and infrastructure, with examples including TRACK-TBI, the TBI Model Systems, and LIMBIC-CENC, particularly when those platforms can accelerate recruitment, data access, or translational relevance.

Impact and real-world relevance are central to how applications are expected to be framed. Proposals should explain both short-term and long-term impact on the PTE field, on patient care, and on people living with PTE. The DOD also requires clear relevance to military health, meaning the work should be applicable to Service Members, Veterans, and their families affected by PTE. Collaboration with military and VA clinicians and researchers is encouraged. The program also strongly signals a preference for research that stays connected to patient and community needs. While not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to consult or partner with people who have lived experience with PTE, families, and care partners, or to work with community-based organizations. The announcement describes several acceptable models for that kind of engagement, including having a lived-experience consultant on the team, partnering with community organizations, or forming a community advisory board, with an emphasis on non-tokenistic, equitable involvement and shared ownership where appropriate.

Methodological rigor is another stated priority. Applicants are expected to design studies that maximize reproducibility and translational value, using accepted best practices such as randomization, blinding, sample size estimation, and transparent data handling. For animal studies in particular, applicants are pointed to the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines and other widely recognized reporting and design standards intended to improve the predictive value of preclinical work.

Administratively, awards are issued as assistance agreements, which can be either a grant or a cooperative agreement depending on how much substantial involvement the DOD anticipates having during the project. That distinction is determined during negotiation, and the final award document will reflect whether the government expects active collaboration or other substantial participation. Financially, the anticipated direct costs for the full period of performance are capped at $500,000 per award. The program planned to commit about $3.2 million total to fund roughly four Faculty Awards. Awards were expected to be made no later than September 30, 2023, and FY22 funds supporting the awards were anticipated to remain available for use through September 30, 2028. The opportunity was listed as open to unrestricted applicant types, subject to any specific clarifications in the full announcement, and was administered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), under CFDA 12.420.

• 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 Epilepsy, Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center Faculty 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 18, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 23, 2022. (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 4 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 22 ERP VIRTUAL P TERC F

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