DOD, Spinal Cord Injury, Translational Research Award | HT9425 23 SCIRP TRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT9425 23 SCIRP TRA

The Department of Defense Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) is a funding opportunity focused on speeding the path from promising spinal cord injury (SCI) research findings to real-world clinical use. The central aim is to support projects that actively bridge basic and clinical science so that therapies, devices, and practice approaches can move closer to benefiting people with SCI. Rather than treating translation as a simple, linear "bench to bedside" process, the program emphasizes a two-way exchange where clinical needs and observations inform laboratory work, and laboratory advances feed back into clinically meaningful testing and development.

This award supports translational studies that can include, but are not limited to, preclinical demonstration work on pharmaceuticals or medical devices and clinical research using human tissues, human anatomical substances, or other human-derived resources. Applicants are expected to frame their proposal within the translational landscape by clearly explaining three specific points: where the SCI field currently stands for the targeted problem, what concrete advance the field will gain if the proposed work succeeds, and what the logical next step will be after the project ends (for example, a refined device iteration, a larger trial, or a validated protocol ready for broader adoption). A key expectation is that the project is not purely exploratory; applications must include preliminary and/or published data directly relevant to SCI that provide credible support for the proposed approach and justify why the work is ready for this stage of translation.

The FY23 TRA mechanism allows a wide range of study types, including preclinical animal research and/or clinical research involving human subjects. Animal studies are optional, not required, but if included they must be justified carefully, including a clear explanation of why the chosen model is appropriate and how it connects to human SCI biology or clinical presentation. The award can also fund ancillary or companion studies linked to an ongoing or completed clinical trial, as well as projects aimed at improving how future SCI clinical trials are designed, such as work that strengthens endpoints, feasibility, recruitment strategies, or implementation details that will make later-stage trials more efficient and informative.

A notable feature is that the TRA can support a pilot clinical trial as one component of the overall project when limited human testing is necessary to determine feasibility or to guide refinement of an intervention or device. These pilot trials are expected to be small and to represent only part of the statement of work, functioning as a stepping stone rather than the entire program of research. The opportunity allows alternatives to traditional randomized trial designs when they better fit the purpose of early testing, as long as the design is well matched to the study objectives. For pilot trials, the program particularly encourages decentralized clinical trial strategies, meaning the use of virtual or remote tools for recruitment, participant communication, and data collection when appropriate. At the same time, proposals that are entirely clinical trials, or that bundle multiple pilot clinical trials as the full scope of work, may be administratively withdrawn, signaling that the program is looking for integrated translational packages rather than stand-alone clinical testing.

Administratively, this FY23 opportunity (HT9425 23 SCIRP TRA) is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA. It is listed under CFDA 12.420 and uses grant and cooperative agreement funding instruments. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement. The posting indicates an expected five awards, with an award ceiling shown as 0 in the source record (typically meaning applicants must consult the full funding announcement for budget limits or that limits may vary by project scope). The opportunity was created March 30, 2023, with an original application 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, Translational 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 5 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 TRA

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