U.S. CDMRP – Epilepsy Research Program | Research Funding

Through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), the Department of Defense is announcing the 2024 Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) Awards. Several award programs are available:

• The Leveraging Research Awards intent is to to support research that leverages ongoing or completed research studies for which PTE was not an original focus and to provide support to expand the research to develop such a focus and increase our understanding of PTE. The project may include basic, translational, and/or clinical research studies.
   
• The Idea Development Award supports novel, innovative research that has the potential to increase our understanding of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) to improve quality of life, especially in Service Members, Veterans, and/or their care partners. The work should innovatively challenge existing research paradigms or exhibit high levels of creativity
   
• The Research Partnering Award aims to create an avenue to support new or existing collaborative research partnerships between/among investigators to address a research problem or question in a manner that would be unachievable through separate efforts. It is expected that investigators utilize their distinct but complementary perspectives to synergistically address a central problem or question critical to PTE research and those living with PTE, their families, and/or their care partners.
   
• The Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (P-TERC) Faculty Award is looking for Faculty members to join the Virtual Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Research Center (P-TERC) in order to advance PTE research through development of early-career investigators and investigators new to the PTE field. The ERP Virtual P-TERC is a unique, interactive virtual research center providing intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for new PTE investigators. The overarching goal of the Virtual P-TERC is to develop successful, highly productive PTE researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment to enhance quality and expand quantity of the PTE research field

• Leveraging Research: $500,000
• Idea Development: $450,000 to $650,000
• Research Partnership: max. $1.2M
• P-TERC: $525,000

• Leveraging Research: 3 years
• Idea Development: 3 years
• Research Partnership: 3 years
• P-TERC: 3 years

• 5 June 2024, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

• 20 June 2024, 11:59 p.m Eastern Time

• To find the full program announcements and to start your pre-application see here
• A useful summary each call can be found here
• For questions about the eBRAP or Grants.gov platforms, contact the Research Office.
• Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Numbers:
  • Leveraging Research Award: HT942524ERPLRA
  • Idea Development Award: HT942524ERPIDA
  • Research Partnership Award: HT942524ERPRPA
  • (P-TERC): HT942524ERPVPTERCF

• Markers and Mechanisms: Identifying biomarkers or mechanisms of PTE, which may include the following:
  • Predictive biomarkers of epileptogenesis (acute and chronic)
  • Research into the prevention of epilepsy and/or seizures
• Epidemiology: Epidemiological characterization of PTE following TBI, which may include the following:
  • Understanding and improving the quality of life of individuals with PTE, their families, and/or their care partners
  • Predictors of the development of epilepsy
  • Outcomes, including latency to and prevention of epilepsy, comorbidities, and mortality
• Longitudinal Studies: Studies of the evolution of PTE, which may include the following:
  • Understanding and improving the quality of life of individuals with PTE, their families, and/or their care partners
  • Treatment and health care outcomes research, including quality of care
  • Comorbidities (e.g., psychiatric disorders, cognitive/physical deficits, sleep disorders, fatigue)
• Innovative Research: Tools intended to better inform or improve upon PTE research and care, which may include the following:
  • Strategies that will improve seizure detection, characterization, visualization, or diagnosis (e.g., artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, clinical databases, devices, tissue banks)
  • Development of new models or better characterization of existing etiologically relevant models for PTE