Funding-DoD FY2010 Genetic Studies of Food Allergies Funding Opportunities; May 27, 2010

The Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Appropriation included $1.875 million for the Genetic Studies of Food Allergies Research Program (GSFARP) of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).  The GSFARP has released the following program announcements planned for Fiscal Year 2010:

1. Concept Award

2. Idea Award

Please forward to bio-life, immunology, dietetic, genetics, epidemiological, and pre-clinical research  scientists considering food allergy research funding at the University of Kentucky. You may disseminate this information to the widest possible audience using links, list serves, funding websites, newsletters, and forwarding this e-mail. 

Full Program Announcements, Application Instructions and deadlines are available on the CDMRP website: http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/gsfarp.htm . The Synopsis Table with deadlines is also on the website: http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/pdf/10gsfarpreftable.pdf.

DoD Fiscal Year 2010 Genetic Studies of Food Allergies Research Program: 

The FY10 GSFARP challenges the scientific and clinical communities to submit original ideas that foster new directions in basic science or translational research, or novel product development leading to improved therapeutic or diagnostic tools. The GSFARP seeks applications in laboratory, clinical, and epidemiologic research. Interdisciplinary and integrative approaches are welcomed.

Award Mechanism Summaries:

1. The GSFARP Concept Award supports the exploration of a highly innovative new concept or untested theory that addresses an important problem relevant to the genetics of food allergies. Innovation and novelty of the concept are the most important aspects of this award mechanism. The Concept Award is not intended to support a logical progression of an already established research project, but instead, supports high-risk studies that have the potential to reveal entirely new avenues for investigation. Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities. This may include high-risk, potentially high-gain approaches to genetic research focused on food allergies, provided that the scientific rationale supports the feasibility and development of the proposed concept.

Inclusion of preliminary data is strongly discouraged. This award is not intended to support ongoing work; therefore, the existence and presentation of preliminary data suggests that the proposed research would be more appropriately submitted to the FY10 GSFARP Idea Award mechanism described in #2, below.

Interesting aspects of the GSFARP Concept Award include:  new award mechanism for FY2010; open to all investigators; reviewers will be blinded to the identity of the PI, collaborators, and their organizations; the Application Project Narrative is limited to one (1) page.  Maximum funding is $75,000 in direct costs as well as appropriate indirect costs for a period not to exceed one (1) year.

2. The GSFARP Idea Award is designed to support innovative ideas and high-impact approaches relevant to the genetics of food allergies. This award mechanism is designed to support new ideas, not ideas that are extensions of existing work. Applications should have a high probability of revealing new avenues of investigation. Research projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale.

Clinical trials are not allowed. Research involving human subject use is permitted under this funding opportunity, but is restricted to studies without clinical trials. In general, a clinical trial is defined as a prospective study in which an intervention (e.g., device, drug, behavioral, surgical procedure, or other) is tested on human subjects for a measurable outcome. The FY10 GSFARP is not offering an award mechanism that will support clinical trials.

The GSFARP seeks applications from all areas of basic, preclinical, and epidemiological research. The following are significant features of this award mechanism:  Innovation, Impact and Preliminary Data.  Please refer to Page 2, Paragraph B of the full Program Announcement for additional information on these significant features.

Interesting aspects of the GSFARP Idea Award include:  new award mechanism for FY2010; open to investigators at or above the level of an Assistant Professor (or equivalent); maximum funding is $300,000 in direct costs as well as appropriate indirect costs for a period not to exceed three (3) years.

Award Mechanism Deadlines:

· Required Pre-Applications (including one page Letter of Intent Narrative) are submitted through http://cdmrp.org and are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 27, 2010.

· Applications are submitted through www.grants.gov and are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 10, 2010.

For more information, please visit the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs website: http://cdmrp.army.mil.

Dorsey DuPont and Gail Whitehead

Public Affairs

Department of Defense

USAMRMC, CDMRP

Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5024

301-619-9783