DOD FY13 Militarily Relevant Peer Reviewed Alzheimers Disease Convergence Science Research Award | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the DOD FY13 MRPRA Convergence Science Research Award (CSRA)?

The DOD FY13 Militarily Relevant Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Disease (MRPRA) Convergence Science Research Award (CSRA) was a Department of the Army/USAMRAA-funded research opportunity. It focused on the long-term neurological and behavioral consequences that can follow traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in military populations, including risks and outcomes that may resemble or contribute to Alzheimer's-like dementia.

What health problem area was this opportunity trying to address?

This opportunity targeted the concern that service members who experience TBIs may have elevated risk for chronic, long-term conditions. Those conditions can include cognitive decline, memory loss, depression, aggression, and other symptoms that overlap with neurodegenerative or neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's-like dementia.

Why is the focus described as "militarily relevant"?

The intent was to advance research that is scientifically strong and clearly connected to military relevance, reflecting military health needs such as blast exposure and repeated head impacts. At the same time, the work was expected to produce knowledge and tools that could also benefit civilian patients with similar injuries and long-term risks.

What does "convergence science" mean in the context of this award?

The CSRA mechanism emphasized cross-cutting research that bridges disciplines and produces outputs that help the broader research and clinical community move faster on understanding TBI-related neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease risk. The emphasis was not only on discovery, but on building and validating usable resources, methods, and capabilities.

What kinds of project outputs were encouraged under this award?

The announcement emphasized generating practical research resources and enabling capabilities for the field. Examples described include developing and sharing tools, datasets, methods, models, biomarkers, and other types of research infrastructure that health science professionals and practitioners can use. It also included studies that validate research approaches so that findings can be trusted and applied more broadly.

Was this award focused only on basic research?

No. Rather than focusing only on basic discovery, the opportunity emphasized producing practical resources and validated approaches that could accelerate progress across the research and clinical community.

Which MRPRA program priorities did the FY13 CSRA align with?

Funding under the FY13 CSRA was specifically intended to support work aligned to the MRPRA program's Overarching Challenges 1 and 2, as defined in the full program announcement.

What topic areas were explicitly encouraged?

A major area of encouragement was research on susceptibility and risk factors that might explain why some individuals are more likely than others to experience lasting consequences after TBI, including progression toward Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's-like dementia.

What examples of susceptibility or risk factors were mentioned?

The announcement explicitly highlighted interest in studies that consider, characterize, or explore susceptibility factors such as genetic risk markers, neuropsychological profiles, and proteomic indicators.

What was the intended use of research on susceptibility and risk factors?

The purpose was to improve understanding of individual vulnerability and support better screening, stratification, prevention, monitoring, and intervention strategies for those exposed to TBI, particularly in military contexts.

What agency funded this opportunity?

The opportunity was Department of the Army/USAMRAA-funded, under the DOD MRPRA program.

Was this funding offered as a grant, a cooperative agreement, or both?

It was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity through either grants or cooperative agreements.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA was 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

What was the opportunity number?

The opportunity number was W81XWH-13-MRPRA-CSRA.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted on August 21, 2013, and the application closing date was December 16, 2013.

How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding?

The program anticipated making about four awards, with an estimated total funding level of $3,000,000 across those awards.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to a wide range of applicant entity types, subject to any additional clarifications in the full program announcement.

What kinds of military exposures or scenarios were part of the motivating context?

The opportunity highlighted military contexts where blast exposure and repeated head impacts can be significant concerns, and where TBIs may lead to long-term neurological and behavioral consequences.

What was the expected impact of projects funded under this mechanism?

The expected impact was to directly support military health needs while also serving a wider public benefit by improving knowledge and capabilities relevant to civilians who suffer TBIs and may face similar long-term risks.

Who was the point of contact for access issues related to the full announcement?

For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed point of contact was the TATRC Help Desk at programannouncements@tatrc.org.