DoD FY15 Reconstructive Transplant Research (RTR) Concept Award | Apply Online

DoD FY15 Reconstructive Transplant Research (RTR) Concept Award - FAQs

1) What is the DoD FY15 Reconstructive Transplant Research (RTR) Concept Award?

The RTR Concept Award is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity created to jumpstart bold, early-stage ideas in reconstructive transplantation research. It is designed to support highly innovative concepts or untested theories that address important problems in reconstructive transplantation, including vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) such as hand or face transplantation.

2) What makes this award different from a traditional research grant?

This mechanism is intentionally positioned as a high-risk, high-reward entry point. It prioritizes genuinely novel ideas that could open new research directions, rather than proposals that incrementally extend an already established line of work.

3) Who released and managed this funding opportunity?

The opportunity was released under the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA) Directorate and was solicited by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). Execution and day-to-day program management were handled through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

4) Which program provided strategic oversight for this award?

Strategic oversight sat with Joint Program Committee 8 (JPC-8), the Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program. This reflects an emphasis on clinically relevant innovations that can improve care and recovery for patients who may benefit from reconstructive transplant approaches.

5) What is the main purpose of the RTR Concept Award?

The central purpose is to support exploration of a highly innovative new concept or an untested theory that tackles an important problem in reconstructive transplantation (RT). The intent is to seed unconventional approaches with potentially transformative impact, even when outcomes are uncertain.

6) Does the award support incremental research or extensions of existing projects?

Based on the description provided, the program emphasis is on ideas that open entirely new research directions. It is not aimed at proposals that simply extend or logically continue an already-established line of work.

7) What research topics were considered responsive to the RTR Concept Award?

To be responsive, applications needed to address at least one of the program Focus Areas, which include immune system regulation, improved access to reconstructive transplantation, reconstructive transplantation rehabilitation, graft surveillance and clinical monitoring, and psychosocial issues associated with VCA.

8) What does "immune system regulation" mean in this program context?

In this opportunity, immune system regulation includes topics such as improving tolerance or reducing rejection without overly toxic immunosuppression.

9) What kinds of projects fit under "improved access to reconstructive transplantation"?

Improved access can include logistical, clinical, technological, or systems-level barriers that limit the availability of reconstructive transplantation.

10) What is included in "reconstructive transplantation rehabilitation"?

This Focus Area addresses optimizing functional recovery and long-term outcomes for reconstructive transplant recipients.

11) What is meant by "graft surveillance and clinical monitoring"?

This Focus Area includes better ways to detect rejection, complications, or graft health trends earlier and more accurately.

12) What psychosocial issues associated with VCA were within scope?

The opportunity recognizes psychosocial issues associated with VCA, including mental health, identity, quality of life, adherence, and broader social reintegration challenges that can accompany complex, visible transplants.

13) Is the program limited to surgical technique research only?

No. The Focus Areas indicate the program values a wide range of research, including immunology, monitoring technologies, rehabilitation science, and patient-centered psychosocial research, not only surgical techniques.

14) When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?

The opportunity was posted on July 23, 2015. The application deadline was October 14, 2015. The archive date was November 13, 2015.

15) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is W81XWH-15-RTR-CA.

16) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under CFDA 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

17) What types of funding instruments were available?

The instrument types listed for this opportunity include a cooperative agreement and a grant.

18) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity.

19) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to applicant organization types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

20) How many awards were expected, and what was the total estimated funding?

The program anticipated making about 12 awards, supported by an estimated total funding level of $1.8 million. This suggests relatively modest, concept-testing budgets consistent with early exploration rather than large-scale clinical trials.

21) Where could applicants get help with the announcement or application process?

Applicants could contact the CDMRP Help Desk for assistance accessing the full announcement or navigating the process at 301-682-5507 or help@cdmrp.org.

22) What is the overall goal of the RTR Concept Award program?

Overall, the RTR Concept Award was designed to seed novel, unconventional approaches that could significantly shift how reconstructive transplantation is made safer, more accessible, better monitored, and more effective in restoring both function and quality of life.