DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator Initiated Research Award | Apply Online

FAQs: DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator Initiated Research Award (IIRA)

What is the DoD Spinal Cord Injury Investigator Initiated Research Award (IIRA)?

The IIRA is a funding opportunity under the Department of Defense (DoD) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP), administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It supports investigator-driven spinal cord injury (SCI) research intended to make a meaningful contribution to SCI science and/or patient care, with a clear emphasis on relevance to military populations.

What is the main purpose of the IIRA?

The purpose is to fund innovative SCI research that aligns with an SCIRP "Area of Encouragement" and directly addresses the health and care needs of military Service members, Veterans, and/or their family members and caregivers. A key requirement is a convincing, explicit explanation of military relevance.

Who is the award intended to benefit?

The award emphasizes research that addresses the needs of military Service members and Veterans affected by SCI, and it also recognizes relevance to their family members and caregivers when tied to the stated military relevance requirements.

How important is “military relevance” in the application?

Military relevance is central. Every application must explicitly and convincingly explain military relevance; it is not sufficient to include a general or generic statement. The opportunity also encourages engagement with military researchers and clinicians to ensure the work is grounded in real-world issues from military and VA settings.

How competitive is this funding opportunity?

The program reports that since the mechanism began in FY09, it received 162 applications and recommended 32 for funding. This suggests a competitive award that prioritizes strong rationale, feasibility, and compelling potential impact.

What types of SCI research are allowed under this award?

The scientific scope is intentionally broad and can support studies across the pipeline, including basic and mechanistic research and translational efforts. The solicitation allows preclinical research (including animal models), human subjects studies (with restrictions), and correlative studies linked to an existing clinical trial (for example, biomarker or mechanistic analyses connected to a trial already underway).

Are studies involving animal models allowed?

Yes. Preclinical research using animal models is specifically included within the allowable scope.

Are studies involving human subjects allowed?

Yes. Studies involving human subjects are allowed, but the award does not permit clinical trials (as defined in the announcement).

Are studies involving human anatomical substances allowed?

Yes. The solicitation states that studies involving human anatomical substances are allowed, subject to the award’s overall rules (including the prohibition on clinical trials).

Are clinical trials allowed under the IIRA?

No. Clinical trials are not permitted under this award mechanism.

How does the announcement define a “clinical trial”?

A clinical trial is defined as prospective enrollment of human subjects where an intervention is tested for outcomes related to safety, effectiveness, or efficacy. Interventions may include (but are not limited to) drugs, devices, biologics, surgery, rehabilitation modalities, behavioral interventions, or similar approaches.

If I want to run a clinical trial, what should I do instead?

Applicants intending to conduct a clinical trial are directed to the SCIRP Clinical Trial Award mechanism referenced in the announcement.

Can the IIRA support correlative research connected to an existing clinical trial?

Yes. Correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial are listed as allowable (for example, biomarker or mechanistic analyses linked to a trial that is already underway), as long as the proposed work itself is not a clinical trial under the stated definition.

Is preliminary or published data required?

Yes. The application must include preliminary or published data relevant to SCI and the proposed project. Proposals should not be purely speculative and need to show a credible foundation for success.

Where can strong SCI research ideas come from under this solicitation?

The solicitation recognizes that promising SCI ideas may originate from laboratory discoveries, population-based findings, direct clinical observations, or anecdotal patterns that are then tested rigorously, provided the proposal remains evidence-based and includes relevant preliminary or published SCI data.

Does the IIRA encourage collaboration?

Yes. The award strongly encourages multidisciplinary collaboration across academia, clinical practice, industry, the military Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies. Collaboration with early-career investigators in the SCI field is also encouraged.

What is the optional “Qualified Collaborator” component?

It is an optional component that supports a substantive, multidisciplinary collaboration. While multiple collaborators can participate in a project overall, only one collaborator can be designated as the “Qualified Collaborator” for this specific option.

How many collaborators can be designated as the “Qualified Collaborator” under this option?

Only one collaborator can be designated under the specific “Qualified Collaborator” option, even if additional collaborators are involved in other capacities.

What documentation is required for the Qualified Collaborator option?

The Principal Investigator must submit a formal Statement of Collaboration identifying the collaborator and explaining how the collaboration meets program criteria. The collaborator must also provide a biographical sketch and a letter describing their role in the project.

What makes a collaboration “substantive” for Qualified Collaborator purposes?

The collaboration is expected to rely on complementary expertise, with the collaborator contributing in a way that is essential to accomplishing the work. The solicitation explicitly states that simply providing samples or access to patients is insufficient to qualify for the higher funding level associated with this option.

Is there a minimum effort requirement for the Qualified Collaborator?

Yes. The Qualified Collaborator must commit at least a 10% level of effort, and that commitment should be reflected in the budget.

Does the Qualified Collaborator need to be independent?

Yes. The collaborator must be in an independent position with the freedom to pursue research goals without formal mentorship, indicating the relationship is intended to be a peer collaboration rather than a trainee-mentor arrangement.

What kind of award is this (grant, contract, etc.)?

The opportunity is offered as a grant/cooperative agreement under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

How many awards are expected to be made?

The announcement indicates an expectation of 10 awards.

What is the estimated total funding level for this opportunity?

The estimated total funding level is $7,440,000.

Is cost sharing required?

No. Cost sharing is not required.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA listing provided is 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications described in the full announcement.

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

The opportunity was posted on May 24, 2013. The original and current closing date is October 16, 2013. The archive date is November 15, 2013.

Where can applicants find additional guidance on clinical trials versus clinical research?

Additional guidance is referenced as being available through a Human Subject Resource Document on the CDMRP eReceipt system.

Who can I contact for access issues or submission support?

The contact listed is the CDMRP Help Desk at 301-682-5507.