OpportunityTitle: Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson&apos;s Career Progression Award
Description: Applications to the Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson&#8217;s Research (NETPR) Program are being solicited by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The executing agent for this Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).The NETPR Program was initiated in FY97 to provide support for research of exceptional scientific merit leading to an understanding of the cause, prevention, and treatment of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia nigra that result in Parkinson&#8217;s disease (PD).The mission of the NETPR Program is to:&#183; Identify surrogate markers of PD,&#183; Correlate distinctive clinical features with specific clusters of these markers, and&#183; Develop interventions in bio-molecular pathways that link markers and expressed clinical features in order to prevent or halt progression of the disease or improve the quality of life for PD patients.This funding opportunity is specifically focused on the following Areas of Emphasis for non-motor manifestations in PD (e.g., cognitive impairment, depression, autonomic dysfunction, and sleep disturbance):&#183; Identification of metabolic pathway alterations and/or therapeutic intervention points.&#183; Identification of molecular markers.&#183; Exploration of genetic alterations associated with functional expressions of non-motor manifestations of the sporadic (non-familial) form of PD.Innovative applications not focused on the Areas of Emphasis noted above are acceptable, provided the application:&#183; Addresses the development or progression of one or more non-motor manifestations of PD; and&#183; Provides a strong rationale for relevance to the mission of the NETPR Program. The Depression Research Award mechanism is being offered for the first time in FY15.The intent of the NETPR Program Career Progression Award is to support independent, early-career investigators who have innovative, high-impact ideas or new technologies applicable to PD research and/or patient care. This award provides an opportunity to obtain the funding and experience necessary for productive career progression at the forefront of research specifically on non-motor aspects of PD. Preliminary data to support the feasibility and rationale of the proposed work are required. Any preliminary data provided should be from the laboratory of the PI or collaborators.Key elements of the award mechanism are as follows:&#183; Principal Investigator (PI): The PI&#8217;s record of achievements and the proposed research will be evaluated regarding his/her potential for contributing to the mission of the NETPR Program.&#183; Areas of Emphasis: The proposed research must address at least one of the Areas of Emphasis.&#183; Impact: The application must articulate how the proposed research will lead to the discovery and development of therapeutic interventions and/or lead to an improved quality of life for individuals with non-motor manifestations associated with PD. The research impact is intended to specifically benefit the PD population as well as Service Members and Veterans susceptible to, or living with, PD.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: CDMRP Help Desk
GrantorContactText: 301-682-5507; help@cdmrp.org