Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 18 PRARP QUAL
The DoD Peer Reviewed Alzheimer s Quality of Life Research Award (FY18 PRARP QUAL; Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH 18 PRARP QUAL) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity run through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Peer Reviewed Alzheimer s Research Program (PRARP) and administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). Its main goal is to fund research that helps alleviate, stabilize, or better characterize symptoms and functional problems that overlap between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). The DoD is explicitly looking for work that will translate into meaningful impact for military Service members and Veterans, while also benefiting the broader civilian population.
This mechanism supports a wide range of research types, including preclinical, basic, epidemiological, and quality-of-life oriented studies, as long as the work aligns with the PRARP mission and focuses on the TBI to AD/ADRD connection or shared symptom burden. While the title emphasizes quality of life, the scope is broader than purely patient-reported outcomes; it can include studies aimed at understanding why symptoms occur, how they progress after TBI, and what non-drug approaches might reduce day-to-day impairment for affected individuals and their families. A key theme across the opportunity is addressing real-world problems that people experience, such as cognitive and behavioral symptoms, comorbidities that worsen outcomes, and caregiver strain.
Eligibility is relatively open at the institutional level (unrestricted entities may apply), but there is a clear requirement for the Principal Investigator to be at or above the Assistant Professor level (or equivalent). The DoD also expects applicants to demonstrate that the study team has credible experience spanning both TBI research and AD/ADRD research, reflecting the program s interest in integrative work rather than projects that sit entirely in one silo. Preliminary data are not required, but they are encouraged; applicants can draw on the PI s prior publications, internal pilot results, or relevant findings already established in the peer-reviewed literature.
Funding is provided through grants and cooperative agreements under CFDA 12.420 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development). For FY18, the anticipated cap on direct costs for the entire project period is $500,000, with a maximum performance period of three years. The opportunity anticipated making about five awards. The original closing date for this FY18 cycle was October 4, 2018.
Applications must address at least one of the program s Overarching Challenges, which capture the DoD s priority gaps in the field. One major challenge is the paucity of clinical studies that examine how TBI relates to later development of AD/ADRD, including identifying risk factors that might make some individuals more vulnerable after a brain injury. A second challenge centers on quality of life: developing or evaluating technologies, assessments, interventions, or devices that help people living with the shared symptoms or deficits of TBI and AD/ADRD function better. A third challenge is caregiver support, with an emphasis on tools and strategies that improve the lives of caregivers who support individuals with these conditions. A fourth challenge highlights the lack of epidemiological research that clarifies incidence, distribution, and risk patterns linking TBI and later AD/ADRD across military, Veteran, and civilian groups.
In addition to those overarching challenges, applicants are encouraged to align with one or more Focus Areas, which provide concrete lanes for proposed work. Biomarkers research is one focus area, emphasizing strategies to diagnose, predict outcomes, or characterize neurological change or risk after TBI that may relate to later AD/ADRD. This can include fluid biomarkers, imaging approaches, physiological measures, and omics-based methods. A second focus area is quality of life research aimed at alleviating or characterizing shared symptoms or deficits, including practical targets like management of comorbidities and modifiable risk factors (for example sleep apnea or obesity), cognitive training approaches, and broader health, wellness, or behavioral interventions. A third focus area is caregiver support research, such as caregiver training, home-based supports, behavioral programs, and relationship-focused interventions that strengthen caregiving capacity and reduce burden. A fourth focus area is epidemiological research that clarifies population-level patterns and contributing factors for people affected by TBI and subsequent AD/ADRD. The program also calls out nonpharmacological interventions as a focus area, reinforcing that the DoD wants solutions that improve daily function and caregiving without relying on medications.
One of the clearest boundaries in this opportunity is its stance on drug-based studies. Pharmacological interventions are specifically discouraged, and the announcement defines these as clinical research requiring investigational drugs or even FDA-approved drugs or medicines. In practical terms, the program is steering applicants toward non-drug technologies, assessments, behavioral and lifestyle interventions, supportive devices, and observational or mechanistic studies that can explain risk and symptom trajectories, rather than proposing a medication trial.
Overall, this award is designed for teams that can bridge TBI and dementia research and propose feasible, impactful projects within a three-year window and a $500,000 direct-cost limit. Competitive projects would typically make a strong case that they fill a real gap in clinical evidence or epidemiology, or that they deliver a practical quality-of-life or caregiver-focused solution for populations affected by TBI and AD/ADRD, especially in military and Veteran contexts where TBI exposure is a significant concern.Apply for W81XWH 18 PRARP QUAL
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Quality of Life Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 13, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 04, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the DoD Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Quality of Life Research Award (FY18 PRARP QUAL)?
The DoD Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Quality of Life Research Award (FY18 PRARP QUAL; Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH 18 PRARP QUAL) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program (PRARP). It is administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).
What is the main goal of this award?
The main goal is to fund research that helps alleviate, stabilize, or better characterize symptoms and functional problems that overlap between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). The program emphasizes research that can translate into meaningful impact for military Service members and Veterans, while also benefiting the broader civilian population.
How does this opportunity connect TBI and Alzheimer's disease or related dementias?
This opportunity focuses on the connection between TBI and later AD/ADRD, as well as shared symptom burden and functional deficits that occur across both conditions. Projects can address why symptoms occur, how they progress after TBI, and which approaches can reduce day-to-day impairment for affected individuals and their families.
Is this award limited to quality-of-life (QoL) or patient-reported outcomes research?
No. Although the mechanism highlights quality of life, the scope is broader than patient-reported outcomes alone. The opportunity supports research that characterizes symptoms and functional problems, investigates mechanisms and trajectories after TBI, and evaluates non-drug approaches intended to improve daily function and reduce impairment and caregiver strain.
What types of research are supported under this mechanism?
The award supports a wide range of research types, including preclinical, basic, epidemiological, and quality-of-life oriented studies, as long as the work aligns with the PRARP mission and focuses on the TBI to AD/ADRD connection or shared symptom burden.
What kinds of real-world problems is the DoD trying to address through this award?
The opportunity emphasizes addressing practical, real-world issues such as cognitive and behavioral symptoms, comorbidities that worsen outcomes, and caregiver strain. The intent is to fund work that can lead to meaningful improvements in daily function and support needs for individuals affected by TBI and AD/ADRD.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is relatively open at the institutional level (unrestricted entities may apply). However, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be at or above the Assistant Professor level (or equivalent).
Are there specific expectations for the research team's expertise?
Yes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate credible experience spanning both TBI research and AD/ADRD research. The program is interested in integrative projects that bridge these areas rather than work that sits entirely within a single silo.
Is preliminary data required?
No. Preliminary data are not required, but they are encouraged. Applicants may leverage the PI's prior publications, internal pilot results, or relevant findings already established in the peer-reviewed literature.
What is the funding mechanism and CFDA number for this opportunity?
Funding is provided through grants and cooperative agreements under CFDA 12.420 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development).
What is the funding limit for FY18 PRARP QUAL?
For FY18, the anticipated cap on direct costs for the entire project period is $500,000.
What is the maximum performance period (project length)?
The maximum performance period is three years.
How many awards were anticipated for this FY18 cycle?
The opportunity anticipated making about five awards.
What was the original closing date for this funding opportunity?
The original closing date for this FY18 cycle was October 4, 2018.
Do applications need to address specific DoD priorities?
Yes. Applications must address at least one of the program's Overarching Challenges, which represent priority gaps identified by the DoD.
What are the Overarching Challenges applicants can address?
The Overarching Challenges described in the opportunity include: (1) the lack of clinical studies examining how TBI relates to later development of AD/ADRD, including risk factors that increase vulnerability; (2) quality-of-life solutions, such as technologies, assessments, interventions, or devices that help people function better with shared symptoms/deficits; (3) caregiver support tools and strategies to improve caregivers' lives; and (4) insufficient epidemiological research clarifying incidence, distribution, and risk patterns linking TBI and later AD/ADRD across military, Veteran, and civilian groups.
What are the Focus Areas mentioned in the opportunity?
Applicants are encouraged to align with one or more Focus Areas, including: biomarkers research; quality-of-life research targeting shared symptoms/deficits and modifiable risk factors; caregiver support research; epidemiological research clarifying population-level patterns and contributing factors; and nonpharmacological interventions.
What does the biomarkers Focus Area include?
The biomarkers Focus Area emphasizes strategies to diagnose, predict outcomes, or characterize neurological change or risk after TBI that may relate to later AD/ADRD. Examples of approaches described include fluid biomarkers, imaging, physiological measures, and omics-based methods.
What does the quality-of-life Focus Area include?
This Focus Area includes research aimed at alleviating or characterizing shared symptoms or deficits and includes practical targets such as management of comorbidities and modifiable risk factors (for example sleep apnea or obesity), cognitive training approaches, and broader health, wellness, or behavioral interventions.
What does the caregiver support Focus Area include?
The caregiver support Focus Area includes work such as caregiver training, home-based supports, behavioral programs, and relationship-focused interventions intended to strengthen caregiving capacity and reduce caregiver burden.
What does the epidemiological Focus Area include?
The epidemiological Focus Area emphasizes research that clarifies incidence, distribution, and risk patterns linking TBI and later AD/ADRD across military, Veteran, and civilian groups, and identifies contributing factors at a population level.
Are nonpharmacological interventions specifically encouraged?
Yes. The program calls out nonpharmacological interventions as a focus area and reinforces that the DoD is seeking solutions that improve daily function and caregiving without relying on medications.
Are drug-based or pharmacological studies allowed?
Pharmacological interventions are specifically discouraged. The announcement describes pharmacological interventions as clinical research requiring investigational drugs or even FDA-approved drugs or medicines. The program is steering applicants toward non-drug technologies, assessments, behavioral and lifestyle interventions, supportive devices, and observational or mechanistic studies.
If pharmacological interventions are discouraged, what kinds of projects appear better aligned?
Based on the stated emphasis, better-aligned projects would typically focus on non-drug technologies and devices, assessments, behavioral and lifestyle interventions, caregiver supports, biomarker or mechanistic studies, and epidemiological or clinical evidence-building related to risk and symptom trajectories after TBI that connect to AD/ADRD.
What populations does the DoD most want this research to impact?
The opportunity explicitly prioritizes meaningful impact for military Service members and Veterans, while also supporting benefits to the broader civilian population.
What makes a project a good fit for this award, based on the description?
A strong fit is a feasible, impactful project that bridges TBI and AD/ADRD research, addresses at least one Overarching Challenge, and can be completed within a three-year period and a $500,000 direct-cost cap. The description suggests that competitive projects often fill a real gap in clinical evidence or epidemiology, or deliver a practical quality-of-life or caregiver-focused solution for affected populations, particularly in military and Veteran contexts where TBI exposure is a significant concern.
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