DOD Toxic Exposures, Investigator-Initiated Research Award | HT9425 23 TERP IIRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT9425 23 TERP IIRA

The Department of Defense Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA), funding opportunity number HT9425 23 TERP IIRA, is a discretionary federal research funding opportunity administered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It is designed to fund investigator-driven projects that meaningfully advance scientific understanding and/or improve patient care for diseases or health conditions linked to military-related toxic exposures. In practical terms, the program is looking for research that can make an important, defensible contribution to the evidence base around exposure-related illness in military populations, whether that contribution is mechanistic insight, improved detection, risk stratification, or steps toward better prevention and treatment.

The scope of supported work is broad and intentionally flexible, covering virtually the full research pipeline. Proposed studies can range from basic laboratory research (for example, foundational biology or toxicology related to exposure and disease mechanisms) through translational efforts that aim to bridge lab findings into clinically relevant applications. The solicitation explicitly allows preclinical studies, including work in animal models, as well as human subjects research. It also supports correlative studies tied to an existing clinical trial, which typically means leveraging trial samples or data to evaluate biomarkers, pathways, exposure signatures, or other relationships that can explain outcomes or guide future interventions. The opportunity also notes that New Approach Methodologies may be used, signaling openness to modern experimental and analytical approaches that can improve relevance, reduce reliance on traditional animal testing where appropriate, or strengthen causal inference and predictability.

Awards may be made through either grants or cooperative agreements. A grant generally provides funding with standard oversight, while a cooperative agreement typically involves more substantial involvement from the sponsoring agency during the project period, such as collaboration on milestones, reporting, or coordination. The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the listing is associated with CFDA number 12.420. The posting indicates an expected number of awards of about nine, suggesting a competitive program with a limited set of funded projects selected for impact and alignment with TERP priorities.

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to many types of applicant organizations, subject to any clarifications that may appear in the full eligibility text of the announcement. This usually means universities, nonprofits, for-profits, and other research entities may be able to apply, assuming they meet standard federal and DoD requirements and any opportunity-specific conditions.

Key dates in the posting show it was created on July 7, 2023, with an original closing date of October 4, 2023. The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the summary fields, which often indicates that the maximum award amount is either not specified in that particular database field or is described elsewhere in the full announcement rather than as a single fixed cap. Overall, the IIRA is positioned as a flexible mechanism for researchers to propose high-value, exposure-focused studies with clear relevance to military health and the potential to translate into better clinical understanding or care for affected populations.

• 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 Toxic Exposures, Investigator-Initiated 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 Jul 07, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 04, 2023. (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 9 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.

Apply for HT9425 23 TERP IIRA

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