DoD Multiple Sclerosis, Early Investigator Research Award | HT942524MSRPEIRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT942524MSRPEIRA

The Department of Defense Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) Early Investigator Research Award (EIRA) is a discretionary grant opportunity designed to help postdoctoral-level researchers launch or accelerate a career in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. The core purpose is twofold: to fund an MS-focused research project that addresses recognized needs in the MS community and to deliberately support the applicant's growth into an independent MS investigator through structured mentorship and a tailored professional development plan. A defining feature of this mechanism is that the early-career researcher is the Principal Investigator (PI) and is expected to author the application materials, using mentor input for guidance rather than having mentors drive the writing.

The PI for this award is specifically the postdoctoral investigator, and the program is looking for clear evidence of strong potential and long-term commitment to becoming a leader in MS research. Importantly, prior MS-specific experience is not required, which makes the award especially relevant to promising researchers transitioning into MS from adjacent fields (for example, immunology, neuroscience, bioinformatics, or vascular biology). Even without an MS track record, the PI needs to make a credible case that their background, motivation, and proposed training path will position them to contribute meaningfully to the MS field.

Mentorship is not optional. Each application must name at least one Mentor with demonstrated MS research and mentoring experience, supported by indicators such as active research funding, recent publications, and a history of successful trainees. The opportunity allows the primary Mentor to be junior faculty, but in that situation the PI is encouraged to add a secondary Mentor who brings a stronger and more established record in MS research and mentorship. Across the mentoring team, reviewers are looking for genuine commitment to the PI's transition toward independence, meaning the mentors should not only advise on experiments but also support career development, networking, and the steps needed to establish the PI as an emerging MS researcher.

A required element is an individualized MS-focused Researcher Development Plan. This plan should clearly explain what skills, technical competencies, and domain expertise the PI still needs and exactly how they will acquire them during the award period. It should connect the PI's training activities directly to successful execution of the proposed research project while also building the foundation for future independent work. The application must also describe the research and mentoring environment, including facilities, intellectual community, and access to needed expertise. If the PI's home institution lacks certain resources or mentoring capacity, the program explicitly allows those gaps to be addressed through collaborations with other institutions. When a project depends substantially on resources at a collaborating institution, the PI is strongly encouraged to name a secondary Mentor at that partner site to ensure consistent oversight and access.

The research project itself must be MS-focused and aligned with the FY24 MSRP EIRA Focus Areas, with an emphasis on addressing critical needs of the MS community. Applications are expected to show a well-developed scientific rationale, a thoughtful and in-depth analysis of the problem, and a research design with clearly defined feasibility. Reviewers will expect a concrete plan for achieving the project goals, not just broad aims. Applicants must also describe anticipated short-term outcomes and explain how those results will serve as a platform for future studies, along with anticipated long-term gains such as improving understanding of MS biology, informing therapeutic development, enhancing patient care, or ultimately improving quality of life for people living with MS.

Some focus areas and methodologies come with additional compliance expectations. For projects under the "Correlates of Disease Activity and Progression in MS" focus area, the application must demonstrate access to the necessary specimens and/or cohort data, supported through documentation such as letters confirming access (referenced in the opportunity as Attachment 10). For projects involving animal models of MS, applicants are expected to choose models carefully and justify why the selected model(s) are relevant to the specific aspect of human MS being studied. An Animal Research Plan is required, and the justification should make clear how the animal work will translate into insights that matter for human disease rather than relying on a generic model-by-default approach.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The funding instrument is a grant under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with CFDA number 12.420. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted. The funding opportunity number is HT942524MSRPEIRA. The original closing date shown is October 7, 2024, and the program anticipates making about five awards. The listing includes an award ceiling field, but the specific ceiling amount is not provided in the text you shared, so applicants would need to confirm the maximum budget and other financial constraints in the full solicitation package.

• The Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Multiple Sclerosis, Early Investigator 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 2024-04-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-07. (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.

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