DoD Epilepsy, Longitudinal Risk Factors Award | W81XWH 18 ERP LRFA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 18 ERP LRFA

The DoD Epilepsy, Longitudinal Risk Factors Award (FY18 ERP LRFA; opportunity number W81XWH 18 ERP LRFA) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity aimed at improving understanding of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) that develops after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The core purpose is to fund one large-scale, prospective, longitudinal epidemiological study that follows a defined group of people over time to better characterize how PTE emerges, progresses, and affects patients. The program is positioned to generate evidence that is relevant to military Service members, Veterans, and civilians, reflecting the DoD interest in TBI-related long-term neurological outcomes.

A central expectation is that applicants clearly explain how they will assess and characterize the relationship between TBI and later PTE in their chosen cohort. That includes detailing the types and nature of TBIs represented in the study population (for example, severity, mechanism of injury, and relevant clinical features) and describing how the study will capture the onset and course of epilepsy after injury. The opportunity specifically encourages designs that look at the natural evolution of post-traumatic epileptogenesis rather than short-term snapshots, which means tracking participants long enough to observe meaningful outcomes and changes over time.

The required focus area is longitudinal studies of the natural history of PTE, and applications are expected to align tightly with that scope. Examples of high-priority outcomes include seizure frequency and severity, comorbidities that often travel with epilepsy (such as depression, sleep disorders, functional impairments, or other major illnesses), the latency period between the initial injury and development of PTE, mortality, treatment patterns or treatment response as observed in real-world care (not a trial), and overall quality of life for individuals living with PTE. Proposals that fall outside this longitudinal focus are strongly discouraged, signaling that reviewers will prioritize studies that directly map how PTE unfolds over time and what factors influence that trajectory.

Methodologically, the announcement encourages teams to evaluate the feasibility and value of combining multiple kinds of outcome measures, such as neuropsychological testing, imaging, and genomic data, alongside clinical and epidemiologic variables. Because this kind of work often requires diverse expertise and infrastructure, interdisciplinary research teams and multi-site consortia are explicitly encouraged. The aim is to support a comprehensive, data-rich approach that can reveal risk factors and patterns that might be missed by studies relying on a single measurement type.

This mechanism is built for groups that are ready to execute quickly with a well-defined population. Preliminary data are required, and applicants must have expedited access to an already identified, suitable cohort that can support the study hypotheses. In practical terms, this favors investigators who already have a cohort assembled or have firm agreements and pathways to access an existing cohort (for example, established registries, healthcare systems, or longitudinal datasets) rather than those proposing to spend much of the award period building a cohort from scratch.

The application process includes several specific components tied to the longitudinal nature of the work. Applicants must submit a Preproposal Narrative, and they must also include a Longitudinal Studies Research Statement that addresses how the project will function as a longitudinal study (for example, follow-up schedule, retention strategy, outcome ascertainment over time, and handling of missing data). A statistical plan is required, along with identification of personnel appropriately qualified to carry it out, underscoring that the program expects rigorous, well-powered epidemiological analysis and careful longitudinal modeling.

Funding is provided as an assistance agreement, meaning the award will be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement depending on how much DoD involvement is anticipated during the project. If substantial involvement by the DoD is expected (such as collaboration or participation in the research), the mechanism would be a cooperative agreement; if not, a standard grant would be used. The anticipated direct costs for the full period of performance are capped at $2.5 million, and the maximum project period is 4 years. The funding opportunity lists an expected number of awards of 1, reinforcing that this call is intended to support a single major effort rather than many smaller projects.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broadly open to organizations, with the key investigator requirement that the named Principal Investigator be at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent). The sponsoring office is within the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA), and the activity category is research and development under CFDA 12.420. The opportunity was originally posted June 11, 2018, with an original closing date of October 4, 2018.

Finally, the announcement draws clear boundaries around what it does not want to fund. Animal research is not intended under this mechanism, and research centered on interventional clinical trials, particularly pharmacological interventions, is strongly discouraged. The program is instead oriented toward observational, real-world, longitudinal characterization of risk factors and outcomes in humans, with the end goal of clarifying how PTE develops after TBI and what measurable factors shape its course.

• 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 Epilepsy, Longitudinal Risk Factors 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 11, 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 1 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 W81XWH 18 ERP LRFA

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