The DoD is offering the Reconstructive Transplant Investigator-Initiated Research Award to advance military-relevant reconstructive transplant research.

The FY20 RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award is intended to support studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to reconstructive transplant research, patient care, and/or quality of life. Though the RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award mechanism supports groundbreaking research, all projects must demonstrate solid scientific rationale with military-relevant utility. Multi-institutional collaborations among clinicians and research scientists are encouraged. Important aspects of this award mechanism include:

• Study Design and Feasibility: The proposed study design should be clearly described, rigorous, and support maximal reproducibility and translational feasibility. A statistical plan with appropriate power analysis should be included, as applicable.

• Impact: The short- and long-term impact of the proposed research should be clearly articulated. Projects must address at least one of the FY20 RTRP Focus Areas.

• Military Relevance: All projects should be responsive to the healthcare needs of military Service members and/or Veterans recovering from traumatic injury, and/or their family members, caregivers or clinicians, as well as the general public. Collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged.

• Preliminary Data: Observations that drive a research idea may be derived from laboratory discovery, population-based studies, a clinician’s first-hand knowledge of patients, or anecdotal data. Preliminary and/or published data that are relevant to reconstructive transplantation and that support the rationale for the proposed study must be included.

Investigator-Initiated Research Award applications may focus on any phase of research from basic through translational, including preclinical studies in animal models, human subjects, human anatomical substances, as well as correlative studies associated with an existing clinical trial. Clinical trials are not allowed under this funding opportunity. A clinical trial is defined as a research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include placebo or other control) to evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.

Multiple PI Option: The Investigator-Initiated Research Award mechanism includes an option for up to four Principal Investigators (PIs). One PI will be identified as the Initiating PI and will be responsible for the majority of the administrative tasks associated with application submission. The other PI(s) will be identified as Partnering PI(s). Initiating and Partnering PIs will each have different submission requirements, as described in Section II.D.2, Content and Form of the Application Submission; however, all PIs should contribute significantly to the development of the proposed research project, including the Project Narrative, Statement of Work (SOW), and other required components. If recommended for funding, each PI will be named to an individual award within the recipient organization. Multi-institutional collaborations are encouraged.