DoD Toxic Exposures Translational Research Partnership Award

The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), is offering the FY25 Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) Translational Research Partnership Award (TRPA). This opportunity is managed by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) and administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The TRPA is designed to support collaborative translational research aimed at transforming military-related toxic exposure research into practical clinical applications such as healthcare products, interventions, technologies, and clinical practice guidelines. The FY25 TERP TRPA seeks applications from new or existing interdisciplinary teams that include at least two to three Principal Investigators (PIs). Each PI must play a distinct and substantive role, and partnerships should bridge clinicians and research scientists to drive clinical relevance. The research must integrate basic and clinical science to demonstrate a reciprocal exchange of ideas. Proposals must also address at least one of five Program Goals—ranging from predicting and preventing toxic exposures to developing therapeutics—and align with at least one of four defined Topic Areas, including Gulf War Illness and neurotoxin exposure. Approximately $4.48 million is expected to be available in FY25 to fund up to two TRPA awards, each with a funding ceiling of $2.24 million in total costs over a maximum three-year performance period. Awards will be made no later than September 30, 2026, and all funds must be obligated by September 30, 2031. This program does not allow for clinical trials but does support clinical research, including correlative studies. Direct costs may include subject compensation, travel for collaboration, and costs supporting multi-institutional efforts. Travel is restricted to one scientific meeting annually per investigator. Applicants must be from eligible organizations such as academic institutions, non-profits, for-profits, or federal agencies, including foreign entities. PIs must be independent investigators at any career level, excluding mentored roles like postdoctoral fellows. Organizations must be registered in SAM.gov and eBRAP. The two-step application process requires submission of a pre-application through eBRAP by July 29, 2025, followed by an invitation-only full application through Grants.gov (extramural) or eBRAP (intramural) by October 16, 2025. The peer review process will occur in December 2025, followed by a programmatic review in February 2026. Applications must demonstrate translational potential, articulate current field status, expected progress, and next steps, and explain potential impact on military and civilian populations. Proposals should include preliminary data and may use human subjects, biospecimens, or datasets, with strong encouragement to utilize military or Veteran populations. Including a military or Veteran consumer advocate on the research team is also encouraged. Studies involving animals must follow ARRIVE guidelines, and justification is needed for model choice. Use of VA or DOD resources is encouraged but must be accompanied by documentation. All proposals are assessed for scientific merit, impact, translational potential, feasibility, and partnership quality. Successful applicants will receive individual awards, with each PI subject to separate reporting and regulatory compliance. The grant requires compliance with DoD R&D terms and includes post-award reporting obligations such as annual progress updates and a final transition plan.