FY11 Peer Reviewed Vision Program Announcement

The US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) is soliciting research that targets the causes, effects and treatment of eye damage, visual deficits due to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and diseases that, despite their different mechanisms and pathogenesis, all have a common end result: degeneration of the critical components of the eye and impairment or loss of vision. The results of this research are intended to be used for restoration and maintaining of visual function to ensure and sustain combat readiness. Basic, translational and clinical research efforts are sought to ensure that results of scientific research will be used to directly benefit the lives of military, veteran and civilian populations.

Timelines for each of the two announcements are as follows:

• Pre-application Submission Deadline: 5:00 pm Eastern time (ET), September 15, 2011
• Invitation to Submit an Application: October 21, 2011
• Application Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET, December 15, 2011
• Scientific Peer Review: January, 2012
• Programmatic Review: March, 2012
• Funding/Not Funding Notification Letters: April, 2012

This funding opportunity invites proposals for research in a number of critical topic areas:

• Inadequate vision rehabilitation strategies and quality of life measures.
• Inadequate vision restoration.
• Inadequate mitigation and treatment of traumatic injuries, war-related injuries, and diseases to ocular structures and the visual system.
• Inadequate mitigation and treatment of visual dysfunction associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• Inadequate ocular and visual systems diagnostic capabilities and assessment strategies.
• Inadequate war fighter vision readiness and enhancement related to refractive surgery.

Announcement Research Gaps in Word.

There are two separate announcements. One for the investigator initiated research award and the other for the hypothesis development award. Investigator initiated research awards  shall not exceed $1.0M for  a period up to four years.  Hypothesis development awards shall not exceed $250K for a period up to two years.

1.       Investigator-Initiated Research Award
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=6y0GT8QJvPVF3zdV3D6ghxGYNWyTjHZfCSXhsKTppKVTMdXnTfy2!1166104791?oppId=111953&mode=VIEW

2.  Hypothesis Development Award
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=NZ2sT8GpL2pjSF4GS5CKJ20pCSXqJJ3L23prJw21kn1hh1m5Qg5D!1166104791?oppId=111933&mode=VIEW