DOW Combat Readiness Medical Research Program Translational Research Award

The Combat Readiness – Medical Translational Research Award is offered through the Defense Health Agency as part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs under the Combat Readiness – Medical Research Program. This program was initiated by Congress to address critical medical needs of Warfighters, particularly in combat and austere environments where rapid and effective trauma care is essential. The overarching goal is to improve survivability, readiness, and long-term outcomes by advancing medical solutions that can be deployed close to the point of injury. The program emphasizes translational research that bridges the gap between laboratory findings and real-world clinical or operational applications. This funding opportunity specifically supports hypothesis-driven, high-impact translational research projects that demonstrate sufficient maturity, defined by a minimum technology or knowledge readiness level of 4. Projects must build on preliminary data and aim to accelerate promising technologies or approaches into practical use, including clinical tools, treatments, or guidelines. The research scope includes battlefield diagnostics, triage tools, treatment innovations, and broader readiness solutions applicable in prehospital, en route, or prolonged care settings. While the focus is military, the program acknowledges that innovations may also translate to civilian trauma care scenarios such as disaster response or rural emergency medicine. Funding for this opportunity is structured to support a base award of up to two years with a maximum of 1.45 million dollars, with the possibility of an optional additional one-year phase bringing the total potential funding to 2.45 million dollars. The optional phase is contingent on future appropriations and satisfactory progress during the base period. Funds may be used for research-related expenses including personnel, specialized equipment, and limited travel, but exclude general equipment purchases, tuition, and excessive travel costs. Cost sharing is not required, making the opportunity accessible to a wide range of applicants. Eligibility is broad and inclusive, allowing applications from both domestic and international organizations, including academic institutions, private companies, nonprofit organizations, and government entities. Principal Investigators must be independent researchers affiliated with an eligible organization, though individuals in training positions such as postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to serve as PI. Each investigator may submit only one application as PI under this funding cycle. Awards are made to institutions rather than individuals, and collaboration across sectors including academia, industry, and government is encouraged. The application process follows a two-step submission model. Applicants must first submit a pre-application through the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. Selected applicants are then invited to submit a full application through either Grants.gov or eBRAP depending on organizational type. The pre-application includes a concise narrative addressing alignment with program focus areas, research objectives, and preliminary data. Full applications require extensive documentation including a project narrative, technical and lay abstracts, statement of work, impact statement, and various compliance and regulatory attachments depending on the study design. Applications are evaluated through a multi-stage review process beginning with pre-application screening based on alignment, scientific rationale, and translational potential. Invited full applications undergo peer review and programmatic review, assessing criteria such as feasibility, impact, military relevance, and likelihood of advancing clinical implementation. Additional considerations include statistical rigor, ethical compliance, and the strength of the research team. Final funding decisions are based on both scientific merit and program priorities. Key deadlines include a pre-application submission deadline of August 17, 2026, and a full application deadline of November 18, 2026. Invitations to submit full proposals are expected in October 2026, with peer review occurring in early 2027 and programmatic review shortly thereafter. Awards are anticipated to be issued by September 2027, with funds available through 2032. Applicants must maintain active registrations in required federal systems and ensure compliance with all submission and reporting requirements throughout the application and award lifecycle.

Focus on strong preliminary data and clear translational pathway aligned with military trauma care priorities