DoW Neurofibromatosis Research Academy Leadership Award

The Neurofibromatosis Research Academy Leadership Award is offered through the Defense Health Agency as part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Neurofibromatosis Research Program. This program was established to support research that advances understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neurofibromatosis conditions, including NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. The Leadership Award specifically supports experienced investigators in neurofibromatosis research to lead a structured, multi-institutional virtual academy designed to cultivate the next generation of researchers in this field. The primary objective of this opportunity is to establish a Neurofibromatosis Research Academy led by two principal investigators serving as Director and Deputy Director. These leaders are expected to be established researchers with strong records of funding, publication, and mentorship. The academy will function as a collaborative environment where early-career investigators, referred to as Scholars, receive structured mentoring, participate in collaborative research, and develop professional skills necessary for independent research careers. The Leadership team is responsible for designing the academy framework, facilitating collaboration, and evaluating scholar progress. Funding for this opportunity is capped at a total of two point four million dollars for a single award, with a maximum performance period of four years. The funding supports both administrative and research activities, including pilot research projects conducted collaboratively with Scholars. Allowable costs include workshop planning, collaboration travel, and communication infrastructure, while disallowed costs include clinical trials, tuition, and certain travel expenses for Scholars. There is no cost-sharing requirement, and funds are distributed across separate awards to each principal investigator’s institution. Eligibility is broad and includes domestic and international organizations across public and private sectors, including for-profit and nonprofit entities. However, principal investigators must meet strict criteria, including holding a position at or above associate professor level, demonstrating a history of neurofibromatosis research funding, and maintaining a record of peer-reviewed publications. The Director and Deputy Director must be affiliated with different institutions and demonstrate complementary expertise and a strong commitment to mentoring early-career investigators. The application process follows a two-step submission structure. Applicants must first submit a pre-application in the form of a letter of intent through the eBRAP system. Following this, a full application must be submitted via eBRAP or Grants.gov depending on organizational type. The full application includes multiple required components such as a project narrative, technical and lay abstracts, statement of work, research project descriptions, and detailed supporting documentation. The process also includes an oral presentation stage for selected applicants during programmatic review. Applications are evaluated through a two-tier review process consisting of peer review and programmatic review. Evaluation criteria include the leadership qualifications of the principal investigators, the clarity and feasibility of the academy vision, the strength of mentorship and management plans, and the scientific merit of proposed pilot research projects. Additional emphasis is placed on collaboration, innovation, and alignment with strategic goals of increasing research capacity and addressing key neurofibromatosis research priorities. Key deadlines include a pre-application submission deadline of August 31, 2026, and a full application deadline of September 14, 2026. Peer review is expected in November 2026, followed by programmatic review stages in early 2027. Awards are anticipated to be made by September 30, 2027, with funding available through September 30, 2032. This opportunity does not specify recurring cycles and appears to be tied to a specific fiscal year funding allocation.

Emphasize leadership experience in NF research, strong mentorship record, and a clear collaborative academy structure aligned with program strategic goals