Idea Award
Funds innovative, high-risk melanoma research relevant to military health, focusing on transformative basic and translational science in defined priority areas.
Funder: Military Health System Research Program
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2026: Pre-application deadline (projected) | September 2026: Full application deadline (projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $560,000 total costs over 2 years (anticipated maximum per award).
Summary: Funds innovative, high-risk, high-impact melanoma research projects relevant to military health, emphasizing bold, non-incremental ideas.
Key Information: Preproposal required; full application by invitation only; clinical trials not allowed.
Description
This opportunity supports the development of new, high-risk, high-gain research approaches in melanoma, with a focus on innovation and impact rather than incremental progress. The award is part of the Melanoma Research Program (MRP) under the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Projects must address at least one of several defined focus areas, including risk factors and biomarkers, detection and diagnosis technologies, mechanisms of disease and treatment response, development of preclinical models, rare melanomas, and the psychological, social, and physical impacts of melanoma. All proposals must clearly articulate relevance to the health care needs of Service Members, Veterans, or other Military Health System beneficiaries. Preliminary data are discouraged, and clinical trials are not permitted.
