Innovative Treatments in Disorders of Consciousness (ITDC) Grant
Innovative Treatments in Disorders of Consciousness (ITDC) Grant supports research teams developing pilot data and trial infrastructure to advance diagnosis and treatment of coma and related states.
Funder: Neurocritical Care Society
Due Dates: May 18, 2026 (LOI opens) | June 14, 2026 (LOI deadline) | August 9, 2026 (LOI notification) | October 18, 2026 (Full application) | Early January 2027 (Awards announced)
Funding Amounts: Up to $200,000 per year, maximum $400,000 over up to 2 years; approximately 2 awards
Summary: Supports prospective research generating pilot data, trial infrastructure, and innovative treatments for disorders of consciousness.
Key Information: U.S.-based nonprofit applicants must include at least one Mass General Brigham collaborator; full proposals are invitation-only.
Description
The Innovative Treatments in Disorders of Consciousness (ITDC) Grant supports bold, high-impact research advancing the diagnosis, understanding, and treatment of coma, vegetative state, and minimally conscious state. Sponsored by Spaulding Rehabilitation through the Rehabilitation Outcomes Center at Spaulding (ROCS), the program is administered in collaboration with the Curing Coma® Campaign. It addresses critical gaps in care, including high misdiagnosis rates, limited tools for detecting consciousness, and few effective treatments.
The program funds projects that acquire pilot data and/or create infrastructure for prospective multicenter randomized controlled trials evaluating biologically plausible treatments. Its priorities include establishing proof of concept, fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, and preparing larger-scale studies with a clear path to future external funding. Patient and stakeholder engagement, including people with lived experience, is integral to the research.
