Spinal Cord Injury Research Program
The SCIRP funds innovative, multidisciplinary research on traumatic spinal cord injury, emphasizing acute intervention, secondary effects, psychosocial issues, and rehabilitation/regeneration.
Funder: Military Health System Research Program
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2026: Pre-application (eBRAP) | August 2026: Full application (projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $4.8M for Clinical Trial Awards (up to 4 years); up to $2.0M for Translational/Clinical Translation Awards (up to 3 years); up to $800K for Investigator-Initiated Awards (up to 3 years); Early-Career Partnership options offer slightly higher caps.
Summary: Supports innovative research in acute intervention, secondary effects, psychosocial issues, and rehabilitation to improve outcomes for people with spinal cord injury.
Key Information: Pre-application (eBRAP) required; community partner involvement is mandatory for most mechanisms.
Description
The Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP), administered by the Military Health System Research Program (MHSRP) through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), funds high-impact, clinically relevant research focused on traumatic spinal cord injury. The program targets four priority areas: acute injury intervention, secondary health effects, psychosocial issues, and rehabilitation/regeneration. SCIRP supports a range of research, from preclinical studies to clinical trials, and encourages collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches. An Early-Career Partnership option is available to build research capacity, allowing two principal investigators (one early-career and one independent investigator) to collaborate on a single project, each receiving a separate award. Community engagement is emphasized, with most mechanisms requiring involvement of community partners for advice and consultation throughout the research process.
