The FY23 RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award is intended to support studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to reconstructive transplant research, patient care, and/or quality of life.

Though the RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award mechanism supports groundbreaking

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research, all projects must demonstrate solid scientific rationale with military-relevant utility.

Important aspects of this award mechanism include:• Study Design and Feasibility:
The proposed study design should be clearly described, rigorous, and support maximal reproducibility and translational feasibility.

A statistical plan with appropriate power analysis should be included, as applicable.• Impact:
The short- and long-term impact of the proposed research should be clearly articulated.

Projects must address at least one of the FY23 RTRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award Focus Areas.• Military Relevance:
All projects must be responsive to the health care needs of military Service Members and/or Veterans recovering from traumatic injury, and/or their family members, caregivers or clinicians, as well as the general public.

Collaboration with military researchers and clinicians is encouraged, but not required.• Preliminary Data:
Observations that drive a research idea may be derived from laboratory discovery, population-based studies, a clinician’s first-hand knowledge of patients, or anecdotal data.

Preliminary and/or published data that are relevant to reconstructive transplantation and support the rationale for the proposed research must be included.Important Note:
Leveraging novel findings from solid organ transplant research for testing in a VCA setting is acceptable if the rationale and benefits for doing so are appropriately explained and justified.

For example, it should be clear why the anticipated result might be different in VCA, or why it’s important to confirm the result is the same in VCA, or why repeating the study in a VCA setting could lead to new mechanistic insights or a better understanding of unique aspects of VCA.Investigator-Initiated Research Award applications may focus on any phase of research from basic through translational, including preclinical studies in animal models, human subjects, human anatomical substances, as well as correlative studies associated with an existing clinical trial.Clinical trials are not allowed under this funding opportunity.

A clinical trial is defined as a research study in which one or more human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions (which may include a placebo or another control) to evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or behavioral health-related outcomes.