DOD Melanoma Team Science Award | W81XWH 21 MRP TSA

FAQs: DOD Melanoma Team Science Award (TSA) - FY21 (W81XWH-21-MRP-TSA)

What is the DOD Melanoma Team Science Award (TSA)?

The Team Science Award (TSA) is a Department of Defense (DoD) funding opportunity under the Melanoma Research Program (MRP) intended to advance melanoma research through true multidisciplinary collaboration. It supports hypothesis-driven research projects that may span basic and translational stages, as long as the work directly addresses the FY21 MRP overarching Challenge Statement and includes at least one required FY21 Focus Area named in the program announcement.

What is the main goal of this award?

The main goal is to tackle melanoma problems with persistent knowledge gaps by funding a single, unified research effort that is jointly planned and executed by investigators from different disciplines. The emphasis is on team science as the mechanism for achieving more progress than independent or parallel projects would typically produce.

What does "team science" mean for this opportunity?

For this award, team science means building a collaborative team where members bring clearly different expertise, perspectives, and methods, and where those differences create synergy. The application is expected to explain how the team will integrate contributions into one coherent plan and why the combined approach accelerates progress compared to separate projects.

Is the TSA limited to a specific stage of research (basic vs. translational)?

No. The TSA can support hypothesis-driven research across basic, translational, and other stages, as long as the project directly addresses the FY21 MRP overarching Challenge Statement and includes at least one required FY21 Focus Area.

Does the project need to be hypothesis-driven?

Yes. The opportunity is described as supporting hypothesis-driven projects rather than broad discovery efforts as the main activity.

What alignment requirements must the research meet?

The project must directly address the FY21 MRP overarching Challenge Statement and must include at least one of the required FY21 Focus Areas identified in the program announcement.

How important is patient relevance in the TSA?

Patient relevance is a core expectation. Even when the proposed work is mechanistic or preclinical, the TSA is mission-driven and expects a credible, explicit explanation of how the work ultimately connects to patient benefit and relevance to the melanoma patient community.

What is the "partnership model" and how do applications work?

The TSA uses a partnership model where investigators co-develop one shared project, but each participating partner is recognized as a Principal Investigator (PI) and must submit a separate application. Each PI is named on their own individual award, while the project is judged on the combined plan and the degree of coordination across the team.

Does each PI receive their own award?

Yes. Each PI is named on an individual award, even though the research plan is a single coordinated team project evaluated as a combined effort.

How is the project evaluated: individually or as a team?

The opportunity states that the project is judged on the combined plan and the degree of coordination across the team, emphasizing integration and accountability across all participating PIs.

What kinds of research materials or systems can be used (animals, human subjects, samples)?

The TSA can support studies using animal models, human subjects, and human anatomical substances. It can also include development or use of relevant preclinical models when those models are essential to testing the hypothesis.

Are clinical trials allowed under this award?

No. Clinical trials are not allowed under the TSA.

Are correlative studies allowed?

Yes. Correlative studies are permitted, such as analyses tied to existing patient samples or clinical datasets, as long as they do not constitute an interventional clinical trial.

Is high-throughput screening allowed as the main activity?

No. The opportunity is not intended to fund high-throughput screening as the main activity.

Is large-scale sequencing allowed as the main activity?

No. The opportunity indicates it is not intended to fund large-scale sequencing as the main activity.

Is the award intended to focus on established late-stage disease models?

No. The opportunity indicates it is not aimed at studying established late-stage disease models as a primary emphasis.

Can a project focus on evaluating the clinical utility of PD-1 in combination with other therapeutics?

No. The opportunity states it is not meant to focus on evaluating the clinical utility of PD-1 in combination with other therapeutics.

Does the program encourage research on rare melanomas?

Yes. The opportunity signals interest in rare melanomas.

What parts of melanoma biology across disease progression are considered relevant?

The program supports studying disease biology across the full continuum from initiation through distant macrometastasis, provided the work fits the Challenge Statement and Focus Area requirements and stays within the stated boundaries (for example, no clinical trials).

Who issued this funding opportunity?

This FY21 opportunity was issued by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA (U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this TSA?

The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-21-MRP-TSA.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 12.420.

What funding mechanism is used?

The opportunity was offered as a grant and/or cooperative agreement mechanism.

Who is eligible to apply?

The listing states it was open to unrestricted applicant types, subject to any specific eligibility clarifications in the full program announcement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The original posting date was May 7, 2021, and the original closing date was August 26, 2021.

How many awards were expected?

The listing indicated an expectation of about three awards.

What was the award funding ceiling?

The award ceiling was shown as 0 in the source entry, which typically indicates the ceiling was not specified in that summary record or that applicants should rely on the full announcement for budget constraints.

What type of project plan is expected?

The TSA expects a realistic plan organized around near-term objectives that the team believes can be achieved within the award period, with a clear explanation of how collaborating investigators will integrate their contributions into one coherent research strategy.

What is the central feature reviewers are likely to look for based on the description?

Based on the description, a defining feature is the degree of genuine multidisciplinary integration: distinct expertise across team members, clear synergy (not just parallel work), and a credible line of sight to melanoma patient benefit while addressing the FY21 Challenge Statement and Focus Area requirements.