ONHS Report: HT942526ARPCDA

DoW Autism Career Development Award

Solicitation ID: HT942526ARPCDA

Agency: DHA

Type: Grant

Deadline: 2026-10-22T00:00:00 ET

Eligibility: Yes (Unrestricted)

Funding: $1.5M total to fund approximately two awards, with a maximum of $750,000 per award.

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: No

Program Manager: N/A

Last Updated: 2026-08-19 14:50

Analyzed File: HT942526ARPCDA_GG.pdf

Eligibility Reasoning

Extramural and intramural U.S. Department of War (DOW) organizations are eligible to apply, including foreign and domestic organizations, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and public or private entities. ... Applications from investigators within the DOW and applications involving multidisciplinary collaborations among academia, industry, the DOW, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other federal government agencies are highly encouraged.

Note: This is an AI-generated summary...

Summary

The Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Career Development Award (CDA), managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), supports innovative, high-impact research or early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials in autism. This grant is intended for early-career, independent investigators (at or below the Assistant Professor level) or established investigators transitioning from other fields into autism research. The program anticipates funding approximately two awards, with a total cost cap of $750,000 per award for a maximum performance period of 3 years. Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the program's specified Areas of Interest. A distinctive feature is the mandatory inclusion of community collaborations for proposals with a pilot clinical trial component, requiring partnership with community members like Autistic individuals or caregivers. Eligibility is restricted to PIs who have not received a previous federal career development award and have not received more than $250,000 in total direct costs for prior non-mentored autism research grants.

Overall Technical Areas

Preclinical Therapeutic AssessmentImplementation Science StrategiesDiagnostic and Treatment EfficacyClinical Support Tool DevelopmentEnvironmental Risk Factor AnalysisLongitudinal Clinical Outcome AnalysisMechanistic Studies of AutismSex Differences Research in AutismNon-Pharmacological Intervention ResearchPharmacological and Genetic TreatmentsGeriatric Autism Health ResearchTreatment Response Biomarker IdentificationStatistical and Power AnalysisClinical Trial Design

Probable LBNL Areas

N/A

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

Assessment of novel therapeutics using valid preclinical models
Create tools and strategies to increase the speed of the dissemination/implementation of evidence-based practices and interventions in community-based settings
Determinates of diagnosis, treatment efficacy and service delivery
Health care provider-focused training or tools to improve health care delivery for Autistic individuals across the lifespan and the continuum of care (i.e., primary care, urgent/emergent care and disaster relief)
Environmental risk factors
Factors impacting quality of life for current and former military Families
Factors promoting success in key transitions of Autistic individuals over their lifespan
Improve diagnosis and access to services across the lifespan
Interventions to support Autistic individuals and their families, including key transitions into adulthood and across their lifespan
Long-term treatment outcomes from previous clinical trials for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditions
Mechanistic studies focused on: Heterogeneous clinical expression of autism; Underlying conditions co-occurring with autism (e.g., pain, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, inflammation, aggression, depression, anxiety, attention deficit and seizures); Sex differences in autism (i.e., prevalence, biological mechanisms, phenotypic expression, core and comorbid syndrome expression and outcomes, developmental trajectories, diagnosis and treatment response)
Mental health issues (such as grief, masking, suicide risk, trauma, etc.) or disorders in Autistic individuals
Non-pharmacological therapies for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditions (including pain, sleeping, eating)
Pharmacological, genetic, and other biological treatments for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditions
(New for FY26) Physical health, mental health, and related quality of life issues in aging Autistic adults
(New for FY26) Sexual health, sexual education, and reproductive health for Autistic individuals
Uncovering new advances using a strength-based model
Understanding heterogeneity in treatment response, including identification of psychosocial or biological factors that (1) impact treatment outcomes or (2) can be used to prospectively identify treatments that are most likely to benefit particular subgroups of individuals

Specific Technical Skills:

Assessment of novel therapeutics using valid preclinical modelsCreate tools and strategies to increase the speed of the dissemination/implementation of evidence-based practices and interventions in community-based settingsDeterminates of diagnosis, treatment efficacy and service deliveryHealth care provider-focused training or tools to improve health care delivery for Autistic individuals across the lifespan and the continuum of care (i.e., primary care, urgent/emergent care and disaster relief)Environmental risk factorsFactors impacting quality of life for current and former military FamiliesFactors promoting success in key transitions of Autistic individuals over their lifespanImprove diagnosis and access to services across the lifespanInterventions to support Autistic individuals and their families, including key transitions into adulthood and across their lifespanLong-term treatment outcomes from previous clinical trials for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditionsMechanistic studies focused on: Heterogeneous clinical expression of autism; Underlying conditions co-occurring with autism (e.g., pain, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues, inflammation, aggression, depression, anxiety, attention deficit and seizures); Sex differences in autism (i.e., prevalence, biological mechanisms, phenotypic expression, core and comorbid syndrome expression and outcomes, developmental trajectories, diagnosis and treatment response)Mental health issues (such as grief, masking, suicide risk, trauma, etc.) or disorders in Autistic individualsNon-pharmacological therapies for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditions (including pain, sleeping, eating)Pharmacological, genetic, and other biological treatments for the core symptoms of autism or to alleviate co-occurring conditions(New for FY26) Physical health, mental health, and related quality of life issues in aging Autistic adults(New for FY26) Sexual health, sexual education, and reproductive health for Autistic individualsUncovering new advances using a strength-based modelUnderstanding heterogeneity in treatment response, including identification of psychosocial or biological factors that (1) impact treatment outcomes or (2) can be used to prospectively identify treatments that are most likely to benefit particular subgroups of individuals

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization

Potential LBNL PIs (Overall)

Note on PI Matching: These suggestions are generated through an AI-driven semantic analysis of LBNL staff profiles.

Name	Score	Organization
Jovan Tadic	0.75	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Environmental Risk Factor Analysis
Abigayle Hodson	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Environmental Risk Factor Analysis
Likun Zhang	0.73	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences · Statistical and Power Analysis
Jian-Hua Mao	0.73	BSA \| Biological Systems & Engineering \| Department of BioEngineering and BioMedical Sciences · Treatment Response Biomarker Identification
Jennifer Rosenbluth	0.73	· Clinical Trial Design
Stephanie Holm	0.72	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Implementation Science Strategies
Harry Caufield	0.72	BSA \| Env. Genomics & Sys. Biology \| BioSystems Data Science · Clinical Support Tool Development
Aris Polyzos	0.72	BSA \| Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging \| Cellular & Tissue Image · Pharmacological and Genetic Treatments
Sharon Greenblum	0.71	BSA \| DOE Joint Genome Institute \| JGI Technology Dept · Sex Differences Research in Autism
Jing Ke	0.70	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Energy Efficiency Studies · Non-Pharmacological Intervention Research

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

In accordance with National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 and all associated laws, all fundamental research funded by the DOW must be evaluated for affiliations with foreign entities. All applicant organizations must disclose foreign affiliations of all key personnel named on applications. Failure to disclose foreign affiliations of key personnel shall lead to withdrawal of recommendations to fund applications. Applicant organizations may be presented with an opportunity to mitigate identified risks, particularly those pertaining to influence from foreign entities specified in law. Implementation of mitigation discussions and utilization of the DOD Component Decision Matrix must decrease risk of foreign influence in accordance with the above-mentioned laws and guidance prior to award.