Applications to the Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) are now being accepted. The vision of the program is to improve the health and well-being of all military Service members, Veterans, and beneficiaries. It challenges the scientific and clinical communities to address at least one of the FY16 Topic Areas – including Sleep Disorders – with original ideas that foster new directions along the entire spectrum of research and clinical care. The program seeks applications in laboratory, clinical, behavioral, epidemiologic, and other areas of research to advance knowledge in disease etiology, improve prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for those affected by a relevant disease or condition, and to develop and validate clinical care or public health guidelines.

Applicants should select the FY16 PRMRP Funding Opportunity most appropriate to the stage of the proposed research. Pre-application submission deadlines vary by award type but are as early as June 23, 2016. Application deadlines also vary but are as early as July 21, 2016. The FY16 appropriation for the program is $278.7 million.

Areas of Encouragement

Areas of encouragement related to the FY16 PRMRP Topic Areas have been identified by the DoD, VA, and other relevant stakeholders. Applicants are urged to read and consider these areas of encouragement before preparing their applications. The information provided is not exhaustive, and applicants are not restricted to submitting applications that address an area of encouragement in this list.


Sleep Disorders

  • Research on how the disruption of normal sleep and circadian biological rhythms adversely affects health, safety, performance, and productivity of military and civilian populations.
  • Studies to assess sleep disturbance and clinical sleep disorders in female military personnel.
  • Research on the association between sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression, and/or anxiety.
  • Research to assess clinical algorithms that improve adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).
  • Investigations into non-CPAP-based treatment regimens that enhance readiness and deployability in active duty military personnel.
  • Studies to determine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) in active duty military personnel with insomnia.
  • Research focused on investigating how psychiatric disorders (PTSD in particular), combined with the disruption/degradation of sleep quality, impact long-term physical health through changes in glucocorticoid regulation.
  • Development and/or testing of non-pharmacological treatments for sleep disorders.
  • Research on the impact of sleep deprivation on the efficacy of psychological treatments.
  • Research on the prevention and/or mitigation of sleep disorders that are associated with long aeromedical evacuation flights for both clinical team members and patients.

About the PRMRP

Applications to the Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) are being solicited for the Defense Health Agency, Research, Development, and Acquisition (DHA RDA) Directorate, by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). As directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD[HA]), the DHA RDA Directorate manages the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. The managing agent for this Program Announcement/Funding Opportunity is the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The PRMRP was initiated in 1999 to provide support for military health-related research of exceptional scientific merit. Appropriations for the PRMRP from FY99 through FY15 totaled $1.092 billion.