CDMRP Hearing Restoration Research Program: Focused Research Award

The FRA supports promising basic through translational research that accelerates drug discovery and therapeutic development for hearing restoration after military-relevant auditory system injury.

Applications must address research in one or more of the following FY 2026 Focus Areas:

• Improve and accelerate the translation of biological regeneration/repair mechanisms into clinical applications.
• Develop diagnostic tests that differentiate sensory, neural, synaptic and central processing disorders, that may inform applicability and outcomes for current or future hearing restoration therapeutics.
• Develop reliable in-vitro human models to facilitate the understanding, derivation and characterization of human auditory cells, and/or to facilitate the evaluation of hearing restoration therapies.
   

It is expected that 1 level one award will be granted,  and 2 level 2 awards will be granted.

Funding: Level 1: $400,000 total ; Level 2: $1,200,000 total

Duration: Level 1- 2 years; Level 2- 3 years

Research Authority due date: 16.8.26

Pre application (required) due date: 25.8.26

Full proposal due date: 10.9.26