Researcher Resources

Welcome to the American Tinnitus Association's Researcher Resource page.
Here you will find the latest research funding announcements, information about the results of ATA's advocacy efforts and links to important facts, statistics and published research articles.

Quick jump to:

• Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program
• The Lurie Prize in Biomedical Science: $100,000 Award
• DoD Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Applied Neurotrauma Research Award
• ATA's Continuing Efforts to Increase Research Funding
• Resources and Statistical Information on Tinnitus in Military Populations
• Helpful Research Articles
• Web Resources

Fiscal Year 2013 (FY 13) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program

The Department of Defense's (DoD) Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program is now accepting applications for its Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) funding opportunities. Pre-applications are due on June 24, 2013 and final proposals are due October 8, 2013. There are three award mechanisms available for this round of funding including: Clinical Trial Award; Investigator-Initiated Research Award and Technology and Therapeutic Development Award.

Congress provided a $50 million allocation for this program to research only the conditions and diseases specified in its Congressional Report to accompany the appropriation. Because of ATA's advocacy efforts, tinnitus has been included as one of those conditions eligible for research.

For full details visit: Cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2013/13prmrppreann.shtml
To begin an application visit: Cdmrp.army.mil/funding/prmrp.shtml

Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury (PH/TBI) Research Program

Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury (PH/TBI) Research Program is currently accepting applications for the Traumatic Brain Injury Research Award mechanism.

Full details for submission: PH/TBI Funding Opportunities | Synopsis of PH/TBI Award Mechanisms

The Lurie Prize in Biomedical Science: $100,000 Award

In 2013, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) will present the first Lurie Prize, an annual award recognizing outstanding achievement by a promising young scientist in biomedical research.

The Prize amount is $100,000 and to be used as the awardee chooses. It is made possible by a generous gift from FNIH board member Ann Lurie.

The Awardee will be selected by a jury of six distinguished biomedical researchers, chaired by Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., Distinguished Service Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology & Psychiatry, The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The Award will be presented to the selected scientist in spring 2013, in Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit http://www.fnih.org/content/lurie-prize-biomedical-sciences

DoD Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Applied Neurotrauma Research Award

Applications for the Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (PH/TBI) Research Program are being solicited by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Defense Health Program (DHP).

Description: The PH/TBI Research Program was established in FY07 for the purpose of complementing ongoing Department of Defense (DOD) efforts towards promoting a better standard of care for PH (including post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) and TBI in the areas of prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. This includes research to benefit service members, their family members, veterans, and other beneficiaries of the Military Health System (MHS).

Details: Visit http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=JXP1TTHTy2HwKSFnV721SFB84LDWNsbhGffpBnLyJzW11XNHpTwQ!-2014031096?oppId=126553&mode=VIEW to learn more about this opportunity.

ATA's Continuing Efforts to Increase Research Funding

For a second consecutive year, ATA's advocacy efforts have resulted in tinnitus research funding available through the Department of Defense (DoD). The 2009 Appropriations bill includes requests for tinnitus-related proposals for the DoD's $50 million Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). This program was established by Congress in 1999 to study combat-related illness.

For the second year in a row, tinnitus is the number one service-connected disability for returning Global War on Terror veterans. This sharp increase is disconcerting, but we are pleased that our advocacy efforts have resulted in this opportunity for tinnitus investigators to continue and broaden their work toward finding a cure for all who suffer.

We are also excited to inform you that two tinnitus investigators have been awarded funding for their tinnitus proposals submitted for the 2008 funding allocation of $50 million - tinnitus research garnered nearly $2 million of that allocation all on its own. Competing with 21 other maladies and hundreds of proposals, Drs. Hinrich Staecker, current ATA Scientific Advisory Committee member, and Didier Depireux  are the recipients of these Investigator Initiated awards. You can read more about their projects here.

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Resources and Statistical Information on Tinnitus in Military Populations

The following documents provide current statistical information, research and resources on tinnitus in military populations. ATA is happy to provide this helpful information to you at the click of your mouse.

• This fact sheet provides data on the incidence of tinnitus within veterans and active duty military, as well as the alarming increases in tinnitus seen in other at-risk populations.
• Here are the most common service-connected disabilities for veterans from all periods of service. Tinnitus is number one. 
• This chart provides a startling visual of the current number of veterans who are service-connected for tinnitus as well as projections out to 2014 based on the current trends. 
• This chart shows the most common service-connected disabilities for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
• The PRMRP's annual report from 2007 provides a snapshot of the types of grant proposals received and funded during the 2007 funding cycle.
• The Veterans Independent Budget for 2012 outlines some of the latest developments in military-related tinnitus, including a recent study done "in theater" (war theater) on the blast exposed population. The findings indicate that rates of tinnitus, are exceeding hearing loss at all times, indicating that this group of veterans may have higher rates of tinnitus without hearing loss than maybe any other veteran group to-date. 

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Helpful Research Articles

Tinnitus, blast exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), global war on terror, soldiers, veterans, traumatic brain injury (TBI), military, service-connected disability.

Web Resources