2027 TBIPHRP RFI Questions.docx

FY27 TBIPHRP Stakeholder Survey

DISCLAIMER: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kind of offers will be considered in response to this RFI. Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The information requested shall be entered into Survey Monkey; therefore, the Government is unable to protect proprietary/sensitive information. Interested parties shall not submit proprietary/sensitive information through Survey Monkey. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. At this time, questions concerning the composition and requirements for a future RFP will not be entertained.

PURPOSE: The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) seeks feedback to inform the fiscal year 2027 (FY27) Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program (TBIPHRP) research focus areas and associated research funding opportunities.

Although FY27 federal funds have not yet been appropriated, TBIPRP is collecting this information solely to support strategic program planning. This inquiry does not commit the program to incorporating this feedback into FY27 or any future TBIPHRP funding opportunities. The CDMRP wants to hear from all audiences, interested parties, and individuals from academia, industry, community and non-profit organizations, scientific and professional organizations, federal agencies, and the public.

This RFI should not be construed as a solicitation or an obligation on the part of the TBIPHRP or the Department of War (DoW).

CONTACT INFORMATION: Any and all questions related to this RFI shall be directed to Patrick M. Younkins at patrick.m.younkins.civ@health.mil. All information regarding responses or any other proprietary information relative to this RFI shall be submitted via email to patrick.m.younkins.civ@health.mil no later than 4:00 PM (EST) on December 11, 2026.

Demographics

1. Which primary stakeholder group best describes your role in the TBI or psychological health community? (Please select one)

a. Scientific / Clinical Researcher (Academic, Industry, or Non-Profit)

b. Lived Experience Partner (Individual diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or psychological health condition)

c. Care Partner / Family Caregiver / Patient Advocate

d. Federal Partner (DoW/DHA, VA, NIH, CDC, FDA, or other interagency office)

e. Healthcare Provider / Clinician

f. Other (please describe)

2. What is your primary clinical or scientific research interest?

a. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) exclusively

b. Psychological health (PH) conditions exclusively (e.g., PTSD, depression, suicidality, resilience)

c. Comorbid / Co-occurring TBI and psychological health conditions Current TBIPHRP Strategic Goals: Understand For the current TBIPHRP Strategic Goal listed below, please rate each research gap using the following 4-point scale to indicate where research is lacking or where funding is urgently needed:

· 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

· Well-funded; minimal to no additional funding needed

· 2 = Moderate Gap

· Progress has been made; additional research and funding required to close the gap.

· 3 = Major Gap

· Significant gap remains; requires prioritized funding

· 4 = Critical Gap

· No or highly insufficient active research; requires highest priority funding investment Understand: Research to address knowledge gaps in epidemiology and etiology of psychological health conditions and/or TBI

3. Modeling and characterization of how genetics, endophenotypes, health demographics, pre-existing injuries, repetitive exposures, psychological health conditions, and environmental stressors interact to affect heterogeneous TBI outcomes

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

4. Translation and validation of predictive frameworks to understand how internal and external factors influence post-traumatic psychological health trajectories (e.g., acute stress, adjustment disorders, PTSD progression, and suicidality)

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

5. Translation and validation of predictive models across stratified populations to characterize differences in injury expression, recovery trajectories, and long-term TBI and PTSD chronicity

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

6. Identification of individuals that possess heightened biological vulnerability to acute stress disorder, PTSD, or prolonged post-concussive syndrome (PPCS)

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

7. Translation and validation of risk-prediction algorithms (leveraging existing military/veteran cohorts) to map the synergistic, long-term impacts of cumulative blast exposures, repeated concussions, and/or chronic psychological stress on health outcomes

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

8. Translation and validation of risk-prediction models to map how neurocognitive strain/cognitive fatigue from past TBI impacts psychological health

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

9. Translation and validation of epidemiological indices and modeling tools to track and quantify the indirect, downstream impacts of parental TBI and/or PTSD on military Family stability and health

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap Current TBIPHRP Strategic Goals: Prevent and Assess For the current TBIPHRP Strategic Goal listed below, please rate each research gap using the following 4-point scale to indicate where research is lacking or where funding is urgently needed:

· 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

· Well-funded; minimal to no additional funding needed

· 2 = Moderate Gap

· Progress has been made; additional research and funding required to close the gap.

· 3 = Major Gap

· Significant gap remains; requires prioritized funding

· 4 = Critical Gap

· No or highly insufficient active research; requires highest priority funding investment Prevent and Assess: Research to address the prevention, screening, diagnosis, or prognosis of psychological health conditions and/or TBI

10. Translation and validation of biomarkers or other objective methods for assessment, diagnosis, prognosis or real-time monitoring of psychological health conditions and/or TBI, including subclinical presentations, and associated sequelae of these conditions

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

11. Translation and clinical validation of multi-sensor data streams into actionable frameworks or tools to inform readiness or return-to-activity/duty decisions

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

12. Development and evaluation of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, tools, and interventions designed to prevent or reduce the risk of psychological health conditions and/or TBI

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

13. Development and evaluation of crosscutting prevention approaches to address multiple adverse outcomes such as suicide, interpersonal violence (including intimate partner and family violence), and sexual assault by targeting upstream risk factors like compromised psychological health and/or TBI

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

14. Development and evaluation of solutions that enhance military and Family readiness and build psychological resilience against military and life stressors

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

15. Tailoring preventive interventions and neuroprotective thresholds to individual risk profiles

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap Current TBIPHRP Strategic Goals: Treat For the current TBIPHRP Strategic Goal listed below, please rate each research gap using the following 4-point scale to indicate where research is lacking or where funding is urgently needed:

· 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

· Well-funded; minimal to no additional funding needed

· 2 = Moderate Gap

· Progress has been made; additional research and funding required to close the gap.

· 3 = Major Gap

· Significant gap remains; requires prioritized funding

· 4 = Critical Gap

· No or highly insufficient active research; requires highest priority funding investment Treat: Research to address novel and repurposed interventions to improve the outcomes of psychological health conditions and/or TBI

16. Development and evaluation of mechanism-based therapeutic candidates—including personalized and endophenotype-tailored approaches—that target evolving pathophysiology, mitigate neurodegenerative processes, and alter the disease course of TBI and/or psychological health conditions

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

17. Interventions that can be administered across acute, post-acute, and chronic phases designed to restore cognitive reserve, repair sensory and motor deficits, and achieve sustained, long-term functional recovery following TBI

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

18. Rapid-acting interventions, non-pharmacologic symptom management solutions, and optimized clinical treatment strategies (including dosing, sequencing, and combination regimens) specifically structured to address co-occurring TBI and/or psychological health conditions

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

19. Acute interventions, point-of-injury protocols, and mobile health/digital technologies engineered for rapid deployment in rural, austere, or military environments, including delivery by non-clinicians (e.g., Emergency Medical Technicians, medics, corpsmen, peers, teams)

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

20. Development and validation postvention strategies and peer-to-peer/unit support systems designed to mitigate secondary trauma and restore functional capability within military, workplace, or community environments following a sexual assault, suicide event, or other acute trauma

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap

21. Health services and implementation research to accelerate the clinical adoption of evidence-based practices, and improve long-term treatment engagement, compliance, and recovery outcomes

a. 1 = Fully Addressed Gap

b. 2 = Moderate Gap

c. 3 = Major Gap

d. 4 = Critical Gap Research Pipeline and Missing Gaps

22. In which stage of research is funding most urgently needed to move findings into real-world application? (Please select one)

a. Discovery and Target Validation (pre-clinical, foundational biology)

b. Early Translation and Assay Validation (proof-of-concept testing)

c. Clinical Trials (non-pharmacological and care interventions)

d. Implementation Science and Health Services Research (translating proven interventions into standard clinical practice, assessing system-wide adoption, and optimizing care delivery models)

23. What is ONE critical research topic or emerging capability in TBI and/or psychological health that is currently overlooked by federal funders?