The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is inviting applications for the TMD Collaborative for Improving Patient-Centered Translational Research (TMD IMPACT) under funding opportunity RFA-DE-25-003. This initiative aims to establish a national interdisciplinary research collaborative focused on Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD). TMDs are a group of over 30 health disorders related to the temporomandibular joint and associated tissues, which cause significant pain and discomfort. The TMD IMPACT initiative seeks to advance basic and clinical research, improve treatment, and enhance care for those suffering from these conditions. The collaborative framework will support robust research into TMD mechanisms, develop translational programs, and implement research to better diagnose, prevent, and treat TMDs. Additionally, it will focus on population-based studies and workforce training to ensure a diverse group of future researchers and clinicians are well-equipped to address these challenges.

The grant will fund the creation of TMD IMPACT Centers, which will coordinate interdisciplinary efforts across research topics and teams. Each Center will be required to include several components, such as an Administrative Core (AC), a Bioinformatics/Data Science Core (BDSC), and an Outreach, Training, and Education Core (OTEC). Centers are expected to conduct research projects ranging from mechanistic studies to clinical trials. The research areas include understanding TMD pathogenesis, the development of minimally invasive therapies, and leveraging machine learning to analyze data. The centers will also be responsible for disseminating findings to the public, engaging patient advocacy groups, and organizing outreach and educational activities to promote knowledge translation.

The funding scope of this opportunity is substantial, with the NIH intending to commit approximately $7 million annually to fund up to two awards. Each project must propose a comprehensive and collaborative research strategy with a maximum project period of five years. Applications should reflect the actual needs of the proposed project, but budgets are not explicitly capped. This flexibility allows applicants to design ambitious, multi-faceted research programs that can significantly advance the field of TMD care and treatment.

Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and a variety of government entities. The NIH also encourages applications from minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving Institutions. Importantly, all applicant organizations must ensure they are registered with SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, which may take six weeks or more to complete.

The application process is multi-step, and prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of intent by December 10, 2024. The final application deadline is January 10, 2025, and applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM local time. Applications that fail to meet submission guidelines will not be considered. NIH will not accept late submissions, and all applicants should follow the multi-project guidelines provided in the NIH’s Application Guide. Importantly, pre-application consultation with NIH staff is highly recommended to ensure alignment with the funding priorities outlined in the announcement.

The TMD IMPACT initiative aims to foster collaborative efforts and align with existing federally funded projects, including those establishing a national TMD patient registry. Successful applicants will need to collaborate with other NIH-funded centers and adhere to common data standards, ensuring that research findings are widely shared across the scientific community. In addition to meeting rigorous research milestones, award recipients will be expected to organize public workshops and symposia, ensuring that research insights translate to better public understanding and patient care outcomes.

This opportunity represents a significant investment in TMD research and offers a pathway for organizations to contribute to solving the challenges posed by TMDs, from understanding underlying mechanisms to improving clinical treatments and patient quality of life.