CDMRP: Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Fiscal Year 2026 Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP) pre-announcement was released by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) on February 12, 2026. This pre-announcement signals anticipated funding opportunities aimed at high-impact research to prevent, detect, and resolve Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases that affect Service Members, Veterans, families, and the general public. Funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) — including pre-application and full application deadlines — have not yet been released and must be monitored on Grants.gov and eBRAP.

How much funding would I receive?

Award-specific maximums from the pre-announcement:

• Idea Development Award – Up to $800,000 total costs over up to 3 years.

• Idea Development Award – Career Development Option – Up to $550,000 total costs over up to 3 years.

• Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award – Up to $1,325,000 total costs over up to 3 years.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding is intended to support innovative, high-impact research addressing tick-borne diseases. The pre-announcement defines mechanism-specific focus areas:

A) Idea Development Award

Pathogenesis

• Assess interactions among tick-borne pathogens (emphasis Lyme and co-infections)

• Study persistent clinical manifestations (neurologic symptoms encouraged)

• Studies on maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, congenital infections

Treatment

• Proof-of-concept for novel therapeutics or repurposing existing compounds

• Target identification/validation and early refinement of therapeutic candidates

Diagnosis

• Development/optimization of improved diagnostics for:

  • Single or multiple tick-borne pathogens (priority on direct detection of Borrelia burgdorferi)

  • Distinguish active Lyme infection from past exposure

  • Detect/diagnose maternal-to-fetal transmission, including relevant animal models

B) Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award

• Treatment – Evaluation/refinement of therapeutic candidates, including PK/PD and toxicology; designed to advance early/preclinical drug development.

• Diagnosis – Validation of novel diagnostics capable of single or multi-pathogen detection, distinguishing active from past infection, and detecting maternal-to-fetal transmission pathways.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

• The program explicitly supports career development options for early-career investigators (with mentorship).

• Pre-application requirements and peer review support transparency in mechanism expectations.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

• Application deadlines: Not yet released. The pre-announcement states that FOAs containing specific pre-application and application deadlines will be posted on Grants.gov and through the eBRAP portal once available.

• Funding start: After successful review, awards typically begin in the fiscal year following announcement (FY26), but exact start dates are not yet published.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding for TBDRP is provided by the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act, and administered by the Defense Health Agency Research and Development / Medical Research and Development Command (CDMRP).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility varies by mechanism. From the pre-announcement:

• Independent investigators at all career levels are eligible for many mechanisms.

• Career Development Option has specific requirements:

  • PI must be within 10 years of terminal degree (with exceptions for residency/family leave)

  • Mentor must be experienced (≥5 year track record in tick-borne disease research)

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Projects that are highly innovative, directly related to the defined focus areas, and translational in nature (with clear clinical relevance) are likely to be competitive. Specifically:

• Approaches that address persistent Lyme disease, novel diagnostics, and novel therapeutic strategies

• Research that demonstrates strong rationale or preliminary data aligned with CDCMRP priorities

• Early-career investigators partnered with experienced mentors (for Career Development Option)

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Clinical trials cannot be supported under these mechanisms; human studies are permitted where applicable.

• Full application submission is by invitation only after pre-proposal review.

• Mechanism‐specific eligibility and focus area alignment are strict and will be enforced in the FOA.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Preparation time varies significantly by mechanism and institutional support, but given the requirement for pre-proposals, preliminary data, and alignment with specific focus areas, investigators should plan for 6–12 weeks of preparation once the FOA is released. This accounts for drafting, internal review, and compliance checks prior to pre-application submission.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help you:

• Interpret and map your research to specific TBDRP focus areas

• Develop pre-proposal drafts and strategic research narratives

• Identify data needs and plan for compliant application packages

• Coordinate mentor relationships for career development submissions

• Set milestones to meet pre-application and full application deadlines

How much would BW&CO Charge?

We have both fractional engagements ($250 an hour) and full engagements ($13,000 + 5%) available.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.