(SAN ANTONIO) – The National Trauma Institute, a national non-profit organization dedicated to funding trauma research in the United States, announced its first Request for Proposals (RFP) for research projects that have high potential to change medical practice and save lives.

The organization will award up to $600,000 for clinical or translational research to take place in 2010. “Historically, trauma research has been extremely underfunded, so this announcement is significant, and has been welcomed by the trauma research community,” said Sharon Smith, executive director of the National Trauma Institute.

“We are now able to fund substantial projects that could improve the outcomes for people affected by trauma.” The National Trauma Institute is funding research that focuses on one or more of its priority areas: hemorrhage control, resuscitation, control of shock, coagulopathy, burn treatment, elimination of hospital-acquired infection, airway and ventilation management, new technology for trauma, and disaster preparedness.

This round of research funding resulted from Congressional support requested by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rep. Lamar Smith. Researchers interested in responding to the RFP are required to submit pre-proposals to NTI by Friday, October 30, 2009. For more information about NTI’s research program and a copy of the RFP, visit the following National Trauma Institute website page:

http://www.nationaltraumainstitute.org/research/funding_opportunities.html About the National Trauma Institute The National Trauma Institute (NTI) is a national non-profit organization that assembles funds from a variety of public and private sources to support trauma research across the country, sets a national trauma research agenda, and supports military and civilian innovation and collaboration in trauma care and research. NTI’s goal is to reduce death and disability resulting from traumatic injury. .