Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: February 8, 2027 (Applications) | June 8, 2027 (Applications) | October 13, 2027 (Applications) | February 8, 2028 (Applications) | June 8, 2028 (Applications) | October 11, 2028 (Applications) | February 8, 2029 (Applications) | June 8, 2029 (Applications) | October 11, 2029 (Final applications)
Funding Amounts: Exploratory: up to $200,000/year in direct costs for up to 3 years; standard: up to $500,000/year in direct costs for up to 5 years
Summary: Supports research on the causes, biological mechanisms, and risk identification of sporadic, non-hereditary cancers in adults ages 18–49.
Key Information: Foreign subawards/subcontracts are prohibited; receipt of an RP1 award ends Early Stage Investigator status.
Description
The National Institutes of Health, through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), supports multidisciplinary research explaining the rise of sporadic, non-hereditary early-onset cancers in adults ages 18–49. Projects should investigate environmental or lifestyle exposures, biological mechanisms and host responses, or methods to identify people at increased risk, informing prevention and control strategies.
Priorities include understudied cancers with rising incidence, particularly uterine, pancreatic, and kidney cancers. Early-onset colorectal and female breast cancers are also considered with compelling scientific rationale. The program emphasizes combined epidemiologic and laboratory methods, work spanning preclinical and population studies, and partnerships investigating understudied exposures. Relevant sociodemographic and geographic characteristics are encouraged. Both exploratory/developmental and standard research projects are supported, with or without clinical trials.
