Exploratory Grant Award to Promote Workforce Diversity in Basic Cancer Research (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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Description

This NIH funding opportunity, issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), aims to enhance workforce diversity in basic cancer research by supporting New Investigators and Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) from groups underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences. The grant provides a bridge for investigators who have completed training but require additional time and support to develop competitive larger research project grant applications (e.g., R01).

The mechanism used is the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant, which supports novel scientific ideas or new model systems that may not yet have substantial preliminary data. The focus is on basic cancer biology or the biological basis of cancer health disparities, consistent with the interests of NCI’s Division of Cancer Biology (DCB) and Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD).

Research topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Cell transformation, proliferation, and survival pathways
• DNA damage/repair mechanisms and chromosomal effects in malignancy
• Carcinogen properties and mechanisms of oncogenesis
• Tumor microenvironment interactions, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis
• Immune regulation of tumor development and hematopoietic tumor biology
• Structural biology, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, nanotechnology, imaging, bioinformatics, and computational modeling
• Genes and signaling networks underlying cancer disparities among populations

The program also offers professional development workshops and mock review experiences to enhance applicants’ understanding of NIH peer review and grant writing.

Note: This FOA does not support clinical trials, behavioral interventions, or epidemiologic/associative studies alone. It has expired and been reissued as PAR-24-039.

Due Dates

• June 14, 2023
• November 17, 2023

Applications were due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization on these dates. This FOA has expired as of November 18, 2023.

Funding Amount

• Maximum direct costs: $275,000 total over 2 years
• No more than $200,000 in direct costs may be requested in any single year
• Project period: up to 2 years

The number of awards depends on NIH appropriations and the quality of applications.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

• Public and private institutions of higher education, including Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and AANAPISIs
• Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
• For-profit organizations including small businesses
• State, county, city or township, and special district governments
• Federally recognized and other Native American tribal governments and organizations
• Independent school districts, public housing authorities, faith-based and community-based organizations, and regional organizations
• U.S. territories or possessions

Foreign institutions and foreign components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.

Eligible Individuals

• New Investigators or Early Stage Investigators with appropriate skills and resources
• Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are strongly encouraged
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents by the time of award
• Current or former PD/PIs on NIH R01 or equivalent grants with >$175,000 direct costs per year are not eligible
• PD/PIs may receive no more than two awards from this program, including past and future iterations

Enhancing Diversity

The FOA emphasizes the importance of diversity in the biomedical research workforce to foster innovation, improve research quality, and address health disparities.

Application Process

• Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov and tracked in eRA Commons.
• Applicants must follow the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and use FORMS-H application packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2023.
• A letter from the applicant institution is required, certifying eligibility and alignment with NIH’s interest in diversity.
• Detailed budget and research plan instructions must be followed.
• Applications lacking basic cancer research focus or proposing clinical trials will be considered non-responsive.
• Data Management and Sharing Plans are required as per NIH policy.
• Human subjects and vertebrate animal research must comply with NIH policies and be properly documented.
• Applicants are encouraged to contact NIH program officials for guidance.

Review Criteria

Applications are evaluated for scientific and technical merit based on:

• Significance: Importance of the problem and potential impact on the field
• Investigator(s): Qualifications and suitability of the research team
• Innovation: Novelty and potential to shift current paradigms
• Approach: Soundness of strategy, methodology, and analyses
• Environment: Institutional support and resources

Additional considerations include protections for human subjects, inclusion of diverse populations, use of vertebrate animals, biohazards, and budget justification.

Additional Information

• This FOA has been reissued as PAR-24-039.
• Applicants should consult the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts for current opportunities.
• Awardees must comply with federal civil rights laws and NIH policies on harassment, religious freedom, and data sharing.
• Annual progress reports and financial statements are required.
• Contact information for program, peer review, and grants management staff is provided.

External Links

• NIH FOA PAR-21-061 (Expired)
• NCI Diversity Training Branch
• NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy
• NIH Grants Policy Statement
• NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts

Contact Information