Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 16 014
Apply for RFA CA 16 014
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Target Discovery and Development Network (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 15, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 03, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Cancer Target Discovery and Development Network (U01) funding opportunity, listed as RFA-CA-16-014, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement run under the Department of Health and Human Services. It continues support for the Cancer Target Discovery and Development program, commonly called CTD2 (pronounced "cee-tee-dee-squared"). The core purpose of CTD2 is to speed up cancer research by closing the gap between two things that often move at different speeds: first, the massive and fast-growing streams of molecular data now produced from large-scale profiling of many cancer types (for example, genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and related comprehensive characterizations), and second, the biological and mechanistic work needed to explain how cancers start, evolve, spread, and resist treatment. In practical terms, the program is aimed at turning big datasets into testable insights about cancer drivers, vulnerabilities, and therapeutic targets, and then pushing those insights far enough along that they can inform follow-on translational or preclinical development.
This opportunity uses the U01 mechanism, which means it is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard research project grant. Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial NIH programmatic involvement, so awardees should expect a more interactive relationship with NIH staff than under many other grant types. The network framing also implies a coordinated set of research groups working toward shared goals, common standards, and data-sharing practices, with an emphasis on producing outputs that are broadly useful to the cancer research community. The FOA sits in NIH activity categories tied to health and education and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, and 93.396, which correspond to NIH cancer-related assistance listings.
In terms of scope, the scientific emphasis is on discovering and developing cancer targets by connecting computational or data-driven discoveries to experimental validation and mechanistic understanding. The FOA highlights the central challenge CTD2 is meant to address: comprehensive molecular characterization projects can identify thousands of alterations and patterns across tumor types, but many of those observations do not automatically translate into clear causal mechanisms, actionable targets, or strategies to intervene. CTD2-supported work is meant to help bridge that divide by generating evidence about which candidate genes, pathways, or molecular dependencies actually matter for tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, and by clarifying how and why they matter. By focusing on the etiology of cancer development and progression, the program is positioned to support work that can explain tumor behavior, uncover new drug targets, suggest biomarkers, or reveal combinations that could overcome resistance, even if the immediate endpoint is not a clinical trial.
The funding details included in the announcement indicate an award ceiling of $750,000 and an expectation of about 12 awards, reflecting a moderately sized national competition intended to fund multiple teams within a coordinated effort. Eligible applicants are broad and include many types of organizations: public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and a wide range of government entities (state, county, city or township, special district, and independent school districts). Eligibility also extends to federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations, and public or Indian housing authorities, with a note that additional eligibility clarifications may be provided in the full FOA text.
Finally, the timeline information in the source data shows the FOA was created on July 15, 2016, with an original closing date of October 3, 2016. While those dates reflect the historical cycle for this specific posting, the summary captures the enduring intent of the CTD2 initiative: to create a pipeline from large-scale cancer molecular datasets to experimentally grounded, mechanistically explained targets and hypotheses that can be advanced toward therapeutic development and broader community use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Cancer Target Discovery and Development Network (U01) funding opportunity, identified as RFA-CA-16-014. It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement run under the Department of Health and Human Services.
What program does this opportunity continue or support?
It continues support for the Cancer Target Discovery and Development program, commonly called CTD2 (pronounced "cee-tee-dee-squared").
What is the core purpose of CTD2?
The core purpose of CTD2 is to speed up cancer research by closing the gap between (1) large and rapidly growing streams of molecular data produced from large-scale profiling of many cancer types and (2) the biological and mechanistic research needed to explain how cancers start, evolve, spread, and resist treatment.
What kinds of molecular data are referenced in the program description?
The description references comprehensive molecular characterizations such as genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and related large-scale profiling outputs across many cancer types.
What problem is CTD2 designed to address?
Comprehensive molecular characterization projects can identify thousands of alterations and patterns across tumor types, but many of those observations do not automatically translate into causal mechanisms, actionable targets, or intervention strategies. CTD2 is designed to help bridge that divide.
What types of research activities does CTD2 emphasize?
The scientific emphasis is on discovering and developing cancer targets by connecting computational or data-driven discoveries to experimental validation and mechanistic understanding.
What does it mean to "turn big datasets into testable insights" in this program?
In practical terms, CTD2 aims to translate large molecular datasets into testable hypotheses about cancer drivers, vulnerabilities, and therapeutic targets, and to advance those findings far enough that they can inform follow-on translational or preclinical development.
Does the program focus on specific aspects of cancer biology?
Yes. The program is positioned to support work focused on the etiology of cancer development and progression, including tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, as well as mechanisms related to treatment resistance.
Are clinical trials required as an endpoint for projects under this FOA?
No. The description indicates that the immediate endpoint is not necessarily a clinical trial. The program supports mechanistically grounded target and hypothesis development that can later inform translational or preclinical work.
What kinds of outputs are expected to be useful to the broader community?
The network is described as emphasizing outputs that are broadly useful to the cancer research community, consistent with coordinated goals, common standards, and data-sharing practices across participating groups.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the U01 mechanism, which is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard research project grant.
How is a cooperative agreement (U01) different from many other NIH grant types?
Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial NIH programmatic involvement. Awardees should expect a more interactive relationship with NIH staff than is typical for many other grant mechanisms.
What does it mean that this opportunity is a "network"?
The network framing implies a coordinated set of research groups working toward shared goals, along with common standards and data-sharing practices, rather than fully independent projects operating in isolation.
Which federal department and agency are associated with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with the Department of Health and Human Services and administered through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Are there activity categories or assistance listings associated with this opportunity?
Yes. The FOA sits in NIH activity categories tied to health and education and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, and 93.396 (NIH cancer-related assistance listings).
What is the award ceiling mentioned in the opportunity summary?
The funding details indicate an award ceiling of $750,000.
How many awards are expected?
The announcement indicates an expectation of about 12 awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are broad and include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and a wide range of government entities.
Which types of government entities are listed as eligible?
The summary lists state, county, city or township, special district, and independent school districts as eligible government entities.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligibility extends to federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Are public or Indian housing authorities eligible?
Yes. The summary includes public or Indian housing authorities among the eligible applicant types.
Are there any notes about additional eligibility clarifications?
Yes. The summary notes that additional eligibility clarifications may be provided in the full FOA text.
When was this FOA created and when did it close?
The timeline information provided indicates the FOA was created on July 15, 2016, with an original closing date of October 3, 2016.
Do the listed dates reflect an active application window?
The dates provided reflect the historical cycle for this specific posting, rather than confirming a currently open application window.
What is the enduring intent of the CTD2 initiative described here?
The summary describes an enduring intent to create a pipeline from large-scale cancer molecular datasets to experimentally grounded and mechanistically explained targets and hypotheses that can be advanced toward therapeutic development and broader community use.
What kinds of scientific questions is CTD2 meant to help answer?
CTD2-supported work is meant to generate evidence about which candidate genes, pathways, or molecular dependencies actually matter in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, and to clarify how and why they matter.
What types of downstream impacts are mentioned for CTD2-supported work?
The program is positioned to support work that can explain tumor behavior, uncover new drug targets, suggest biomarkers, or reveal combinations that could overcome resistance, even when projects are not directly conducting clinical trials.
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