AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) (UM1) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) (UM1) funding opportunity under RFA-CA-13-005. It is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cooperative agreement designed to support a centralized, high-quality biorepository focused on cancers that occur in people living with HIV.

2) What is the overall purpose of the ACSR program under this FOA?

The core purpose is to acquire, store, and distribute tumor tissues, biological fluids, and related demographic and clinical information so the specimens are scientifically useful. The program is intended to operate as a national resource that investigators can rely on for well-annotated, well-preserved biospecimens to support translational, molecular, and epidemiologic research on HIV-associated malignancies.

3) What activities is the awardee expected to perform?

Based on the FOA description, the awardee is expected to function as a centralized biorepository that (1) acquires biospecimens, (2) stores and preserves them at high quality, (3) tracks and manages associated data (demographic and clinical), and (4) distributes specimens and data in a fair and broadly accessible manner for approved research use.

4) What types of specimens are included?

The FOA highlights tumor tissues and biological fluids, along with the related demographic and clinical information needed to make those specimens useful for research.

5) What makes the specimens and data "high value" under this FOA?

The FOA emphasizes specimen sets that are paired with robust clinical, pathological, diagnostic, and demographic data, and that are well preserved and well annotated to support strong downstream science.

6) What is meant by "fair and broadly accessible" distribution?

The FOA indicates that the ACSR should distribute specimens in a way that is fair and broadly accessible to investigators, consistent with operating as a national resource. (The specific distribution procedures are not detailed in the provided summary.)

7) What research areas is this biorepository intended to support?

The resource is intended to enable translational, molecular, and epidemiologic research on HIV-associated malignancies, including modern profiling approaches such as comprehensive genomic and other "omics" analyses.

8) What is the role of the ACSR in relation to the AIDS Malignancy Clinical Trials Consortium (AMC)?

A major additional role under this FOA is to provide biorepository banking support for the AIDS Malignancy Clinical Trials Consortium (AMC), an NCI-funded multicenter clinical trials network focused on treatment and prevention of HIV-associated cancers. This includes ensuring AMC trial specimens are properly collected, processed, stored, tracked, and made available for approved downstream research.

9) Does this FOA require the ACSR to support ongoing clinical trials operations?

Yes. The FOA describes the ACSR as an operational partner to AMC clinical trials, supporting the banking infrastructure and handling specimens generated by AMC studies.

10) What is a UM1 cooperative agreement and why does it matter here?

This opportunity uses the UM1 mechanism, which is a cooperative agreement. The FOA notes that this means the relationship with NCI is collaborative, with substantial programmatic involvement from the agency compared to a standard grant.

11) How should applicants think about specimen collection priorities?

The FOA strongly emphasizes that collection priorities should reflect the evolving HIV epidemic and the shifting cancer landscape in people living with HIV. Applicants are encouraged to concentrate on "high priority" specimen sets that maximize future scientific value.

12) What "high priority" specimen sets are specifically emphasized?

The FOA lists multiple priorities, including: (1) specimens paired with robust clinical, pathological, diagnostic, and demographic data; (2) fresh-frozen materials suitable for modern molecular profiling, including comprehensive genomic and other "omics" analyses; (3) specimens obtained under informed consent that allows broad future research use, including deep sequencing and genome-wide association studies; (4) collections representing non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs); and (5) specimens originating from the developing world, with special emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa.

13) Why are fresh-frozen specimens called out as a priority?

The FOA highlights fresh-frozen materials because they are suitable for modern molecular profiling approaches, including comprehensive genomic and other "omics" analyses.

14) What consent characteristics are emphasized for collected specimens?

The FOA emphasizes specimens obtained under informed consent that allows broad future research use, explicitly including deep sequencing and genome-wide association studies.

15) What cancer types are emphasized for collection?

The FOA focuses on cancers occurring in people living with HIV and specifically encourages collections representing non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs), which have become increasingly important as people with HIV live longer.

16) Why are non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) highlighted?

The FOA notes that NADCs have become increasingly important as people with HIV live longer, making them a key priority for specimen and data collection.

17) Are specimens from outside the United States a priority?

Yes. The FOA explicitly identifies specimens originating from the developing world as a priority, with special emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa due to the HIV burden and related malignancies as major public health concerns.

18) How many awards did NCI anticipate making?

NCI anticipated making a single award under this FOA.

19) What was the estimated total funding level?

The FOA estimated a total funding level of about $3.9 million.

20) When was this opportunity posted and when were applications due?

The opportunity was posted on December 12, 2012. The original (and final) application due date was February 14, 2013.

21) Is this FOA still active?

Based on the provided information, it is archived. The archive date listed is March 17, 2013.

22) What agency and institute sponsored this opportunity?

This is an NIH opportunity sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

23) What are the CFDA numbers associated with this FOA?

The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399.

24) What do the multiple CFDA numbers imply about the scope?

The FOA notes that these C FDA numbers span cancer biology, prevention, detection/diagnosis, treatment, and control, reflecting that the resource is broadly relevant across the cancer research spectrum.

25) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various government entities (including state and county).

26) Are foreign organizations allowed to participate?

Yes. The FOA explicitly allows participation by foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations.

27) Are minority-serving institutions and Tribal institutions included in eligibility?

Yes. The FOA lists a range of eligible institution types, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs.

28) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

29) What is the intended impact of the ACSR resource?

The FOA is designed to sustain a specialized, globally relevant specimen and data resource that supports both (1) clinical trials infrastructure through AMC biorepository banking support and (2) wider investigator-initiated research aimed at understanding and improving outcomes for HIV-associated cancers.