Biomarkers of Infection Associated Cancers (R21) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Biomarkers of Infection Associated Cancers (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-08-157) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) together with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Its central goal was to spur early-stage, exploratory research aimed at identifying biomarkers for cancers that are caused, triggered, or strongly driven by infectious agents. In practical terms, the FOA was looking for projects that could discover, develop, or begin to validate measurable biological indicators that link infection to cancer risk, early detection, diagnosis, or disease characterization. The emphasis on infection-associated cancers reflects the public health importance of malignancies where pathogens play a causal role, and where better biomarkers could improve screening strategies, triage, prognosis, and prevention efforts.

This announcement used the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant mechanism (R21), which is typically designed for innovative, higher-risk ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data. The R21 structure supports proof-of-concept work, feasibility testing, pilot data collection, and early biomarker discovery or refinement that could later be expanded into larger studies. The FOA was described as running in parallel with another solicitation of the same scientific scope (PA-08-156) that used the more traditional R01 mechanism, giving applicants a choice between an exploratory pathway (R21) and a fuller-scale research project pathway (R01), depending on the maturity and scale of the proposed work.

In terms of funding, the announcement set an award ceiling of $200,000 (as listed in the source data). The NIH noted that awards would depend on the availability of funds and the receipt of sufficiently strong applications, and it did not specify an expected number of awards. It also flagged that both the size and duration of awards could vary from project to project because biomarker research can range widely in scope, methods, and resource needs. In other words, the final portfolio and total dollars awarded were intended to be driven by scientific merit, project timelines, and justified budgets rather than a fixed quota.

The opportunity was categorized as a discretionary grant and mapped to health and education-related funding activity areas. It referenced multiple CFDA program areas, including Oral Diseases and Disorders Research (93.121) and several cancer-related categories (93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research; 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research; 93.396 Cancer Biology Research). This mix signaled broad relevance, including cancers with oral or craniofacial relevance as well as general oncology applications spanning etiology, biology, prevention, detection, and diagnosis. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.

Eligibility was broad and included many common NIH applicant types: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, small businesses, other for-profit organizations (beyond small businesses), and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (with the listed caveats). Additional eligible applicant categories also included certain federal agencies, Hispanic-serving institutions, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). The inclusion of foreign organizations and regional bodies suggested NIH interest in global collaboration and in studying infection-associated cancers that may have high burdens in particular regions or populations.

Administratively, the FOA was posted on April 22, 2008, and ultimately closed on May 7, 2011, with an archive date of June 7, 2011. The sponsoring agency listed was NIH. The full announcement was available through the NIH grants guide page associated with PA-08-157, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact was provided for access or linking issues. Overall, the grant was meant to catalyze innovative biomarker work at an early stage, specifically focused on cancers tied to infectious causes, with the expectation that promising findings could later support more definitive studies and, eventually, clinical or public health impact.

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