Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2

What is the Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2?

The Breast Cancer Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: W81XWH 16 BCRP BREAKTHROUGHFL12) managed through DOD-AMRAA. It is intended to support research ideas that are positioned to change the breast cancer landscape in a meaningful way, rather than producing incremental advances.

What does the program mean by a "breakthrough" project?

"Breakthrough" work is framed as research with a clear line of sight to making a substantial difference for people who have breast cancer or who are at risk. The project may be near-term or longer-term in impact, but the application is expected to explain how the work could ultimately translate into clinical impact, even if the project itself is not immediately clinical.

What is the most important review emphasis described in the opportunity?

A core requirement is impact. Reviewers are looking for projects that could accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer and that move beyond incremental advances. Applicants are expected to argue convincingly that success would open a new direction, resolve a major barrier, or materially shift outcomes in prevention, detection, treatment, or survivorship.

Does the project have to be clinical to be competitive?

Not necessarily. The opportunity emphasizes that even if the project is not immediately clinical, the application should describe how the research could ultimately translate into clinical impact and benefit patients.

What kinds of outcomes or areas can the research aim to improve?

The opportunity describes potential impact areas including prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship outcomes. The key expectation is that the work would materially shift one or more of these areas rather than contribute only a small step forward.

How are Level 1 and Level 2 different?

The opportunity provides two funding levels based on scope and maturity:

• Level 1: Designed for innovative, high-risk/high-reward ideas at the earliest stages. Projects may be exploratory and aimed at testing a bold hypothesis, establishing feasibility, or generating proof of concept for a new direction.
• Level 2: Intended for work that already has preliminary data and is positioned to make significant progress toward clinical translation. Proposals should generally demonstrate an initial foundation and describe next steps that advance toward real-world application.

Are preliminary data required for Level 1?

No. A notable feature of Level 1 is that preliminary data are not required, making it appropriate for strong concepts that are not yet supported by extensive prior results.

Are preliminary data expected for Level 2?

Yes. Level 2 is described as intended for research that already has preliminary data in hand and is ready to make significant progress toward clinical translation.

How should an applicant choose between Level 1 and Level 2?

Applicants are responsible for selecting the level that fits their project. The guidance emphasizes that level selection should be driven by the scope and maturity of the research idea, not by simply aiming for a higher budget.

What is the Partnering PI Option?

The Partnering PI Option is intended to promote serious, productive collaborations. Under this option, two principal investigators participate: an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI. Each PI receives a separate award, and both are expected to play major roles in shaping the science and the application.

What is expected of the Initiating PI and the Partnering PI in a Partnering PI application?

Although the submission requirements differ, both PIs are expected to have major roles in developing the project and key application components, including the project narrative and statement of work, along with other required pieces. Each PI must have distinct, clearly defined contributions.

Do the two PIs need to be from the same discipline?

No. The opportunity states that collaborations may occur across similar disciplines or very different disciplines, as long as each PI provides a distinct contribution and the collaboration strengthens the science.

How should applicants justify using the Partnering PI Option?

The application should explain why the collaboration is necessary and why the work is stronger as a unified effort rather than being split into separate projects. The intent is to support true collaboration rather than superficial co-investigator arrangements.

Are new collaborations required for the Partnering PI Option?

No. New collaborations are explicitly encouraged but not required.

Can someone serve as a Partnering PI on multiple applications?

The opportunity discourages applicants from serving as a Partnering PI on multiple applications unless those applications are truly focused on distinct research questions. This is meant to prevent token participation across many submissions.

Are mentor-trainee pairings allowed under the Partnering PI Option?

The opportunity indicates that mentor-trainee pairings (such as a mentor with their current postdoctoral fellow or junior investigator) do not meet the intent of the option. The program is signaling it wants collaborations between investigators who each independently contribute major expertise and leadership, not relationships that resemble training or supervision.

Who manages this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is managed through DOD-AMRAA under the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.

What type of funding is this categorized as?

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and supports awards via grants and cooperative agreements under the science and technology/research and development activity category.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 12.420.

What is the eligibility for this opportunity?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility language that may appear in the full announcement.

When was this opportunity posted, and what was the closing date?

The posting date is March 1, 2016 (created the same day), and the closing date is May 5, 2016.

How many awards were expected?

The posting indicates an expectation of 39 awards.

Is the award ceiling specified in the information provided?

No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided text.

Is there a separate opportunity for larger-scale Breakthrough projects?

Yes. For Breakthrough projects beyond Levels 1 and 2, applicants are directed to a separate funding opportunity for Levels 3 and 4: W81XWH-16-BCRP-BREAKTHROUGHFL34.

What should an application emphasize to demonstrate "impact"?

Based on the description provided, applications should go beyond a well-designed study and clearly explain how success would: (1) open a new direction, (2) resolve a major barrier, or (3) materially shift breast cancer outcomes. The application should also articulate a plausible pathway to eventual patient benefit, including what milestones would need to be achieved and why the team is positioned to reach them.