Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 105
Apply for PAR 16 105
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative: Enabling Biomimetic Tissue-Engineered Technologies for Cancer Research (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, 93.399.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 19, 2016 and posted on Feb 19, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 30, 2018. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
- 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 Tissue Engineering Collaborative: Enabling Biomimetic Tissue-Engineered Technologies for Cancer Research (U01) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-105) is a National Institutes of Health program designed to push cancer research models beyond traditional cell culture and standard animal systems by funding advanced, biomimetic tissue-engineered platforms. The central aim is to develop and thoroughly characterize next-generation experimental technologies that more closely replicate the real biology of tumors in the human body, including how cancers grow, interact with surrounding tissues, and respond to treatment. The opportunity is built around the idea that better models of cancer pathophysiology will help researchers ask more realistic questions and generate results that translate more reliably into clinical insights.
A key feature of this FOA is its emphasis on genuinely collaborative, multidisciplinary work. Applicants are expected to combine expertise from regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, biomaterials science, and bioengineering with deep cancer biology knowledge. In practical terms, the program is looking for teams that can design engineered tissues or microenvironments that imitate the structural, mechanical, biochemical, and cellular complexity of tumors and their surrounding niches. These platforms might include engineered matrices, organotypic or 3D tissue constructs, microphysiological systems, or other biomimetic technologies intended to recreate critical features of cancer behavior that are often missing in simpler models.
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U01), which signals that NIH anticipates substantial scientific involvement and coordination with funded teams rather than a hands-off grant. Funded projects are expected not only to build their own technologies but also to participate as a group in the broader Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative (TEC) Research Program. That collaborative structure is meant to accelerate progress through shared standards, cross-project learning, and collective problem-solving around common technical challenges such as reproducibility, validation, characterization metrics, and the kinds of readouts that will make engineered cancer models widely useful to the research community.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations: federal recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, state and local governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as allowed under the FOA’s additional eligibility language. The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (listed as HHS-NIH11). The activity category is listed under education and health, and the associated CFDA numbers are 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399, reflecting alignment with NIH cancer-related programs.
Administratively, the FOA was posted on February 19, 2016, and the original and current closing date shown is November 30, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $400,000 (as provided in the source data). Overall, the opportunity is aimed at enabling high-impact, technology-focused cancer research by creating more faithful, engineered representations of tumor biology and ensuring that the resulting platforms are rigorously defined and developed in a coordinated, collaborative program rather than in isolation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled The Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative: Enabling Biomimetic Tissue-Engineered Technologies for Cancer Research (U01).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 16-105.
Which agency sponsors this program?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), listed as HHS-NIH11.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The central goal is to fund the development and thorough characterization of advanced, biomimetic tissue-engineered technologies that push cancer research models beyond traditional 2D cell culture and standard animal systems. The intent is to create experimental platforms that more closely match real tumor biology in the human body, including tumor growth, interactions with surrounding tissues, and treatment response.
Why does the FOA emphasize biomimetic, tissue-engineered cancer models?
The FOA is based on the idea that more realistic models of cancer pathophysiology help researchers ask better questions and generate results that translate more reliably into clinical insights, compared with simpler models that may miss key aspects of human tumor behavior.
What kinds of technologies or platforms is NIH looking to support?
The program seeks biomimetic technologies designed to recreate critical features of tumor biology and the tumor microenvironment. Examples mentioned include engineered matrices, organotypic or 3D tissue constructs, microphysiological systems, and other tissue-engineered or biomimetic platforms intended to model the structural, mechanical, biochemical, and cellular complexity of tumors and their surrounding niches.
What does "biomimetic" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, "biomimetic" refers to technologies that aim to imitate key aspects of real tumor biology found in the human body, including how tumors are organized, how they interact with nearby tissues, and how they respond to treatments.
Is this opportunity focused on basic science, technology development, or something else?
Based on the description provided, it is primarily a technology-focused cancer research opportunity aimed at enabling high-impact advances by developing and rigorously defining next-generation engineered model systems.
What is the award mechanism and what does it imply?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U01). This signals that NIH expects to have substantial scientific involvement and coordination with funded teams, rather than operating as a fully hands-off grant.
What is the Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative (TEC) Research Program?
Funded projects are expected to participate in a broader collaborative effort called the Cancer Tissue Engineering Collaborative (TEC) Research Program. The collaborative structure is meant to speed progress through shared standards, cross-project learning, and joint problem-solving around common technical hurdles.
What types of collaboration are expected from applicants?
The FOA emphasizes genuinely collaborative, multidisciplinary work. Applicants are expected to combine expertise from areas such as regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, biomaterials science, and bioengineering with deep cancer biology knowledge.
What common challenges is the collaborative program trying to address?
The description highlights shared challenges including reproducibility, validation, characterization metrics, and identifying the kinds of readouts that will make engineered cancer models broadly useful to the research community.
Does the FOA require funded projects to do more than build a model?
Yes. In addition to developing their own biomimetic technologies, funded teams are expected to participate as a group in the TEC Research Program, contributing to coordinated progress across projects.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes (as listed): federal recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, state and local governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as allowed under the FOA's additional eligibility language.
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses) and also separately includes small businesses.
Are nonprofit organizations required to have 501(c)(3) status?
No. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federal recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed under education and health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The associated CFDA numbers are 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399, reflecting alignment with NIH cancer-related programs.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on February 19, 2016.
What is the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date shown is November 30, 2018.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $400,000 (as provided in the source data).
What makes this FOA different from standard, single-lab research grants?
Two features stand out in the provided description: (1) it uses a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism with substantial NIH involvement, and (2) it expects funded projects to operate within a coordinated collaborative program (TEC) that emphasizes shared standards and cross-project learning rather than isolated development.
What kinds of tumor behaviors or properties are these engineered systems expected to capture?
The FOA highlights the need to replicate real tumor biology, including how cancers grow, interact with surrounding tissues, and respond to treatment, as well as the structural, mechanical, biochemical, and cellular complexity of tumors and their niches.
What is the overall program vision for impact?
The opportunity aims to enable high-impact cancer research by creating more faithful engineered representations of tumor biology and ensuring those platforms are rigorously defined, well-characterized, and developed through a coordinated, collaborative program that helps the broader research community use and trust the resulting models.
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