Diet Induced Changes in Inflammation as Determinants of Colon Cancer (R01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the PA-08-210 funding opportunity about?

PA-08-210, titled "Diet Induced Changes in Inflammation as Determinants of Colon Cancer (R01)," is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity that supports mechanistic, hypothesis-driven research on how diet alters inflammatory processes in ways that influence colon cancer risk.

2) What is the central scientific aim of this opportunity?

The central aim is to move beyond broad diet-and-cancer associations and instead identify specific inflammation-related pathways, mediators, and host factors that connect dietary exposures to cancer-relevant biology in the colon.

3) What type of research approach is expected?

Projects are expected to be mechanistic and hypothesis-driven, with a clear emphasis on biological mechanisms that can be measured, tested, and interpreted in experimental systems.

4) What kinds of biological questions are emphasized?

The opportunity emphasizes identifying and characterizing diet-induced changes in inflammation that either promote or protect against colon carcinogenesis, and linking those changes to colon cancer-related processes tied to tumor initiation and progression.

5) What role do bioactive food components play in the scope of this FOA?

A major priority is research that clarifies how bioactive components in foods shift the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators in the colon, and how those shifts affect colon cancer risk.

6) What examples of mechanisms or processes does the announcement highlight?

Examples include signaling cascades, immune-cell recruitment, epithelial stress responses, and the development of inflammatory microenvironments relevant to tumor initiation and progression.

7) What does the FOA mean by focusing on specific "mediators" and "pathways"?

It means pinpointing which inflammatory mediators change in response to specific dietary components, how those mediators act within colon tissue, and how the resulting signals shape cancer-relevant biology in the colon.

8) Does this FOA encourage research on the real-world biological effectiveness of dietary components?

Yes. Applicants are encouraged to address functional effectiveness questions such as what concentrations are active in relevant tissues, how long exposure needs to last, and whether compounds are stable or metabolized into active or inactive forms.

9) What exposure and metabolism considerations are specifically called out?

The FOA encourages work on practical biological questions including: what chemical forms reach colon cells, whether compounds are metabolized into active or inactive forms, how stable the compounds are, and how strongly they interact with relevant receptors or molecular targets in inflammatory colonocytes.

10) Is genetic variability part of the research priorities?

Yes. A key emphasis is inter-individual variability driven by genetics, including genetic polymorphisms that modify responses to particular bioactive food components in the context of colon cancer inhibition.

11) What kinds of gene-diet interaction questions fit this announcement?

Proposals can focus on mechanistic gene-diet interactions, such as how variants in inflammatory pathway genes, metabolism-related genes, or receptors change the magnitude or direction of an anti-inflammatory dietary response and how that translates into differences in cancer-relevant outcomes.

12) Why is the FOA interested in genetic polymorphisms?

The intent is to explain why the same dietary exposure may not have uniform biological effects across different genetic backgrounds and to identify molecular points where those differences occur.

13) What grant mechanism does PA-08-210 use?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism, which typically supports more mature, substantial projects and often requires a stronger foundation of preliminary data than shorter exploratory awards.

14) Is there a related opportunity for earlier-stage or exploratory projects?

Yes. A parallel announcement with the same scientific scope is available using the R21 exploratory/developmental mechanism: PA-08-211.

15) Are the funding amount and number of awards predetermined?

No. Funding and the number of awards are not set in advance. Awards depend on appropriations and on the quality and volume of applications received.

16) What types of studies are explicitly not supported?

The announcement does not support epidemiological studies that examine diet-related colon cancer risk in populations. Large observational analyses of dietary patterns and cancer incidence, and similar population-based correlation studies, are outside scope.

17) If population-based diet and cancer risk studies are out of scope, what is in scope instead?

The focus is on mechanistic and translational biology that directly interrogates inflammatory mediators, pathways, genetic modifiers, and physiologic activity of dietary components in the colon.

18) Which agency administers and issues this opportunity?

The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the issuing institute for this scientific area is the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

19) What is the timeline status of this opportunity?

PA-08-210 was posted on July 18, 2008, had a closing date of September 7, 2011, and was archived on October 8, 2011.

20) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

21) What CFDA program areas does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under CFDA programs tied to cancer cause and prevention research, cancer biology research, and cancer control.

22) 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), state governments, and additional eligible entities such as Hispanic-serving institutions, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations, among others as permitted by NIH policy.

23) Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations, including small businesses, are included in the eligible applicant types.

24) Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?

Yes. Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are included among eligible entities, as permitted by NIH policy.

25) Does the announcement indicate whether it is discretionary?

Yes. PA-08-210 is described as a discretionary grant opportunity under the NIH.