DoD Lung Cancer Research Program Idea Development Award | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DoD Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Idea Development Award

What is the DoD Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Idea Development Award?

The LCRP Idea Development Award (Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-16-LCRP-IDA) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity designed to push forward brand-new, early-stage concepts that could open up fresh directions in lung cancer research. It is meant to support conceptually innovative, intentionally high-risk/high-reward work that could generate impactful data, enable critical discoveries, or produce major advances that help accelerate progress toward eliminating deaths from lung cancer.

What is the main purpose of this award?

The main purpose is to advance innovative and potentially transformative lung cancer research ideas that go beyond incremental extensions of existing work. The program is looking for projects that can meaningfully accelerate progress in lung cancer research, even if immediate clinical outcomes are not achievable during the project period.

What kind of research does the program want to fund?

The program wants research that is both innovative and impactful. Innovation can include introducing a new research paradigm, challenging established assumptions, reframing a long-standing problem, or using a uniquely creative approach that changes how the field thinks about lung cancer. Impact is treated as equally essential, meaning the project should have a clear path to advancing lung cancer progress through mechanisms such as enabling new investigative avenues, shifting understanding of disease mechanisms, improving prevention or detection strategies, or laying groundwork for better treatments.

Is this award intended for early-stage or mature research projects?

This mechanism is intended for relatively early development ideas, including exploratory work. However, it is not meant for purely speculative proposals; the application must be anchored by a well-formulated and testable hypothesis supported by a strong scientific rationale.

Does the application need to include a hypothesis?

Yes. Even though the work can be exploratory, the application still needs to be anchored by a well-formulated and testable hypothesis that is backed by a strong scientific rationale.

Are preliminary data required?

Yes. Preliminary data are required to demonstrate feasibility of the hypothesis and approach. The preliminary data do not have to come directly from lung cancer studies, as long as the applicant convincingly connects the evidence to the lung cancer question being proposed.

Can preliminary data come from fields outside lung cancer research?

Yes. Applicants may leverage supporting evidence from related areas such as cancer biology, immunology, bioengineering, computational modeling, toxicology, or other adjacent fields, provided the evidence is convincingly tied to the proposed lung cancer research question.

What does "high-risk/high-reward" mean in the context of this award?

In this program, high-risk/high-reward refers to intentionally bold and conceptually innovative ideas that may be less certain than conventional approaches, but that could yield disproportionately important advances if successful. The goal is to support research that could change directions in lung cancer research rather than simply extend existing lines of study.

How does the program define "innovation"?

Innovation can include introducing a new research paradigm, challenging established assumptions, reframing a long-standing problem from a different angle, or presenting a uniquely creative approach that changes how the field thinks about lung cancer. The expectation is that the work does more than incrementally extend existing research.

How does the program define "impact"?

Impact is treated as essential and refers to how the proposed research could meaningfully accelerate progress in lung cancer. Examples described in the opportunity include enabling new investigative avenues, shifting understanding of disease mechanisms, improving prevention or detection strategies, or laying groundwork for better treatments. Applicants are also expected to explain how the work could ultimately matter to patients and the broader lung cancer landscape, even if immediate clinical outcomes are not realistic during the project period.

If a project is scientifically rigorous, is that enough to be competitive?

No. The opportunity emphasizes that strong science alone is not sufficient if the proposal does not clearly deliver on the intent of the mechanism. Applicants must explicitly and convincingly argue both innovation and impact, describing what is new, why it could change the field, and how it could ultimately affect lung cancer outcomes.

What should applicants do to make the case for innovation and impact?

Applicants are expected to spell out, in plain terms, what is new, why it could change the field, how it could ultimately affect lung cancer patients, and why it matters for military and veteran communities. The program messaging indicates these points should be explicit and convincing, not implied.

Is collaboration with military or veteran research environments encouraged?

Yes. The program strongly encourages participation and collaborations connected to the military health and research ecosystem. Applications that come from, or include partnerships with, investigators at military treatment facilities, military laboratories, and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and research labs are specifically encouraged.

Do applicants need to address relevance to military beneficiaries?

Yes. Applicants are expected to address relevance to military beneficiaries, explaining why the topic, approach, or downstream implications matter in a way that aligns with Department of Defense and veteran populations.

Is there a specific category for early-career researchers?

Yes. The opportunity includes a New Investigator category intended for early-career faculty.

Who qualifies as a New Investigator under this award?

A New Investigator is described as an independent investigator within 10 years of their first faculty appointment (or equivalent). This category allows early-career investigators to compete separately from more established investigators.

How are New Investigator applications reviewed compared to Established Investigator applications?

New Investigator and Established Investigator applications are peer reviewed and programmatically reviewed in separate tracks. This structure is intended to make competition fairer for investigators who are still building their labs and publication records.

Are New Investigators expected to collaborate with more experienced researchers?

New Investigators are strongly encouraged to collaborate with researchers who have demonstrated lung cancer expertise or other key capabilities needed to execute the project well.

What must New Investigators include if they are using collaborators to strengthen the project?

The applicant must explicitly describe how the collaboration fills gaps in the PI's experience and strengthens the project’s ability to answer the research question.

Who can apply (eligibility)?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any entity type may apply unless additional eligibility details in the full announcement narrow it.

How is this opportunity administered?

This is a discretionary DoD funding opportunity administered by DOD-AMRAA. It can be made as a grant or a cooperative agreement.

What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?

The CFDA listing provided is 12.420 (science and technology and other R&D).

How many awards were anticipated for the cited cycle?

The program anticipated making around six awards for the cited cycle.

What were the posting date and closing date for the cited cycle?

The posting and creation date was April 11, 2016. The original and current closing date for the cited cycle was September 14, 2016.

Is there an award ceiling (maximum funding amount) listed?

The opportunity listing includes an award ceiling field, but the provided information does not include a numeric ceiling amount.

Is this funding offered as a grant or a cooperative agreement?

The opportunity may be made as a grant or a cooperative agreement.

Does the program require that outcomes be immediately clinical?

No. The program indicates that even if immediate clinical outcomes are not realistic within the project period, applicants are expected to clearly explain how the work could ultimately matter to patients and to the broader lung cancer landscape.

Are purely speculative proposals acceptable?

No. While the research can be exploratory, the program states it is not designed for purely speculative proposals. A testable hypothesis, strong rationale, and preliminary data supporting feasibility are required.

What is the central message about what makes an application competitive?

The central message is that applicants must explicitly and convincingly argue both innovation and impact. The proposal should clearly present a creative leap and a high potential payoff for lung cancer outcomes, and it should also address why the work matters for military and veteran communities.