DoD Ovarian Cancer Clinical Translational Leverage Award | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the DoD Ovarian Cancer Clinical Translational Leverage Award (CTLA)?

The DoD Ovarian Cancer Clinical Translational Leverage Award (CTLA) is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity within the Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP). It is administered through the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The award is intended to accelerate progress in ovarian cancer by supporting translational research that is closely connected to patient care.

What is the main purpose of this award?

The central purpose is to speed progress in ovarian cancer by funding translational studies that directly use human-based ovarian cancer resources. These resources include patient-derived samples, clinical data, and other human-origin materials that help bridge the gap between laboratory findings and real clinical impact.

What kinds of research does the CTLA support?

This mechanism supports translational studies that are close to patient care and can realistically generate actionable evidence. Specifically, it supports early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials and correlative studies anchored in human clinical materials and data.

Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?

Yes. The CTLA supports early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials as part of its emphasis on generating clinically actionable evidence.

What are correlative studies, and are they supported?

Correlative studies are studies that analyze relationships between clinical characteristics, outcomes, and biological or other measurable factors (such as biomarkers) using human-based samples and/or clinical data. Yes, correlative studies are supported under this opportunity.

Can correlative studies be retrospective or prospective?

Yes. Correlative studies under this award can be retrospective (analyzing existing patient samples and datasets) or prospective (collecting new samples and data moving forward).

What is meant by "human-based ovarian cancer resources"?

In this opportunity, human-based ovarian cancer resources refer to patient-derived samples, clinical data, and other human-origin materials. The program emphasizes direct use of these resources to keep the work clinically grounded.

What are the key research goals or focus areas encouraged by the CTLA?

The award emphasizes testing high-impact ideas that address unmet needs in ovarian cancer. Examples of focus areas described include improving diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response prediction, patient stratification, and identifying/validating targets and biomarkers that could influence clinical decision-making.

Does the program require preliminary data?

Yes. A key requirement is that applicants must have preliminary data. This signals the program is intended for approaches that already have some supporting evidence and are ready for evaluation in a clinical or clinically anchored setting, rather than speculative concepts.

How is this award administered (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity was offered as either a cooperative agreement or a grant under a discretionary program focused on science and technology and other research and development.

How much total funding was estimated for the program?

The estimated total program funding was $800,000.

How many awards were expected to be made?

The program expected to make about two awards.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds to be eligible or competitive, while still needing to propose a realistic and justified budget.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to a wide range of applicant organizations, subject to any additional clarifications provided in the full announcement.

What is the funding opportunity number for this award?

The funding opportunity number was W81XWH-14-OCRP-CTLA.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity was associated with CFDA 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on April 15, 2014.

What were the application deadlines?

The original and final closing date was August 27, 2014.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was September 26, 2014.

Who can be contacted for technical help accessing the full announcement materials?

Applicants or institutions needing technical assistance accessing the full announcement materials could contact the CDMRP Help Desk by phone at 301-682-5507 or by email at help@eBRAP.org.

What agency and program is this opportunity tied to?

This is a U.S. Department of Defense opportunity administered through the Department of the Army (USAMRAA) under the Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP).

What type of evidence is the CTLA trying to generate?

The CTLA is designed to fund studies that can realistically generate actionable evidence, with a focus on translational work that can influence clinical impact and clinical decision-making.

What does it mean that the work should be "clinically anchored"?

Based on the description provided, "clinically anchored" means the research should be tied directly to human clinical materials and data (such as patient-derived samples and clinical datasets) and oriented toward outcomes that matter for patient care, rather than purely laboratory or speculative work.