DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Idea Award | Apply Online

FAQs: DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Idea Award (W81XWH-09-PRCRP-IDEA)

What is the PRCRP Idea Award?

The PRCRP Idea Award is a competitive Department of Defense (Department of the Army/USAMRAA) funding opportunity intended to support early-stage, conceptually bold cancer research that could lead to major breakthroughs. It is designed for high risk/high reward projects that may be too novel for more conventional funding mechanisms.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-09-PRCRP-IDEA.

What type of research is this award trying to fund?

The award emphasizes innovative cancer research ideas, with a clear focus on genetic cancer research and how cancer-related genetic changes may be influenced by exposures and stressful conditions associated with military life.

Are preliminary data required to apply?

No. Preliminary data are not required. However, applicants are still expected to present a well-formulated, testable hypothesis grounded in strong scientific rationale.

If preliminary data are not required, what does the application still need to include?

The proposed project should be logically and scientifically constructed, even if the underlying concept is new. The application should clearly state a testable hypothesis and provide strong scientific reasoning supporting why the idea is worth testing.

Is this award limited to certain topic areas?

Yes. This opportunity is tightly scoped. Applicants must propose work that falls within the specified focus areas, and they cannot propose research outside those topic areas.

Which cancer topics are explicitly prohibited?

Applications are explicitly prohibited from addressing breast cancer, prostate cancer, or ovarian cancer research.

How are applications evaluated with respect to program priorities?

Applications are evaluated in part based on how directly they address one or more of the FY09 PRCRP Idea Award Focus Areas. Applicants should clearly connect the proposed work to at least one of the stated focus areas.

What does "military relevance" mean for this award?

Applicants must clearly and explicitly explain the project's military relevance rather than assuming it is self-evident. This means describing how the research question, exposure context, study population, or anticipated impact connects to military-specific environments, duties, deployments, or service-related conditions.

What are the FY09 PRCRP Idea Award Focus Areas?

For FY09, the program prioritized four focus areas centered on how military exposures may influence cancer risk through genetic and biological mechanisms: (1) exposure- or stress-related changes in gene structure and/or expression; (2) biological pathways involved in carcinogenic mechanisms affected by military exposures; (3) trans-generational cancer risk related to military exposures; and (4) differences in genetic susceptibility to cancer among ethnic groups affected by military exposures.

Focus Area 1: What kinds of studies fit the "gene structure and/or gene expression changes" focus area?

This area supports identification and characterization of changes in gene structure and/or gene expression resulting from exposures or stressful environments that are known or suspected to increase cancer risk, either individually or in combination.

What types of military-relevant exposures are mentioned as examples?

Examples include radiation (such as UV and other sources), biological agents, chemicals, physical and/or psychological stress, and environmental conditions such as noise, heat, or altitude.

Focus Area 2: What does the program mean by "biological pathways involved in carcinogenic mechanisms"?

This focus area supports investigation of biological pathways involved in carcinogenic mechanisms that are affected by military exposures. The emphasis is on mechanistic understanding of how exposures may alter processes such as signaling, DNA damage response, immune regulation, epigenetic regulation, or other pathways contributing to cancer development.

Focus Area 3: What is meant by "trans-generational cancer risk" in this announcement?

This focus area encourages studies examining whether and how military exposures might influence cancer susceptibility in offspring through heritable genetic or epigenetic mechanisms.

Focus Area 4: What does the focus on ethnic groups cover?

This area seeks research on differences in genetic susceptibility to cancer among ethnic groups affected by military exposures, recognizing that gene-environment interactions and population-level genetic variation may shape differential cancer risk.

What funding mechanisms (award instruments) could be used?

The opportunity was offered as discretionary funding using either a grant or a cooperative agreement instrument.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

How much total funding was estimated for this competition, and how many awards were expected?

The estimated total funding was $3.4 million, with an expectation of six awards.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications provided in the full announcement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was originally posted on June 24, 2009, and it had a closing date of December 9, 2009.

What does it mean that the opportunity is "archived"?

The listing indicates it was archived on January 8, 2010, meaning it is no longer an active, open competition under that posting.

Where can applicants get help accessing the full program announcement?

For assistance accessing the full program announcement, the contact provided was cdmrp.pa@amedd.army.mil or 301-619-7079.

Where can applicants get help with electronic submission?

For help with the electronic submission system, the contact provided was help@cdmrp.org or 301-682-5507.

What is one common compliance pitfall highlighted by the announcement?

The announcement emphasizes that applicants must remain within the specified focus areas and must not propose breast, prostate, or ovarian cancer research. It also highlights that military relevance must be explicitly explained, not implied.