Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 15 124
Apply for PA 15 124
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early life Factors and Cancer Development Later in Life (R03)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 26, 2015 and posted on Feb 26, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Independent school districts 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 Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education County governments Special district governments State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity "Early Life Factors and Cancer Development Later in Life (R03)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 15-124) is a discretionary grant program designed to spark focused, early-stage research on how experiences and exposures early in life may influence cancer risk decades later. The announcement is built around the idea that a person s cancer risk is not shaped only by adult lifestyle and adult environmental exposures, but may also be partly programmed by factors operating during key developmental windows. Because the existing evidence base is described as emerging and limited, this FOA is aimed at encouraging more studies that can clarify what early life influences matter, how they work biologically, and how that knowledge can be translated into prevention.
A central theme of the FOA is the "life course" approach to cancer etiology. It highlights multiple early developmental periods that could plausibly affect later cancer development, including maternal and paternal factors, in utero exposures, birth and infancy, puberty and adolescence, and the teenage and young adult years. The research emphasis is not just on identifying associations between early exposures and later cancers, but on understanding underlying mechanisms. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for projects that can connect early life events (such as environmental exposures, nutritional status, hormonal changes, growth patterns, infections, stress, or other developmental influences) to biological pathways relevant to carcinogenesis.
The announcement lays out three major scientific needs. First, it calls for a clearer understanding of which early life factors are associated with cancer development later in life, across the range of early windows from preconception and pregnancy through young adulthood. Second, it emphasizes the need to determine how these factors mediate biological processes involved in cancer initiation and progression, meaning projects that can point to credible mechanistic links rather than only statistical correlations. Third, it encourages research on predictive markers of future cancer risk that reflect biology occurring early in life. The practical motivation here is that waiting decades for cancer outcomes can slow scientific progress; if valid markers of malignancy or pre-malignant conditions can be identified, researchers could evaluate the long-term significance of early exposures without having to follow participants for 50 years.
Overall, the long-range goal is prevention. By improving mechanistic understanding of how early developmental events and exposures contribute to cancer later in life, the FOA frames a pathway toward interventions during pregnancy or early life that could meaningfully reduce cancer risk at the population level. The opportunity therefore supports work that can move the field from general suspicion that early life matters to more actionable knowledge about timing, mechanisms, and measurable early indicators that can inform prevention strategies.
Administratively, this is an NIH grant opportunity using the R03 activity mechanism, which is typically used for small, time-limited projects that can generate preliminary data, test feasibility, or explore a focused research question. It is listed under funding activity categories spanning education, environment, health, income security, and social services, and it maps to CFDA numbers 93.113 (Environmental Health), 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research), and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research). The announcement indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement. It was posted and created on February 26, 2015, with an original and current closing date of January 7, 2018, and an archive date of February 7, 2018.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; independent school districts; public and Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicants such as historically underrepresented and mission-focused institutions (for example, HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, TCCUs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions), faith-based and community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities).
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health. The full announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide under the link provided in the source material (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-15-124.html). For access or linking issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the funding opportunity called?
The opportunity is titled "Early Life Factors and Cancer Development Later in Life (R03)".
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA 15-124.
3) Which agency is sponsoring this grant opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
4) What type of NIH grant mechanism does this use?
This opportunity uses the R03 activity mechanism, which is typically intended for small, time-limited projects that can generate preliminary data, test feasibility, or explore a focused research question.
5) What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA is designed to encourage focused, early-stage research on how experiences and exposures early in life may influence cancer risk later in life, potentially decades afterward.
6) What is the core scientific idea behind the announcement?
The announcement is built around the idea that cancer risk may not be shaped only by adult lifestyle and adult environmental exposures. It may also be partly programmed by factors operating during key developmental windows earlier in life.
7) Why is NIH encouraging research in this area now?
The FOA describes the existing evidence base as emerging and limited. It aims to spark more studies that clarify which early-life influences matter, how they work biologically, and how they can be translated into prevention.
8) What approach to cancer etiology does the FOA emphasize?
It emphasizes a "life course" approach to cancer etiology, focusing on how exposures and experiences across early developmental periods may shape later cancer development.
9) Which early-life time periods or developmental windows are highlighted?
The FOA highlights multiple periods that could plausibly affect later cancer development, including:
- Maternal and paternal factors
- In utero exposures
- Birth and infancy
- Puberty and adolescence
- Teenage and young adult years
10) What kinds of early-life factors or exposures are considered relevant?
The FOA gives examples of early life events and influences that could be linked to pathways relevant to carcinogenesis, such as:
- Environmental exposures
- Nutritional status
- Hormonal changes
- Growth patterns
- Infections
- Stress
- Other developmental influences
11) Is the FOA only interested in statistical associations between early exposures and cancer?
No. While identifying associations can be part of the work, the FOA stresses the importance of understanding underlying mechanisms and connecting early-life events to biological pathways relevant to carcinogenesis, not just correlations.
12) What are the major scientific needs or research priorities described in the FOA?
The FOA lays out three major scientific needs:
- Clarify which early-life factors are associated with cancer development later in life (from preconception and pregnancy through young adulthood).
- Determine how these factors mediate biological processes involved in cancer initiation and progression (credible mechanistic links).
- Develop/identify predictive markers of future cancer risk that reflect biology occurring early in life.
13) Why does the FOA encourage work on predictive markers of future cancer risk?
The FOA notes a practical challenge: waiting decades for cancer outcomes can slow scientific progress. Predictive markers of malignancy or premalignant conditions could help researchers evaluate the long-term significance of early exposures without having to follow participants for 50 years.
14) What is the long-range goal of the program?
The long-range goal is cancer prevention. By improving mechanistic understanding of early-life contributions to cancer, the FOA frames a path toward interventions during pregnancy or early life that could reduce cancer risk at the population level.
15) Does this opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The announcement indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including:
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified)
- Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Independent school districts
- Public and Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations
17) Are mission-focused and historically underrepresented institutions included in the eligible applicant types?
Yes. The FOA explicitly notes additional eligible applicants such as:
- HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
- Hispanic-serving institutions
- AANAPISIs (Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions)
- TCCUs (Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
18) Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA lists eligible federal agencies among additional eligible applicants.
19) Are organizations in U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations among additional eligible applicants.
20) Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities) as eligible applicants.
21) What funding activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under funding activity categories spanning education, environment, health, income security, and social services.
22) Which CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA maps to these CFDA numbers:
- 93.113 (Environmental Health)
- 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research)
- 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research)
23) When was this opportunity posted and created?
It was posted and created on February 26, 2015.
24) What were the closing date and archive date listed for this FOA?
The FOA lists an original and current closing date of January 7, 2018, and an archive date of February 7, 2018.
25) Where can applicants find the full announcement?
The full announcement was available via the NIH Grants Guide at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-15-124.html
26) Who should be contacted if there are problems accessing the announcement link?
For access or linking issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
27) What kinds of research outcomes does the FOA appear to value?
Based on the description, the FOA values projects that move the field toward actionable prevention by improving understanding of:
- Timing (which developmental windows matter)
- Mechanisms (how early-life factors influence carcinogenesis)
- Measurable early indicators (predictive markers of future cancer risk)
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