Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 06 499
Apply for PA 06 499
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exfoliated Cells and Circulating DNA in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis(R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Jul 28, 2006.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2009 Multiple Receipt Dates See Link to Full Announcement for details.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses 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 State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) City or township governments Special district governments County governments Private institutions of higher education.
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible agencies of the Federal Government can apply. Faith based or community based organizations can apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity PA-06-499, titled "Exfoliated Cells and Circulating DNA in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis (R21)," supports early-stage, high-impact research focused on improving how cancer-related material is collected and prepared from non-invasive or minimally invasive patient samples. The central goal is to spur development of novel technologies that can capture, enrich, and preserve exfoliated abnormal (tumor) cells shed into body fluids or effusions, and to create or improve methods that concentrate tumor-derived subcellular material, including circulating or cell-free tumor DNA and other biomarker-relevant components. These advances are intended to strengthen downstream biomarker studies and ultimately improve cancer detection and diagnostic approaches that rely on body fluid specimens.
A key scientific problem driving this announcement is that exfoliated tumor cells are typically rare within body fluids such as sputum, urine, pleural effusions, or other clinical specimens. Normal cells and background material dominate these samples, which makes routine cytopathology less sensitive when only a small number of atypical cells are present. Because of this low signal-to-noise challenge, NCI is emphasizing the need for new enrichment and preservation strategies that make it more feasible to detect and analyze small numbers of tumor cells and tumor-derived subcellular material. Projects responsive to this FOA would generally be expected to propose inventive, enabling methods that increase the likelihood that clinically meaningful cancer signals can be recovered intact and in sufficient quantity and quality for molecular characterization.
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) mechanism, which is designed for conceptually novel, potentially transformative ideas that may still be at an early proof-of-concept stage. The FOA is part of a coordinated set of three related announcements with similar scientific scope: this R21 program announcement runs in parallel with companion solicitations under the SBIR and STTR mechanisms (RFA-CA-07-027 and RFA-CA-07-028). Applicants are directed to NIH Guide Notice NOT-CA-06-034 for a side-by-side comparison and for clarification of expectations and requirements across the partner FOAs, which is particularly important for groups deciding whether an academic/nonprofit R21 or a small-business-focused SBIR/STTR route is the best fit.
NCI anticipated making approximately two to three awards, with no dedicated set-aside funds, meaning awards would depend on overall application quality and available appropriations. Because projects can vary widely in technical approach and resource needs, the size and duration of individual awards could vary within the program limits. The maximum project period is two years, consistent with the R21 mechanism. Budget limits are clearly defined: applicants may request up to $275,000 in direct costs total over the two-year period, and no more than $200,000 in direct costs in any single year. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Eligibility is broad and includes for-profit and nonprofit organizations as well as public and private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories. Government entities are eligible, including state and local governments and eligible federal agencies. The FOA also allows applications from domestic or foreign institutions and organizations, and explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations. Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (both federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized) and Indian/Native American tribally designated organizations are also eligible, reflecting an inclusive applicant pool across institutional types.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed under the NIH with CFDA numbers 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research) and 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research). The opportunity was originally posted on July 28, 2006, and used multiple receipt dates, with the listing indicating a final closing date of September 7, 2009, and an archive date of October 7, 2009. The full announcement is available through the NIH grants site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-499.html, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts are provided for access or linking issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is PA-06-499?
PA-06-499 is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunity titled "Exfoliated Cells and Circulating DNA in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis (R21)." It supports exploratory, early-stage research aimed at improving cancer detection and diagnosis using non-invasive or minimally invasive body fluid specimens.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The central goal is to spur development of novel technologies and methods that improve how cancer-related material is collected and prepared from patient body fluids or effusions. This includes approaches that can capture, enrich, and preserve rare exfoliated abnormal (tumor) cells, as well as methods that concentrate tumor-derived subcellular material such as circulating or cell-free tumor DNA and other biomarker-relevant components.
What types of patient samples are relevant to this FOA?
The announcement focuses on non-invasive or minimally invasive samples, especially body fluids and effusions. Examples mentioned include sputum, urine, pleural effusions, and other clinical specimens where tumor cells or tumor-derived material may be present but rare.
Why is NCI emphasizing enrichment and preservation methods?
A key scientific challenge is that exfoliated tumor cells are typically rare in body fluids, while normal cells and background material dominate. This creates a low signal-to-noise problem that can reduce the sensitivity of routine cytopathology when only a small number of atypical cells are present. NCI is therefore emphasizing new strategies that enrich and preserve tumor signals so they can be recovered intact and in sufficient quantity and quality for downstream molecular characterization and biomarker studies.
What kinds of research projects are considered responsive?
Projects are expected to propose inventive, enabling methods that increase the likelihood of recovering clinically meaningful cancer signals from body fluid specimens. This includes technologies to capture, enrich, and preserve exfoliated tumor cells and approaches to concentrate tumor-derived subcellular material, including circulating or cell-free tumor DNA and other components relevant to biomarker research.
What is the funding mechanism used for PA-06-499?
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) mechanism, which is intended for conceptually novel, potentially transformative ideas that may still be at an early proof-of-concept stage.
How long can the project last?
The maximum project period is two years, consistent with the R21 mechanism.
What is the maximum budget allowed under this R21?
Applicants may request up to $275,000 in direct costs total over the two-year period, and no more than $200,000 in direct costs in any single year.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
How many awards did NCI expect to make?
NCI anticipated making approximately two to three awards.
Are there set-aside funds for this program?
No. The opportunity indicates there are no dedicated set-aside funds. Awards depend on application quality and available appropriations.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include for-profit and nonprofit organizations; public and private institutions such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories; and government entities including state and local governments and eligible federal agencies. Domestic and foreign institutions may apply. The FOA explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized), and Indian/Native American tribally designated organizations.
Can foreign institutions or organizations apply?
Yes. The announcement explicitly allows applications from domestic or foreign institutions and organizations.
Is this FOA connected to SBIR or STTR opportunities?
Yes. PA-06-499 is part of a coordinated set of three related announcements with similar scientific scope. This R21 program announcement runs in parallel with companion solicitations under the SBIR and STTR mechanisms (RFA-CA-07-027 and RFA-CA-07-028).
Where can applicants find a comparison across the related FOAs?
Applicants are directed to NIH Guide Notice NOT-CA-06-034 for a side-by-side comparison and for clarification of expectations and requirements across the partner FOAs. This is intended to help groups decide whether an academic/nonprofit R21 approach or a small-business-focused SBIR/STTR route is the best fit.
Which NIH/NCI research areas (CFDA numbers) are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under NIH with CFDA numbers 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research) and 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research).
When was this funding opportunity posted and when did it close?
The announcement was originally posted on July 28, 2006. It used multiple receipt dates, with the listing indicating a final closing date of September 7, 2009, and an archive date of October 7, 2009.
Where is the full funding announcement available?
The full announcement is available through the NIH grants site at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-499.html
Who should be contacted for access or linking issues to the announcement?
The listing notes that NIH's Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts are provided for access or linking issues.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 06 499) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Pathophysiology of Bisphosphonates associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (R03) Apply for PA 06 502 Funding Number: PA 06 502 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Pathophysiology of Bisphosphonates associated Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (R21) Apply for PA 06 501 Funding Number: PA 06 501 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Education and Career Development Program (R25) Apply for PAR 06 511 Funding Number: PAR 06 511 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development and Application of PET and SPECT Imaging Ligands as Biomarkers for Drug Discovery and for Pathophysiological Studies of CNS Disorders (R21) Apply for PA 06 461 Funding Number: PA 06 461 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Development and Application of PET and SPECT Imaging Ligands as Biomarkers for Drug Discovery and for Pathophysiological Studies of CNS Disorders (R33) Apply for PA 06 462 Funding Number: PA 06 462 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Development and Application of PET and SPECT Imaging Ligands as Biomarkers for Drug Discovery and for Pathophysiological Studies of CNS Disorders (Phased Innovation Award R21/R33) Apply for PA 06 463 Funding Number: PA 06 463 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R03) Apply for PAR 06 520 Funding Number: PAR 06 520 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21) Apply for PAR 06 521 Funding Number: PAR 06 521 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity (R18) Apply for PAR 06 532 Funding Number: PAR 06 532 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid Transition (B/START) (R03) Apply for PAR 06 541 Funding Number: PAR 06 541 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Development, Application, and Evaluation of Prediction Models for Cancer Risk and Prognosis (R21) Apply for PA 07 022 Funding Number: PA 07 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Focal Cognitive Deficits in CNS Disorders (R03) Apply for PA 07 034 Funding Number: PA 07 034 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Molecular genetics of drug addiction and related co morbidities (R01) Apply for PA 07 073 Funding Number: PA 07 073 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development, Application, and Evaluation of Prediction Models for Cancer Risk and Prognosis (R01) Apply for PA 07 021 Funding Number: PA 07 021 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Basic Research in the Bladder and Lower Urinary Tract (R01) Apply for PA 07 023 Funding Number: PA 07 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mechanisms of Alcohol Associated Cancers (R01) Apply for PA 07 069 Funding Number: PA 07 069 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Chronic Insomnia Disorder (R01) Apply for PA 07 047 Funding Number: PA 07 047 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Discovery for Nervous System Disorders (R01) Apply for PAR 07 048 Funding Number: PAR 07 048 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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