FY09 DOD Lung Cancer Research Program Collaborative Translational Research Award | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the FY09 DoD Lung Cancer Research Program Collaborative Translational Research Award (CTRA)?

The Collaborative Translational Research Award (CTRA) is a FY09 funding opportunity under the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) intended to move promising lung cancer discoveries from the laboratory toward real-world clinical use. It is designed to support collaborative, team-based translational research that accelerates practical applications that can improve lung cancer detection, prediction, prevention, or treatment.

What is the main goal of this award mechanism?

The core goal is to fund multi-institution, multi-disciplinary teams that combine clinical expertise (diagnosis and treatment of patients) with laboratory and translational science expertise (mechanisms, biomarkers, intervention strategies) in order to speed the path from concept to clinical impact.

What type of research is this opportunity trying to support?

This opportunity emphasizes collaborative translational research, meaning projects should meaningfully bridge laboratory findings and clinical application. The intent is for the collaboration itself to accelerate progress toward improving how lung cancer is detected, predicted, prevented, or treated.

Are there specific scientific focus areas applicants must address?

Yes. Every application must address at least two of the seven specified Areas of Emphasis. The application is expected to integrate those themes in a way that clearly benefits from the combined strengths of the team.

What are the seven Areas of Emphasis?

The seven Areas of Emphasis are:

1. Creating or validating non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches that improve detection of the earliest stages of lung cancer.
2. Developing tools for screening or early detection (including CT, X-ray, other imaging, biomarkers, genetics/genomics/proteomics, and risk-factor assessment).
3. Understanding molecular mechanisms that drive clinically significant lung cancer.
4. Identifying mechanisms that lead to the development of different lung cancer types.
5. Developing innovative prevention and treatment strategies aimed specifically at early lung cancer.
6. Improving understanding of predictive and prognostic markers that distinguish responders from non-responders.
7. Studying how lung cancers develop acquired resistance to treatment.

How many Areas of Emphasis must a proposal include?

At least two of the seven Areas of Emphasis must be addressed in every application.

Does the program require that the chosen Areas of Emphasis be integrated?

Yes. Proposals are expected to integrate at least two Areas of Emphasis in a way that genuinely benefits from the team structure and the combined skills of the partners, rather than treating them as unrelated components.

What is the required team structure for an application?

Each application must use a four-investigator partnership model consisting of one Initiating Principal Investigator (PI) and three Partnering PIs, for a total of four independent investigators (partners).

How many institutions must be involved?

The four partners must be based at a minimum of two distinct institutions. This reflects the program intent to fund cross-institutional collaboration rather than a single-site project.

Are there clinical participation requirements?

Yes. At least one partner must be a clinician.

Is prior lung cancer experience required for the team?

Yes. At least two partners must have prior experience in lung cancer research and/or lung cancer patient care.

Do all four investigators need to contribute equally?

Yes. The program expects all four partners to contribute equally to the intellectual leadership of the project.

What kinds of partner roles are considered inconsistent with the intent of the award?

Applications where one partner functions mainly as a passive contributor are described as not meeting the intent of the mechanism. Examples given include a partner whose role is largely limited to providing tissue samples, data, or access to patients without substantial scientific leadership and design input.

Who is the sponsoring and administering organization for this opportunity?

The opportunity was offered by the Department of the Army through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), under the Military Medical Research and Development CFDA listing.

What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?

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

What is the funding instrument type?

The funding instrument type is listed as a cooperative agreement/grant.

What does it mean that the instrument is a cooperative agreement/grant?

It indicates recipients should expect active involvement or oversight consistent with cooperative agreement mechanisms, rather than a purely hands-off grant arrangement.

How many awards were anticipated?

The program anticipated making two awards.

What was the estimated total funding level for this opportunity?

The estimated total funding level was $10.5 million.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. Cost sharing or matching was not required.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted (open to any applicant type), subject to any additional eligibility details in the full announcement.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is W81XWH-09-LCRP-CTRA.

When was the opportunity posted?

The posting date was August 3, 2009.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was December 3, 2009.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on January 2, 2010.

Where could applicants get help with the announcement or submission issues?

Applicants needing assistance were directed to CDMRP/USAMRAA support contacts for access to the announcement and for electronic submission troubleshooting.

Is this opportunity focused on early lung cancer specifically?

Several Areas of Emphasis explicitly focus on early detection and early lung cancer, including non-invasive/minimally invasive early-stage detection, screening tools, and prevention/treatment strategies aimed at early lung cancer.

Does the opportunity include biomarker or genomics-related research?

Yes. The Areas of Emphasis include screening and early detection tools such as biomarkers and genetics/genomics/proteomics, as well as predictive and prognostic markers distinguishing responders from non-responders.

Does the opportunity include research on treatment resistance?

Yes. One Area of Emphasis specifically focuses on studying how lung cancers develop acquired resistance to treatment.

Does the opportunity support imaging-based early detection research?

Yes. The Areas of Emphasis include development of screening or early detection tools, including approaches such as CT, X-ray, or other imaging.

Does the opportunity support research into mechanisms behind different lung cancer types?

Yes. One Area of Emphasis calls for identifying mechanisms that lead to the development of different lung cancer types.

Is the award designed for a single-lab or single-institution project?

No. The structure requires four independent investigators across at least two distinct institutions, reinforcing that the intent is cross-institutional collaboration.