Innovative Emerging Molecular Analysis Technologies (SBIR R43/R44) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Innovative Emerging Molecular Analysis Technologies (SBIR R43/R44) opportunity?

This funding opportunity is an NIH small business grant solicitation focused on advancing new cancer-related molecular and cellular analysis technologies toward commercialization. It supports small business concerns developing innovative tools or platforms that can detect cancer and/or characterize tumors more effectively, with clear potential to become a market-ready product or service.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number) for this solicitation?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-10-013.

Who is this opportunity intended for?

This solicitation is aimed at small business concerns applying under the NIH SBIR program. The emphasis is on high-impact innovation with a credible path to private-sector commercialization.

What is the main goal of this FOA?

The main goal is translation: moving innovative cancer-related molecular and cellular analysis technologies beyond scientific novelty and toward real-world use and commercial demand. Applications are expected to link technical development to practical adoption and a commercial endpoint.

What types of technologies are in scope?

The FOA prioritizes emerging molecular analysis technologies and platforms that improve cancer detection and/or tumor characterization. The scope is broad, as long as the proposed method materially strengthens molecular or cellular analytical capability relevant to cancer.

What cancer-related areas can the proposed technology support?

The FOA highlights technologies that can strengthen multiple areas of cancer work, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, ongoing surveillance, epidemiology, and basic/foundational cancer research.

Are in vitro, in situ, and in vivo approaches allowed?

Yes. The FOA states that proposed methods may enable molecular or cellular analysis in vitro (for example, lab-based assays on samples), in situ (analysis within intact tissue context), and/or in vivo (analysis within living systems).

What kinds of performance improvements does NIH emphasize?

The FOA emphasizes improvements in analytical capability, including (but not limited to) better sensitivity, specificity, multiplexing, throughput, spatial resolution, or other meaningful performance gains that would advance cancer detection and characterization.

Is commercialization a required part of the application?

Yes. A sound rationale for commercial potential is a key requirement. The application should make a convincing case that the technology addresses a real need, is positioned to outperform or complement existing solutions, and can realistically be developed into a product or service that users would adopt.

What kinds of end users or customers are implied by this FOA?

The FOA points to customers and adopters such as clinical labs, hospitals, researchers, public health programs, and industry partners.

What funding mechanism is used?

The opportunity uses SBIR R43/R44 awards, covering Phase I, Phase II, and Fast Track applications.

What is supported under Phase I?

Phase I generally supports early feasibility and proof-of-concept work for the proposed technology.

What is supported under Phase II?

Phase II supports more advanced research and development and continued development toward a deployable solution that remains tied to a commercial endpoint.

What is the Fast Track option in this FOA?

Fast Track allows applicants to propose a combined Phase I and Phase II pathway in a single application when there is a strong plan for rapid progression from early feasibility to more mature development milestones.

How much total funding was NIH expecting to make available under this announcement?

NIH estimated a total of $2,000,000 available for fiscal year 2011 under this announcement.

How many awards were anticipated?

The FOA anticipated five to seven awards.

Is future-year funding guaranteed?

No. The FOA stated that any funding in future years would depend on annual appropriations.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.

When was this funding opportunity posted?

It was posted on September 14, 2010.

What were the application closing dates?

The FOA listed an original and final closing date of February 8, 2011.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. It was archived on March 11, 2011, indicating it is no longer an active/open solicitation.

Which CFDA program areas were associated with this FOA?

The FOA listed CFDA program areas spanning the cancer research and care continuum: cancer cause and prevention research (93.393), cancer detection and diagnosis research (93.394), cancer treatment research (93.395), and cancer biology research (93.396).

How should applicants frame the need and competitive positioning of the technology?

Based on the FOA description, applicants are expected to connect the technology to a real need in cancer research or care, explain how it would outperform or complement existing solutions, and show that it can realistically become a product or service that the market would adopt.

What is the overarching theme of this solicitation in plain terms?

It is an NIH SBIR commercialization-focused call for small businesses developing next-generation molecular and cellular analytical technologies that can materially improve how cancer is detected, classified, monitored, or studied, with a clear plan and justification for turning the innovation into a usable, scalable commercial offering.