Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 15 002
Apply for RFA CA 15 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 8, 2015 and posted on Jan 8, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 22, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts Small businesses Special district governments Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities City or township 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 Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R21) opportunity, issued by the National Institutes of Health through the National Cancer Institute as part of the broader IMAT Program, was designed to fund early, exploratory work on breakthrough molecular or cellular analysis technologies that could reshape how cancer is studied in both basic and clinical settings. The central goal was not to support incremental tool improvements, but to push the creation and first-stage development of genuinely novel capabilities for measuring, characterizing, or interrogating cancer at the molecular and/or cellular level. Projects were expected to be technically bold and innovation-driven, with the idea that if the underlying approach worked, it could unlock new kinds of experiments and answer questions that existing methods cannot address.
A key theme of the FOA was impact potential: proposed technologies needed to plausibly accelerate cancer research or meaningfully enhance what researchers and clinicians can observe and quantify. The announcement explicitly tied the intended downstream value of successful tools to major cancer research and care areas, including cancer biology (understanding mechanisms and pathways), early detection and screening (finding cancers sooner or identifying risk), clinical diagnosis (improving classification, stratification, or diagnostic confidence), treatment (supporting therapy selection, monitoring, or understanding resistance), epidemiology (supporting population-level molecular studies), and cancer health disparities (enabling research that clarifies or reduces inequities). While technologies could be broadly applicable across diseases, they had to be grounded in molecular and/or cellular characterizations of cancer, meaning the core measurements or analyses needed to directly relate to cancer-related molecular or cellular features.
This was an R21 mechanism, which typically signals high-risk, high-reward, proof-of-concept style projects rather than large, fully mature development programs. The FOA emphasized inception and early stage development, implying a focus on demonstrating feasibility, building prototypes, establishing performance characteristics, and generating convincing preliminary data that a technology can work and could become transformative. In practice, applications under this type of program are usually expected to explain what is technically new, why existing methods fall short, what specific capability gap is being addressed, and what clear milestones will demonstrate progress during the award period.
From an administrative and funding perspective, the opportunity was categorized as discretionary and used the grant funding instrument. It was associated with CFDA 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research). The program did not require cost sharing or matching. The posted and creation date were January 8, 2015, with an original and current closing date of September 22, 2015, and an archive date of October 23, 2015. The estimated total funding amount listed was $5,000,000, and the award ceiling was $2,000,000, indicating the program could support multiple awards but also accommodate relatively substantial budgets for especially ambitious early-stage technology efforts, depending on NIH policies and the specific terms described in the full announcement.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants listed included federal, state, county, and local government entities; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (with caveats in the listing); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); tribal governments and tribal organizations; and a range of mission-focused institutional categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. The eligibility language also indicated inclusion of faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting an intent to attract innovative technology concepts wherever strong expertise exists.
The official funding opportunity number was RFA-CA-15-002, and the title was Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R21). The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-15-002.html. For technical issues accessing the announcement, the contact listed was the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies for Cancer Research (R21).
What is the funding opportunity number (FOA number)?
The official funding opportunity number is RFA-CA-15-002.
Which agency issued this opportunity?
This opportunity was issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), as part of the broader IMAT Program.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA was designed to fund early, exploratory work on breakthrough molecular or cellular analysis technologies that could reshape how cancer is studied in both basic and clinical settings.
What types of projects was the program trying to encourage?
Projects were expected to be technically bold and innovation-driven, aiming to create genuinely novel capabilities for measuring, characterizing, or interrogating cancer at the molecular and/or cellular level.
Does this grant support incremental improvements to existing tools?
No. The central goal was not to support incremental tool improvements, but to push the creation and first-stage development of genuinely novel measurement or analysis capabilities.
What kind of impact was the FOA looking for?
A key theme was impact potential. Proposed technologies needed to plausibly accelerate cancer research or meaningfully enhance what researchers and clinicians can observe and quantify.
Which downstream cancer research and care areas were explicitly tied to the intended value of successful technologies?
The FOA tied the intended downstream value to major areas including:
- Cancer biology (mechanisms and pathways)
- Early detection and screening (finding cancers sooner or identifying risk)
- Clinical diagnosis (improving classification, stratification, or diagnostic confidence)
- Treatment (therapy selection, monitoring, or understanding resistance)
- Epidemiology (population-level molecular studies)
- Cancer health disparities (enabling research that clarifies or reduces inequities)
Do proposed technologies need to be cancer-specific?
Technologies could be broadly applicable across diseases, but they had to be grounded in molecular and/or cellular characterizations of cancer. In other words, the core measurements or analyses needed to directly relate to cancer-related molecular or cellular features.
What does the R21 mechanism imply for this opportunity?
This was an R21 mechanism, which typically signals high-risk, high-reward, proof-of-concept style projects rather than large, fully mature development programs.
What stage of technology development was emphasized?
The FOA emphasized inception and early stage development, with a focus on demonstrating feasibility, building prototypes, establishing performance characteristics, and generating convincing preliminary data that the technology can work and could become transformative.
What kinds of elements were applications under this type of program usually expected to explain?
Applications were usually expected to explain:
- What is technically new
- Why existing methods fall short
- What specific capability gap is being addressed
- What clear milestones will demonstrate progress during the award period
What type of funding instrument was used?
The opportunity used the grant funding instrument.
How was the opportunity categorized administratively?
It was categorized as discretionary.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was associated with CFDA 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching.
What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The posted and creation date was January 8, 2015. The original and current closing date was September 22, 2015. The archive date was October 23, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
Based on the provided dates, the closing date was September 22, 2015, and it was archived on October 23, 2015.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount listed was $5,000,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was listed as $2,000,000.
Did the funding levels suggest multiple awards could be made?
Yes. The listed estimated total funding amount and award ceiling indicated the program could support multiple awards and could also accommodate relatively substantial budgets for especially ambitious early-stage technology efforts, depending on NIH policies and the specific terms in the full announcement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants listed included:
- Federal, state, county, and local government entities
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Independent school districts
- Special district governments
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (with caveats in the listing)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits)
- Tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-serving Institutions
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations)
Were non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language indicated inclusion of non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Where can I find the full announcement?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-CA-15-002.html
Who do I contact for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement, the listed contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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| Developing Technologies and Tools to Monitor HIV Brain Reservoirs and How They May be Altered by Exposure to Substances of Abuse (R21/R33) Apply for RFA DA 15 018 Funding Number: RFA DA 15 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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