Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 16 001
Apply for RFA CA 16 001
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical 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,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 09, 2015 and posted on Dec 09, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 26, 2016. (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: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-16-001) is a discretionary NIH grant program that supports exploratory, early-stage projects aimed at creating brand-new molecular or cellular analysis technologies for cancer research. The core idea is to fund high-risk, high-reward technology development that is still at an early proof-of-concept phase, where the payoff could be major new capabilities for studying cancer. Rather than emphasizing incremental improvements to existing tools, the announcement highlights a strong preference for approaches that introduce a high degree of technical innovation in how researchers can target, probe, measure, or otherwise assess molecular and cellular features that matter in cancer biology.
The technologies envisioned under this FOA are meant to strengthen how cancer is characterized at the molecular and cellular levels, whether in basic research settings (for example, studying tumor evolution, microenvironment interactions, or mechanisms of metastasis) or in clinical research contexts (for example, better ways to interrogate patient samples or monitor disease). A competitive project under this program would typically propose a new analytical capability, platform, assay, workflow, or measurement approach that could meaningfully accelerate research or improve the quality, depth, or speed of cancer-related molecular and cellular data. While the tools may ultimately be broadly useful across many biomedical problems, the proposed development needs to be clearly anchored in improving cancer-focused molecular and/or cellular characterization.
In terms of impact, the FOA is positioned to enable technologies that could advance multiple areas of the cancer continuum, including cancer biology, early detection and screening, clinical diagnosis, treatment and control strategies, epidemiology, and efforts to understand and reduce cancer health disparities. In practice, that means the program is looking for technology concepts that could unlock new kinds of measurements, enable more precise profiling of tumors and their environments, improve sensitivity or specificity in detecting cancer-associated signals, or make previously difficult cancer-relevant analyses more feasible. The emphasis is on enabling capabilities that can change what researchers and clinicians are able to see and measure, not just producing another dataset using established methods.
Administratively, this is an NIH funding opportunity under HHS-NIH (AgencyName listed as HHS-NIH11) using the R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory and developmental research. The opportunity was posted on December 9, 2015, created the same day, and had an application closing date of September 26, 2016 (both original and current closing dates). The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The CFDA numbers associated with the program are 93.394. Although the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing, the structure and language indicate a program aimed at seeding early technical innovation rather than funding large, later-stage translational rollouts.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can contribute to technology innovation in cancer research. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as clarified in the program text. This wide eligibility reflects the FOA's emphasis on novel technology development, which can come from academic labs, research institutes, startups, established companies, and government or tribal organizations with relevant research capacity.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted push by NIH to catalyze next-generation molecular and cellular analysis tools specifically tuned to cancer questions. The ideal application would present a clearly innovative technical concept, explain why existing methods fall short for the cancer problem being addressed, and outline a realistic early-stage development plan that can demonstrate feasibility and set the stage for future refinement and broader adoption in cancer research or clinical investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is titled Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R21).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-16-001.
Which agency sponsors this opportunity?
The sponsor is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under HHS-NIH (AgencyName listed as HHS-NIH11).
What type of NIH grant mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory and developmental research projects.
What is the main purpose of this R21 funding opportunity?
The purpose is to support exploratory, early-stage projects that create brand-new molecular or cellular analysis technologies for cancer research, especially concepts that are still at an early proof-of-concept stage.
What kind of projects are considered a strong fit?
A strong fit is a project proposing a new analytical capability such as a platform, assay, workflow, or measurement approach that could significantly improve how cancer is characterized at molecular and cellular levels in basic or clinical research.
Does the FOA prefer incremental improvements or major innovation?
The FOA expresses a strong preference for approaches with a high degree of technical innovation rather than incremental improvements to existing tools.
Is this aimed at low-risk or high-risk projects?
This FOA is geared toward high-risk, high-reward technology development where early feasibility is being established and the potential payoff is major new capabilities for cancer research.
What kinds of capabilities should the proposed technologies enable?
The technologies are expected to strengthen researchers' ability to target, probe, measure, or assess molecular and cellular features that matter in cancer biology, enabling new kinds of measurements or making difficult analyses more feasible.
Does the project need to be focused on cancer?
Yes. While a tool may ultimately be broadly useful, the proposed technology development needs to be clearly anchored in improving cancer-focused molecular and/or cellular characterization.
What cancer research settings are included (basic, clinical, or both)?
Both. The FOA includes basic research (for example, tumor evolution, microenvironment interactions, metastasis mechanisms) and clinical research (for example, better interrogation of patient samples or monitoring disease).
What parts of the cancer continuum could these technologies impact?
The FOA is positioned to enable technologies that could advance multiple areas, including cancer biology, early detection and screening, clinical diagnosis, treatment and control strategies, epidemiology, and efforts to understand and reduce cancer health disparities.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is the expected number of awards provided?
No. Based on the provided listing, the expected number of awards is not specified.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with this program is 93.394.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on December 9, 2015, and it was created the same day.
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date listed is September 26, 2016 (noted as both the original and current closing date in the provided information).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Other entities as clarified in the program text
Are for-profit companies allowed to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses as well as small businesses.
Are academic institutions eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.
Are government and tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Multiple government types are eligible (state, county, city/township, special district), and eligibility also includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations.
What is NIH trying to achieve with this FOA, in plain terms?
NIH is trying to catalyze next-generation molecular and cellular analysis tools that can change what researchers and clinicians are able to see and measure in cancer, by funding early proof-of-concept technology ideas with the potential for major downstream impact.
What distinguishes a competitive application under this FOA?
Based on the description provided, a competitive application would typically (1) present a clearly innovative technical concept, (2) explain why existing methods fall short for the cancer problem being addressed, and (3) outline a realistic early-stage development plan that can demonstrate feasibility and set up future refinement and adoption.
Does this FOA focus on generating datasets using established methods?
No. The emphasis is on enabling capabilities (new ways to measure and assess cancer-relevant features), not simply producing another dataset using established methods.
What stage of technology development is this program targeting?
The program targets early proof-of-concept stages of technology development, consistent with the exploratory nature of the R21 mechanism.
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