Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 10 005
Apply for RFA CA 10 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Technology Development 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): 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 26, 2009 and posted on Oct 26, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses State governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Innovative Technology Development for Cancer Research (R21) opportunity (RFA-CA-10-005) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Funding Opportunity Announcement under the NIH Exploratory/Developmental R21 mechanism. Its main goal is to support technically innovative, early-stage feasibility studies that are focused on creating or significantly advancing cancer-relevant technologies. The emphasis is on projects that are still at the idea, concept, or inception stage, where the core technical feasibility has not yet been proven. NCI is looking for technology development that, if it works, could speed up or transform research across a wide range of cancer areas, including basic cancer biology, detection and diagnosis, treatment, prevention, cancer control and epidemiology, and cancer health disparities. This FOA sits within NCI's broader Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program, which is aimed at pushing forward new molecular and analytical tools for cancer research.
A defining feature of this FOA is that it encourages ambitious, high-impact technology concepts and accepts a meaningful level of technical risk, which aligns with the R21 program's purpose. In exchange for taking on that risk, the proposed technology must have credible potential to produce a major impact in a broad area of cancer research, not just a narrow use case. Applications are expected to be framed as feasibility studies that test whether the proposed technology or method can realistically be made to work and whether it can meet clear performance targets. Because this is a technology development solicitation rather than a question-driven biology or clinical research call, proposals need to center their novelty on the technology itself (how it works, what it enables, how it improves performance, scale, cost, resolution, sensitivity, throughput, or usability), rather than simply applying existing tools to an interesting cancer question.
The announcement is explicit that every project must include quantitative milestones, meaning applicants need to define measurable technical metrics that will be used to determine whether the specific aims have been accomplished. In practical terms, that means reviewers will expect concrete go/no-go style benchmarks such as limits of detection, accuracy, reproducibility, dynamic range, throughput, processing time, cost per sample, multiplexing level, sample input requirements, or other objective performance measures that match the technology being developed. These milestones help keep the work grounded in demonstrable engineering or methodological progress and make it clear what success looks like within the short exploratory scope of an R21.
The FOA also draws a boundary around what is not responsive. Projects that primarily use already established technology, or projects where the real novelty lies in the biological or clinical question rather than in the tool or method, are considered inappropriate for this specific solicitation and may be returned without review as non-responsive. In other words, the program is not meant to fund standard hypothesis-testing studies that happen to use modern methods; it is meant to fund the creation and early validation of new or substantially improved technologies that could later be applied broadly in cancer research.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the health and education activity space, associated with CFDA numbers 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, and 93.396 (covering cancer cause and prevention research, detection and diagnosis research, treatment research, and cancer biology research). NCI anticipated committing about $5,000,000 total in fiscal year 2010 to support up to 15 awards under this FOA. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, and the opportunity indicates there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted October 26, 2009, with an original and current closing date of September 30, 2010, and an archive date of October 31, 2010.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant categories, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), small businesses, state governments, and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses). The eligibility section also notes additional eligible applicants, including certain federal agencies, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), and U.S. territories or possessions. Overall, the solicitation is aimed at a wide pool of organizations capable of early-stage technology development, with the key requirement being that the proposed work is truly innovative on the technical side and is structured around measurable feasibility milestones that demonstrate whether the new technology can realistically deliver on its promise for cancer research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Innovative Technology Development for Cancer Research (R21) opportunity?
It is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Innovative Technology Development for Cancer Research (R21)" with FOA number RFA-CA-10-005. It uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental R21 grant mechanism and focuses on early-stage, technically innovative feasibility studies for cancer-relevant technology development.
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is offered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main goal of this FOA?
The main goal is to support technically innovative, early-stage feasibility studies aimed at creating new cancer-relevant technologies or significantly advancing existing ones, particularly when the core technical feasibility has not yet been proven.
What types of projects is NCI looking to fund under this R21?
NCI is seeking ambitious, high-impact technology concepts at the idea, concept, or inception stage. The expectation is that the proposed work tests whether the technology can realistically be made to work and whether it can meet clearly defined performance targets.
What stage of development should the proposed technology be in?
The FOA emphasizes projects that are still at an early stage (idea/concept/inception) where core technical feasibility has not yet been demonstrated.
How does this FOA view technical risk?
This FOA explicitly encourages ambitious, high-impact concepts and accepts a meaningful level of technical risk, consistent with the purpose of the R21 mechanism. In exchange, the technology must have credible potential for major, broad impact in cancer research.
What does "broad impact" mean in the context of this FOA?
It means the technology should have credible potential to speed up or transform research across a broad area of cancer research, rather than being limited to a narrow, highly specific use case.
What cancer research areas could these technologies impact?
The FOA describes potential impact across many cancer areas, including basic cancer biology, detection and diagnosis, treatment, prevention, cancer control and epidemiology, and cancer health disparities.
Is this FOA more about biology questions or about technology development?
This is a technology development solicitation rather than a question-driven biology or clinical research call. Proposals are expected to center novelty on the technology itself (how it works and what it enables), not primarily on a biological or clinical hypothesis.
What kinds of improvements or advantages should the proposed technology aim to deliver?
The FOA highlights improvements such as performance, scale, cost, resolution, sensitivity, throughput, or usability. The proposal should make clear what the technology improves and how those improvements will be measured.
Are quantitative milestones required?
Yes. A defining requirement in the FOA is that every project must include quantitative milestones with measurable technical metrics that indicate whether the specific aims have been accomplished.
What are examples of quantitative milestones that reviewers may expect?
The FOA provides examples such as limits of detection, accuracy, reproducibility, dynamic range, throughput, processing time, cost per sample, multiplexing level, and sample input requirements, or other objective performance measures appropriate to the proposed technology.
What is the purpose of including quantitative milestones?
The milestones help ensure the project is grounded in demonstrable engineering or methodological progress and clarify what success looks like within the short, exploratory scope of an R21 feasibility study.
What types of projects are considered non-responsive to this FOA?
Projects that primarily use already established technology, or projects where the primary novelty is in the biological or clinical question rather than in the tool or method, are considered inappropriate for this solicitation.
Can a non-responsive application be returned without review?
Yes. The FOA states that non-responsive projects may be returned without review.
Is applying existing tools to an interesting cancer question a good fit for this FOA?
No. The FOA indicates it is not meant to fund standard hypothesis-testing studies that happen to use modern methods; it is meant to fund creation and early validation of new or substantially improved technologies.
How is this FOA related to the IMAT Program?
This FOA sits within NCI's broader Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program, which aims to push forward new molecular and analytical tools for cancer research.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental R21 grant mechanism.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity indicates there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
How much total funding was anticipated, and how many awards were expected?
NCI anticipated committing about $5,000,000 total in fiscal year 2010 to support up to 15 awards under this FOA.
What is the activity area or type of grant opportunity?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the health and education activity space.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The FOA is associated with CFDA numbers 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, and 93.396.
What do the listed CFDA numbers broadly cover?
They cover cancer cause and prevention research, detection and diagnosis research, treatment research, and cancer biology research.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?
The opportunity was posted on October 26, 2009. The original and current closing date listed is September 30, 2010. The archive date is October 31, 2010.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), small businesses, state governments, and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses).
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility section notes that certain federal agencies are eligible applicants.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility section notes that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are included as eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility section notes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicants.
What is the key requirement that matters most for fit with this FOA?
The key requirement is that the proposed work is truly innovative on the technical side and structured as an early-stage feasibility effort with measurable quantitative milestones demonstrating whether the technology can realistically deliver broad cancer research impact.
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