Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 246
Apply for PAR 16 246
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Neural Regulation of Cancer (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396,.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 09, 2016 and posted on May 09, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 2019. (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:
Neural Regulation of Cancer (R21) (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-246) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity administered under HHS (listed as HHS-NIH11) that supports early-stage, exploratory research on how the nervous system influences cancer. The central goal is to bring neuroscience and cancer biology together in genuinely collaborative, transdisciplinary projects that can open up new directions in understanding tumor behavior. Rather than focusing on cancers of the central nervous system, the emphasis is on non-CNS tumors and on clarifying how neural inputs and neural-associated mechanisms may contribute to tumor initiation, tumor growth and progression, and the spread of cancer through metastasis.
The FOA is designed to encourage investigators to leverage established neuroscience strengths, including specialized tools, experimental models, and reagents, and apply them to cancer questions where the role of neural regulation is still emerging. In practice, this could include using modern neural circuit-mapping approaches, neurophysiology, neuroimmune interaction models, neurotransmitter and neuropeptide signaling assays, or advanced imaging and genetic manipulation systems to uncover cancer-relevant mechanisms. The rationale is that the nervous system is not just a bystander; it can shape the tumor microenvironment, influence inflammation and immune activity, affect angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, and potentially provide signals that cancers exploit to thrive and disseminate. By bringing neuroscience-grade methods into cancer research, the program aims to reveal mechanisms that traditional tumor-focused approaches might miss, and to translate those insights into new prevention and treatment strategies.
This is an R21 mechanism, which typically indicates a focus on high-risk, high-reward exploratory studies that generate foundational data, establish feasibility, or test innovative ideas that could later be scaled into larger projects. Consistent with that exploratory intent, the listed award ceiling is $200,000, supporting projects that are sharply focused and hypothesis-driven but not necessarily fully mature in terms of preliminary evidence. The opportunity was created and posted on May 9, 2016, with a listed closing date of June 27, 2019 (original and current closing dates both shown as June 27, 2019), indicating the specific application deadline for that cycle.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic institutions and organizations, reflecting NIH’s intent to attract diverse, cross-sector teams. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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 and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional eligible entities as described in the FOA’s eligibility clarification text. The program is categorized under Education and Health, with CFDA numbers 93.396 (and an additional CFDA listing shown as 93.396 in the provided data), consistent with NIH health research funding.
Overall, the opportunity targets projects that can credibly connect neuroscience mechanisms to concrete cancer outcomes, such as identifying neural pathways or signaling molecules that promote tumor growth, determining how stress-related neural activity influences metastasis, clarifying how peripheral nerves interact with tumor and immune cells, or discovering neural-regulated microenvironmental changes that could be therapeutically interrupted. The intended payoff is a clearer mechanistic understanding of how the nervous system contributes to cancer, plus new ideas for interventions that prevent or treat non-CNS tumors by accounting for, or directly targeting, neural regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Neural Regulation of Cancer (R21) - PAR 16-246
1) What is the name and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled Neural Regulation of Cancer (R21) and the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is PAR 16-246.
2) Which agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity administered under HHS (listed as HHS-NIH11).
3) What kind of research is this FOA trying to support?
This FOA supports early-stage, exploratory research focused on how the nervous system influences cancer. The intent is to open new directions for understanding tumor behavior by connecting neuroscience approaches with cancer biology questions.
4) What is the central goal of the program?
The central goal is to bring neuroscience and cancer biology together in genuinely collaborative, transdisciplinary projects that can reveal new mechanisms of tumor initiation, growth, progression, and metastasis that may be driven or shaped by neural inputs.
5) Are cancers of the central nervous system (CNS) the focus?
No. The emphasis is on non-CNS tumors and on clarifying how neural inputs and neural-associated mechanisms may contribute to cancer outcomes outside the CNS.
6) What cancer-related outcomes does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA highlights research that credibly connects neural regulation to concrete cancer outcomes, including tumor initiation, tumor growth and progression, and metastasis (the spread of cancer).
7) What kinds of neuroscience strengths does NIH want investigators to leverage?
The FOA encourages investigators to apply established neuroscience strengths such as specialized tools, experimental models, and reagents to cancer questions where neural regulation is still an emerging area.
8) What are examples of approaches that may fit this FOA?
Examples mentioned include modern neural circuit-mapping approaches, neurophysiology, neuroimmune interaction models, neurotransmitter and neuropeptide signaling assays, and advanced imaging and genetic manipulation systems to uncover cancer-relevant mechanisms.
9) Why is the nervous system considered important in cancer research under this opportunity?
The rationale described is that the nervous system is not just a bystander. Neural inputs may shape the tumor microenvironment, influence inflammation and immune activity, affect angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, and potentially provide signals that cancers exploit to thrive and disseminate.
10) What does the R21 mechanism imply for the type of project NIH expects?
This is an R21 mechanism, which typically signals high-risk, high-reward exploratory studies. Projects are expected to generate foundational data, establish feasibility, or test innovative ideas that could later be expanded into larger efforts.
11) Is preliminary evidence required to apply?
Based on the description provided, the FOA is aligned with the exploratory intent of an R21 and supports projects that are sharply focused and hypothesis-driven, but not necessarily fully mature in terms of preliminary evidence.
12) What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
13) What is the posting date for this opportunity?
The opportunity was created and posted on May 9, 2016.
14) What is the application closing date shown for this opportunity?
The listed closing date is June 27, 2019, and the information provided indicates both the original and current closing dates are shown as June 27, 2019 for that cycle.
15) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic institutions and organizations, 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 (other than institutions of higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Additional eligible entities as described in the FOA's eligibility clarification text
16) Does the FOA encourage collaboration across fields?
Yes. The FOA explicitly aims to foster collaborative, transdisciplinary projects that integrate neuroscience and cancer biology to create new research directions.
17) What is meant by "neural-associated mechanisms" in this context?
From the information provided, neural-associated mechanisms include neural inputs and signaling processes that may influence cancer, such as neurotransmitter and neuropeptide signaling, neuroimmune interactions, and neural impacts on the tumor microenvironment (including immune activity, inflammation, angiogenesis, and remodeling).
18) What is the intended scientific payoff of this program?
The intended payoff is a clearer mechanistic understanding of how the nervous system contributes to cancer, plus new ideas for interventions that prevent or treat non-CNS tumors by accounting for, or directly targeting, neural regulation.
19) What types of intervention-oriented ideas could emerge from this research?
Based on the description, the program seeks insights that could translate into prevention or treatment strategies, such as identifying neural pathways or signaling molecules that could be therapeutically interrupted to reduce tumor growth, progression, or metastasis.
20) What program categories and CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The program is categorized under Education and Health. The CFDA number listed is 93.396 (with an additional CFDA listing shown as 93.396 in the provided data).
21) What is an example of a research question that aligns with the FOA?
Examples consistent with the description include determining how stress-related neural activity influences metastasis, clarifying how peripheral nerves interact with tumor and immune cells, identifying neural pathways or signaling molecules that promote tumor growth, or discovering neural-regulated tumor microenvironment changes relevant to progression.
22) What is the overarching scope boundary for tumor types in this FOA?
The scope boundary emphasized is that the research should focus on non-CNS tumors, with attention on the nervous system's role in shaping tumor behavior and outcomes outside the central nervous system.
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| Stimulating Innovations in Behavioral Intervention Research for Cancer Prevention and Control (R21) Apply for PAR 16 278 Funding Number: PAR 16 278 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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