Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 123
Apply for PAR 16 123
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions Among Cancer Survivors: Effects on Biomarkers of Prognosis and Survival (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.399.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 09, 2016 and posted on Mar 09, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2018. (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 NIH grant opportunity "Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions Among Cancer Survivors: Effects on Biomarkers of Prognosis and Survival (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-123) supports early-stage, exploratory research aimed at clarifying how lifestyle interventions might influence cancer outcomes after treatment. The central idea is not simply to show that exercise or weight management is beneficial, but to pin down the specific biological and biobehavioral mechanisms that could explain improvements in prognosis and survival among cancer survivors. The FOA is set up to encourage work that bridges behavioral science with cancer biology and clinical research, so that changes in activity or body weight can be linked to measurable changes in pathways known to be involved in tumor progression, recurrence risk, and long-term health.
Projects are expected to experimentally test the effects of physical activity interventions, either alone or combined with weight control strategies. Weight control is framed broadly, including intentional weight loss as well as programs designed to prevent weight gain, since many survivors experience treatment-related or post-treatment weight increases that may influence long-term outcomes. A defining feature of the announcement is its emphasis on biomarkers of cancer prognosis that are supported by prior animal studies or observational research, with particular interest in established biomarkers beyond insulin and glucose metabolism. In other words, while metabolic markers are important, this FOA is looking for proposals that go further into other biologic systems and tumor-related indicators that may be more directly tied to progression and survival in certain cancers.
Another major priority is the use of tumor-tissue based biomarkers when feasible, especially biomarkers obtained from tumor tissue through repeat biopsies. This reflects a push toward more direct evidence of how lifestyle change might alter the tumor microenvironment or other tissue-level features relevant to prognosis. Applicants are encouraged to connect behavioral intervention effects to tumor biology, rather than relying solely on circulating markers, though blood-based or other systemic measures can still be important depending on the hypothesis and cancer type.
The FOA also recognizes that many cancer survivors will not die from recurrence, but instead from comorbid conditions or from earlier onset of aging-related decline. Because of that, the NIH is explicitly interested in proposals that include biomarkers related to comorbid diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, and biomarkers tied to aging processes. This makes the opportunity broader than cancer recurrence alone and supports studies that look at survivorship as a long-term health trajectory, where exercise and weight control might improve overall survival by reducing competing risks like heart disease, inflammation-related conditions, or physiologic aging.
From a design standpoint, the announcement favors rigorous experimental approaches that can support causal conclusions. Randomized controlled trials are specifically named, along with other experimental frameworks such as fractional factorial designs that can efficiently test components of multi-part interventions (for example, separating the effects of exercise from dietary weight control, or testing combinations and dose levels). The expectation is that studies will be translational and transdisciplinary, meaning teams should integrate expertise in behavioral intervention development and delivery with cancer biology and other relevant basic or clinical sciences aligned with the pathways being tested.
In terms of administrative details, this is a discretionary NIH grant mechanism using the R21 activity code, which typically supports exploratory, developmental projects. The award ceiling listed is $200,000. Eligible applicants are broad and include various levels of government, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as allowed under NIH policy and the FOA text. The administering agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. The opportunity was posted March 9, 2016, with an original and current closing date of September 7, 2018, as listed in the source information.
FAQs: NIH PAR 16-123 (R21) - Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions Among Cancer Survivors
1) What is the NIH funding opportunity described here?
It is the NIH grant opportunity titled "Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions Among Cancer Survivors: Effects on Biomarkers of Prognosis and Survival (R21)" with Funding Opportunity Number PAR 16-123. It supports early-stage, exploratory research focused on how lifestyle interventions might influence cancer outcomes after treatment.
2) What is the main goal of this FOA?
The main goal is to clarify the biological and biobehavioral mechanisms that could explain improvements in prognosis and survival among cancer survivors, rather than only showing that physical activity or weight control is beneficial.
3) What types of interventions are expected to be tested?
Projects are expected to experimentally test physical activity interventions, either alone or combined with weight control strategies.
4) How does this FOA define "weight control"?
Weight control is defined broadly and includes intentional weight loss as well as programs designed to prevent weight gain. This is relevant because many survivors experience treatment-related or post-treatment weight increases that may affect long-term outcomes.
5) What outcomes does the FOA emphasize measuring?
The FOA emphasizes biomarkers of cancer prognosis and survival-related pathways. The focus is on measurable changes in pathways known to be involved in tumor progression, recurrence risk, and long-term health.
6) Are insulin and glucose markers a central focus of this opportunity?
Metabolic markers like insulin and glucose are recognized as important, but the FOA expresses particular interest in established biomarkers beyond insulin and glucose metabolism, especially biomarkers supported by prior animal studies or observational research.
7) What kinds of biomarkers are especially encouraged?
A defining feature of the FOA is its emphasis on biomarkers of cancer prognosis supported by prior animal or observational evidence, with special interest in biomarker systems beyond insulin/glucose. The FOA also prioritizes tumor-tissue based biomarkers when feasible.
8) Does the FOA encourage tumor tissue biomarkers and repeat biopsies?
Yes. A major priority is the use of tumor-tissue based biomarkers when feasible, especially biomarkers obtained from tumor tissue through repeat biopsies. This reflects interest in more direct evidence of changes in the tumor microenvironment or other tissue-level features relevant to prognosis.
9) Are blood-based or systemic biomarkers allowed under this FOA?
Yes. The FOA encourages linking intervention effects to tumor biology rather than relying only on circulating markers, but it also notes that blood-based or other systemic measures can still be important depending on the hypothesis and cancer type.
10) Is the opportunity limited to cancer recurrence and tumor outcomes?
No. The FOA recognizes that many survivors will not die from recurrence and that comorbid conditions and aging-related decline can drive mortality. It is explicitly interested in biomarkers related to comorbid diseases (such as cardiovascular disease) and biomarkers tied to aging processes.
11) Why does the FOA include comorbidity and aging biomarkers?
Because survivorship is framed as a long-term health trajectory where physical activity and weight control may improve overall survival by reducing competing risks such as heart disease, inflammation-related conditions, or physiologic aging.
12) What study designs does the FOA prefer?
The FOA favors rigorous experimental approaches that can support causal conclusions. Randomized controlled trials are specifically named, along with other experimental frameworks such as fractional factorial designs.
13) What is a fractional factorial design used for in this context?
Fractional factorial designs are highlighted as a way to efficiently test components of multi-part interventions, such as separating the effects of exercise from dietary weight control, or testing combinations and dose levels.
14) What does the FOA mean by translational and transdisciplinary research?
It means studies should integrate behavioral intervention development and delivery with cancer biology and other relevant basic or clinical sciences, aligned with the biological pathways being tested.
15) What NIH grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary NIH grant mechanism using the R21 activity code, which typically supports exploratory and developmental projects.
16) What is the award ceiling listed for this FOA?
The award ceiling listed is $200,000.
17) Who is the administering agency for this opportunity?
The administering agency is within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH).
18) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are broad and include various levels of government, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other entities as allowed under NIH policy and the FOA text.
19) When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 9, 2016.
20) What are the closing dates listed in the provided information?
The source information lists an original and current closing date of September 7, 2018.
21) What kind of evidence base for biomarkers does this FOA look for?
The FOA emphasizes biomarkers of cancer prognosis that are supported by prior animal studies or observational research, with particular interest in established biomarkers beyond insulin and glucose metabolism.
22) What makes this FOA different from a general exercise or weight loss study in cancer survivors?
The FOA is structured to move beyond demonstrating benefit and instead link behavior change (physical activity and/or weight control) to measurable biological pathways tied to tumor progression, recurrence risk, comorbid disease risk, aging processes, and survival-related outcomes.
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| Physical Activity and Weight Control Interventions Among Cancer Survivors: Effects on Biomarkers of Prognosis and Survival (R01) Apply for PAR 16 122 Funding Number: PAR 16 122 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Role of Astrocytes and Astrocytic Networks in Drug Abuse (R01) Apply for PA 16 144 Funding Number: PA 16 144 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revision Applications to R01 Awards for Research on the NCI's Provocative Questions (R01) Apply for RFA CA 16 010 Funding Number: RFA CA 16 010 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
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| Revision Applications to U01 Awards for Research on the NCI's Provocative Questions (U01) Apply for RFA CA 16 011 Funding Number: RFA CA 16 011 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Integrating Biospecimen Science into Clinical Assay Development (U01) Apply for PAR 16 166 Funding Number: PAR 16 166 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R01) Apply for RFA MH 17 101 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 101 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R21) Apply for RFA MH 17 100 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 100 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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