Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 514
Apply for 12 514
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Physical and Engineering Sciences in Oncology" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 93.396 Cancer Biology Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 4, 2014 and posted on Nov 18, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by This opportunity has been archived.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Physical and Engineering Sciences in Oncology grant opportunity (NSF Publication 12-514) was a discretionary research funding program run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), specifically its Office of Physical Sciences Oncology (OPSO). Its core purpose was to support investigator-initiated research proposals that apply concepts, methods, and tools from the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering to deepen understanding of cancer and cancer-related disease processes. In practical terms, the program sought work that brings a physical or quantitative perspective to cancer biology, such as studying cancer as a complex, dynamic system; developing predictive or mechanistic models of tumor growth and progression; investigating how physical forces and the tumor microenvironment shape cancer behavior; or creating new measurement, imaging, computational, or engineering approaches that reveal how cancers start, evolve, and respond to perturbations.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity was offered as a grant mechanism under the broad category of science and technology and other research and development. NSF anticipated making about 10 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $3,000,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between $200,000 (award floor) and $400,000 (award ceiling). The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, which generally lowers the barrier for participation and allows applicants to focus on the technical and scientific merit of the proposed work rather than securing institutional or third-party matching commitments.
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to many types of applicant organizations, subject to any clarifications contained in the official solicitation text. This typically signals a wide applicant pool that may include universities and colleges, nonprofit research organizations, for-profit entities, and potentially other eligible institutions, depending on the specific eligibility language in the full NSF announcement. The program was associated with multiple CFDA numbers, reflecting its interdisciplinary nature and joint relevance to several federal research domains: 47.041 (Engineering Grants), 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences), and 93.396 (Cancer Biology Research). That mix underscores that proposals were expected to sit at the intersection of engineering/physical science rigor and oncology relevance, rather than being purely biological studies without a strong physical sciences or engineering foundation.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was posted on November 18, 2011, with a full proposal deadline of February 15, 2012. The listing indicates the opportunity is now archived, with an archive date of August 4, 2014, which means it is no longer accepting applications and is provided for historical reference rather than active competition. Applicants seeking details at the time were directed to the formal solicitation (NSF Publication 12-514) for complete requirements, submission instructions, and review criteria. Support contacts were provided for technical issues accessing the announcement through Grants.gov (grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov), reflecting that proposals were expected to be submitted through standard federal electronic submission channels and that applicants could obtain help if they encountered access or linking problems.
Overall, this program can be understood as an effort to push cancer research beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries by encouraging researchers trained in physics, engineering, applied mathematics, and related fields to tackle oncology questions using their native approaches. The emphasis on investigator-initiated proposals also suggests the agencies were looking for creative, bottom-up ideas rather than narrowly prespecified topics, while still centering the work on meaningful contributions to understanding cancer through physical and engineering sciences.
FAQs: Physical and Engineering Sciences in Oncology (NSF Publication 12-514)
What is the Physical and Engineering Sciences in Oncology grant opportunity?
It was a discretionary research funding program run by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), specifically NCI's Office of Physical Sciences Oncology (OPSO). The program supported investigator-initiated research proposals that apply concepts, methods, and tools from the physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering to improve understanding of cancer and cancer-related disease processes.
Who sponsored and managed this program?
The program was run by NSF in collaboration with NCI. NCI participation was specifically tied to its Office of Physical Sciences Oncology (OPSO).
What was the main purpose of the program?
The core purpose was to fund research that brings physical sciences, quantitative, mathematical, and engineering approaches to cancer research, with the goal of deepening understanding of cancer and cancer-related disease processes.
What kinds of research approaches did the program emphasize?
The program sought work that applies physical or quantitative perspectives to cancer biology, such as:
- Studying cancer as a complex, dynamic system
- Developing predictive or mechanistic models of tumor growth and progression
- Investigating how physical forces and the tumor microenvironment shape cancer behavior
- Creating new measurement, imaging, computational, or engineering approaches to understand how cancers start, evolve, and respond to perturbations
Was this program focused on investigator-initiated proposals?
Yes. The opportunity supported investigator-initiated research proposals, meaning the agencies expected applicants to propose creative, bottom-up ideas rather than responding only to narrowly prespecified topics, while still maintaining a clear focus on cancer through physical and engineering sciences.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making?
NSF anticipated making about 10 awards under this opportunity.
What was the estimated total program funding level?
The estimated total program funding level was $3,000,000.
What was the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from $200,000 (award floor) to $400,000 (award ceiling).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, indicating broad eligibility for many types of applicant organizations, subject to any clarifications in the official solicitation text. The description suggests this could include universities and colleges, nonprofit research organizations, for-profit entities, and potentially other eligible institutions, depending on the full NSF announcement.
What was the broader category of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was offered as a grant mechanism under the broad category of science and technology and other research and development.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with this program?
The program was associated with multiple CFDA numbers reflecting its interdisciplinary scope:
- 47.041 (Engineering Grants)
- 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences)
- 93.396 (Cancer Biology Research)
What do the CFDA numbers suggest about the program's scope?
The mix of CFDA numbers underscores that proposals were expected to sit at the intersection of engineering/physical science rigor and oncology relevance, rather than being purely biological studies without a strong physical sciences or engineering foundation.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on November 18, 2011.
What was the full proposal deadline?
The full proposal deadline was February 15, 2012.
Is this opportunity still open for applications?
No. The listing indicates the opportunity is archived and is no longer accepting applications.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is August 4, 2014.
What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?
It means the opportunity is provided for historical reference rather than active competition, and it is not currently accepting applications.
Where were applicants directed for complete program requirements and instructions?
Applicants were directed to the formal solicitation, NSF Publication 12-514, for complete requirements, submission instructions, and review criteria.
How were proposals expected to be submitted?
The information indicates proposals were expected to be submitted through standard federal electronic submission channels, and it references access through Grants.gov.
Who could applicants contact for technical issues related to Grants.gov access?
For technical issues accessing the announcement through Grants.gov, the support contact provided was grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
What was the overall goal of the program in terms of research culture and collaboration?
Overall, the program aimed to push cancer research beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries by encouraging researchers trained in physics, engineering, applied mathematics, and related fields to tackle oncology questions using their native approaches.
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