Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 021
Apply for PAR 15 021
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Physical Sciences Oncology Network (PS ON) Physical Sciences Oncology Projects (PS OP) (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 21, 2014 and posted on Oct 21, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 21, 2017. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses State governments Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Independent school districts.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Physical Sciences Oncology Network (PS-ON) Physical Sciences Oncology Projects (PS-OP) (U01) funding opportunity (PAR-15-021) is an NIH cooperative agreement program designed to push cancer research forward by bringing physical sciences thinking directly into oncology. The central idea is that many stubborn cancer questions can benefit from approaches that are common in fields like physics, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science, especially when those approaches are developed hand-in-hand with cancer biologists and physician-scientists. Rather than funding large, siloed efforts, this FOA emphasizes small, tightly integrated, transdisciplinary teams that can generate and test new concepts about how cancer works, using both experimental and theoretical frameworks grounded in physical science.
A key feature of this program is that projects are not meant to operate in isolation. Awardees become part of a broader collaborative Network that includes other PS-OP awards as well as Physical Sciences Oncology Centers (PS-OC). The expectation is that, while each U01 supports a specific research project, the combined set of projects will collectively shape a more “physical sciences-aware†cancer research community and accelerate the field’s convergence at the boundary between physical science and oncology. In practical terms, the program is looking for teams that can introduce physical science perspectives into how cancer problems are framed, measured, modeled, and experimentally tested, and that can help build a shared transdisciplinary culture through collaboration across the Network.
The FOA lays out three main program-level goals. First, it aims to establish a physical sciences perspective within the broader cancer research ecosystem, meaning physical principles and quantitative thinking should become more central to how cancer biology is interpreted and investigated. Second, it seeks to facilitate team science and field convergence, encouraging researchers who do not usually work together to co-develop hypotheses, methods, and interpretations rather than simply providing service-like support across disciplines. Third, it aims to collectively test physical sciences-based experimental and theoretical concepts of cancer, with an emphasis on innovative solutions and new ways to tackle persistent questions in cancer research. In other words, the program is not only interested in applying existing tools to cancer, but also in using cancer as a driver for new models, measurements, and mechanistic explanations rooted in physical science.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity using the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means there is substantial scientific involvement from NIH staff compared to standard investigator-initiated grants. The opportunity was posted on October 21, 2014, with an original and final closing date of September 21, 2017, and an archive date of October 22, 2017. The listed award ceiling is $500,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement described in the provided data.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types across academia, government, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special district governments), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The eligibility language also explicitly includes tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal entities), as well as a range of mission- and community-focused institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISIS-designated institutions. Importantly, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which makes this a program open to international participation where appropriate.
The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning health innovation and a wide range of cancer research areas, including cause and prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control, as well as child health and human development extramural research. That spread reflects how the program is positioned: it is less about a single narrow cancer topic area and more about enabling cross-cutting, physically grounded approaches that can influence many parts of oncology research.
For additional details, the NIH provided an official announcement link (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-15-021.html). The contact point listed for access or technical issues related to the announcement is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the PS-ON Physical Sciences Oncology Projects (PS-OP) (U01) funding opportunity?
It is an NIH cooperative agreement program (U01) under the Physical Sciences Oncology Network (PS-ON) designed to advance cancer research by integrating physical sciences approaches directly into oncology. The opportunity is identified as PAR-15-021.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The program aims to push cancer research forward by bringing physical sciences thinking (for example, concepts and methods from physics, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, and computer science) into close, co-developed collaboration with cancer biologists and physician-scientists. The intent is to generate and test new, physically grounded concepts about how cancer works using both experimental and theoretical frameworks.
What kinds of scientific approaches does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes approaches common in the physical sciences that are developed hand-in-hand with oncology expertise. This includes quantitative framing of cancer problems, new measurement strategies, computational or mathematical modeling, theory-driven hypothesis generation, and experimental testing that is grounded in physical science principles.
Does the program focus on large centers or smaller research teams?
Rather than funding large, siloed efforts, this opportunity emphasizes small, tightly integrated, transdisciplinary teams. The goal is for team members across disciplines to co-develop hypotheses, methods, and interpretations instead of operating in separate lanes.
Are funded projects expected to collaborate with other awardees?
Yes. A defining feature of the program is that projects are not intended to operate in isolation. Awardees become part of a broader collaborative Network that includes other PS-OP awards and Physical Sciences Oncology Centers (PS-OC).
What is the expected role of the broader Network?
While each U01 supports a specific research project, the combined set of projects is expected to collectively shape a more "physical sciences-aware" cancer research community and accelerate convergence at the boundary between physical science and oncology through collaboration across the Network.
What are the program-level goals described in the FOA?
The FOA describes three main program-level goals: (1) establish a physical sciences perspective within the broader cancer research ecosystem, (2) facilitate team science and field convergence by encouraging true co-development across disciplines, and (3) collectively test physical sciences-based experimental and theoretical concepts of cancer with an emphasis on innovative solutions to persistent cancer research questions.
Is this program only about applying existing tools to cancer?
No. The FOA is not only interested in applying existing tools to cancer problems. It also emphasizes using cancer research as a driver for developing new models, measurements, and mechanistic explanations rooted in physical science.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which is a discretionary grant type. A cooperative agreement typically involves substantial scientific involvement from NIH staff compared to standard investigator-initiated grants.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?
Based on the description provided, it means NIH staff are expected to have substantial scientific involvement in the project compared to a standard grant mechanism, reflecting the collaborative and networked nature of the program.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $500,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is described in the provided information.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on October 21, 2014.
What were the closing dates for applications?
The original and final closing date listed is September 21, 2017.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date is October 22, 2017.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types across academia, government, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special district governments); independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal entities, as well as tribal organizations.
Are mission-focused and community-serving institutions eligible (for example HBCUs or HSIs)?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISIS-designated institutions.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are eligible to apply. The information also states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible and that foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed.
What cancer research areas does this FOA relate to?
The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning health innovation and a wide range of cancer research areas, including cause and prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control, as well as child health and human development extramural research. This reflects the program's cross-cutting focus rather than a single narrow topic.
Where can applicants find the official NIH announcement?
The official announcement link provided is: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-15-021.html
Who should be contacted for access or technical issues related to the announcement?
The contact listed for access or technical issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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