Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 12 296
Apply for PAR 12 296
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancer for Years 2013 and 2014 (P50)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.397 Cancer Centers Support Grants 93.399 Cancer Control 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 11, 2013 and posted on Sep 25, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 11, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not 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 Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancer for Years 2013 and 2014 (P50) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-12-296) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) center grant program led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), with participation from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). It supports investigator-initiated, organ-focused cancer translational research through five-year P50 Research Center Grants. The central goal is to move promising discoveries toward tangible improvements in prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment for a specific organ cancer or a closely related group of cancers, with an emphasis on work that can reach a clear translational endpoint within the five-year project period.
A defining feature of this program is that the research must be genuinely translational and grounded in human biology. Projects are expected to build on knowledge derived from studies using cellular, molecular, structural, biochemical, and/or genetic approaches, but the work cannot stop at basic discovery. Instead, SPORE-supported research is structured to connect mechanistic insights to human-relevant applications, such as biomarker development, refined risk stratification, improved screening or diagnostic approaches, or new therapeutic strategies that are plausibly positioned for clinical evaluation. The program’s design reflects the expectation that SPOREs serve as integrated centers that can bridge laboratory and clinical research, rather than isolated individual projects.
Beyond funding a “wide spectrum” of research activities, SPOREs are also expected to strengthen the broader translational infrastructure needed to make progress in an organ-specific cancer field. This includes establishing or advancing specialized shared resource core facilities (often referred to as “cores”) that enable multiple projects to access high-value resources, methods, and expertise efficiently. Examples of what these cores typically support include tissue and biospecimen resources, pathology and imaging expertise, biostatistics and bioinformatics, genomics and other “omics” platforms, and translational model development. The opportunity also emphasizes improved research model systems and encourages collaborative research projects with other institutions, signaling that SPOREs should function as hubs that catalyze coordination, data and resource sharing, and multi-site scientific synergy.
The program requires built-in mechanisms to seed innovation and develop the next generation of translational investigators. Each SPORE must include a Developmental Research Program that supports pilot studies, allowing the center to test new ideas, generate preliminary data, and rapidly pivot toward emerging opportunities that align with the SPORE’s organ-specific theme. In addition, each SPORE must include a Career Development Program aimed at fostering careers in organ-based translational science. This component is meant to build a pipeline of investigators capable of sustaining and advancing translational research, typically by providing mentored support, protected time, and structured career development activities tailored to the organ-cancer focus of the SPORE.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity using the P50 funding instrument and falls under education and health-related federal assistance categories. The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning cancer biology, prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, control, cancer centers support, oral diseases and disorders research, and extramural neuroscience programs. Cost sharing or matching is not required. The announcement was posted on September 25, 2012, with an original closing date of September 23, 2014, and an archive date of January 11, 2014, reflecting its availability and lifecycle during the 2013 and 2014 period.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit entities (other than small businesses), small businesses, and various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments), as well as independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The announcement also explicitly includes a wide range of mission- or population-serving institutions and entities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies. Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply directly as applicant organizations, though non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are permitted under NIH policy definitions.
In practical terms, PAR-12-296 is aimed at creating cohesive, organ-centered translational cancer research centers with enough scale to run multiple coordinated projects, shared cores, and structured pilot and career development activities, all tied to measurable human-relevant outcomes within a five-year window. The program’s expectations go beyond funding good science; it is built to ensure that discoveries are actively steered toward clinical and public health impact, supported by the infrastructure, collaboration, and talent development needed to make that translation real. For full details, NIH directed applicants to the complete funding announcement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-296.html, with additional support available through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts listed in the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the SPOREs in Human Cancer (P50) funding opportunity?
This opportunity supports Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancer through five-year P50 Research Center Grants. It is designed to fund organ-focused, investigator-initiated translational cancer research centers that can move discoveries toward practical improvements in prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-12-296.
Which NIH Institutes and Centers lead or participate in this program?
The program is led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), with participation from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
What type of grant mechanism is used?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH P50 Research Center Grant funding instrument.
What is the overall goal of a SPORE?
The central goal is to move promising discoveries toward tangible improvements in prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment for a specific organ cancer (or a closely related group of cancers), with an emphasis on reaching a clear translational endpoint within the five-year project period.
What does "organ-focused" mean in the context of this program?
The SPORE is expected to be centered on a specific organ cancer or a closely related group of cancers, rather than being broadly cancer-agnostic.
What does the program mean by "genuinely translational" research?
Projects must be grounded in human biology and must connect mechanistic or basic insights to human-relevant applications. The research cannot stop at basic discovery; it is expected to push toward outcomes such as biomarkers, improved risk stratification, refined screening/diagnostic approaches, or therapeutic strategies positioned for clinical evaluation.
Does SPORE funding support basic research?
The research is expected to build on basic approaches (for example, cellular, molecular, structural, biochemical, and/or genetic methods), but the work must go beyond discovery and actively drive toward translational endpoints that are relevant to humans.
What kinds of translational endpoints are encouraged?
Examples mentioned include biomarker development, refined risk stratification, improved screening or diagnostic approaches, and new therapeutic strategies that are plausibly positioned for clinical evaluation within the five-year period.
How long is the project period?
The program supports five-year P50 Research Center Grants.
What does it mean that SPOREs should be "integrated centers"?
The expectation is that SPOREs bridge laboratory and clinical research through coordinated, center-based activities, rather than operating as isolated individual projects.
Are shared resource "cores" expected as part of a SPORE?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes establishing or advancing specialized shared resource core facilities (cores) so multiple projects can efficiently access high-value resources, methods, and expertise.
What kinds of shared resources might SPORE cores support?
Examples described include tissue and biospecimen resources, pathology and imaging expertise, biostatistics and bioinformatics, genomics and other "omics" platforms, and translational model development.
Does the opportunity encourage collaboration with other institutions?
Yes. The announcement encourages collaborative research projects with other institutions and signals that SPOREs should function as hubs for coordination, data and resource sharing, and multi-site synergy.
Are improved research model systems part of the program expectations?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes improved research model systems and includes translational model development as an example of what cores may support.
Is a Developmental Research Program required?
Yes. Each SPORE must include a Developmental Research Program to support pilot studies, test new ideas, generate preliminary data, and rapidly pivot toward emerging opportunities aligned with the SPORE's organ-specific theme.
Is a Career Development Program required?
Yes. Each SPORE must include a Career Development Program aimed at fostering careers in organ-based translational science and developing the next generation of translational investigators.
What is the purpose of the Career Development Program?
It is intended to build a pipeline of investigators capable of sustaining and advancing translational research, typically through mentored support, protected time, and structured career development activities tailored to the SPORE's organ-cancer focus.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching is not required.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted on September 25, 2012.
What were the key dates mentioned for this announcement?
The information provided notes an original closing date of September 23, 2014, and an archive date of January 11, 2014, reflecting its availability and lifecycle during the 2013 and 2014 period.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit entities (other than small businesses); small businesses; and various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments), as well as independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
Are certain mission- or population-serving institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) institutions apply as the main applicant?
No. Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply directly as applicant organizations under this announcement.
Can foreign components participate in a SPORE?
Yes. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are permitted under NIH policy definitions, as described in the opportunity summary.
What kinds of activities does the program support beyond individual research projects?
Beyond a wide spectrum of research activities, SPOREs are expected to strengthen translational infrastructure in the organ-specific cancer field through shared cores, improved model systems, collaboration, and programs that seed innovation and develop investigators (developmental and career components).
How is "human relevance" emphasized in this program?
A defining feature is that the research must be grounded in human biology and explicitly connect mechanistic insights to applications that can plausibly be evaluated clinically, aiming for measurable human-relevant outcomes within five years.
Where can applicants find the complete funding announcement?
NIH directed applicants to the full announcement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-296.html.
Where can applicants get additional support or help?
The notice references additional support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts listed in the announcement.
What federal assistance categories are associated with this opportunity?
The summary describes it as falling under education and health-related federal assistance categories.
Are specific CFDA areas associated with this SPORE opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning cancer biology, prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, control, cancer centers support, oral diseases and disorders research, and extramural neuroscience programs.
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| Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R01) Apply for PA 12 293 Funding Number: PA 12 293 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R21) Apply for PA 12 295 Funding Number: PA 12 295 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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| FY 2013 American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) Program Worldwide Apply for APS ASHA 13 000001 Funding Number: APS ASHA 13 000001 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
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