Statistical Coordination Center for the Population based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR)(U01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is RFA-CA-11-004?

RFA-CA-11-004 is an NIH funding opportunity that supports the creation of a single Statistical Coordinating Center for the Population-based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens (PROSPR) program.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The purpose is to fund the centralized statistical, data pooling, harmonization, and analytic hub that allows the PROSPR network to operate as a coordinated research enterprise across multiple participating research centers.

What is PROSPR?

PROSPR (Population-based Research Optimizing Screening through Personalized Regimens) is a program designed to strengthen population-based, multidisciplinary research on how cancer screening works in real-world settings and how screening can be improved across the full screening pathway.

What does PROSPR mean by the "full screening pathway"?

In this program, the screening pathway includes recruiting and engaging people for screening, performing screening, completing diagnostic follow-up after abnormal results, and ensuring appropriate referral for treatment when cancer is detected. The emphasis is not limited to the screening test itself.

How does this opportunity relate to the PROSPR Research Centers?

The broader PROSPR program is expected to be carried out primarily through a network of approximately 9 to 12 PROSPR Research Centers funded under a separate related announcement (RFA-CA-11-003) using the U54 mechanism. This opportunity (RFA-CA-11-004) uses a U01 award to provide the centralized data and analytic backbone for that network.

How many Statistical Coordinating Centers will be funded?

This funding opportunity supports the creation of a single Statistical Coordinating Center for the PROSPR program.

What funding mechanism is used for this award?

The award uses the NIH Cooperative Agreement Specialized Centers (U01) mechanism.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?

It means the project is structured as a collaborative effort between the funded Center and NIH program staff, with substantial scientific involvement from NIH that is typical of cooperative agreements.

What are the core responsibilities of the Statistical Coordinating Center?

The Center is expected to serve as the core hub for pooled data, harmonization, and analysis across all participating PROSPR Research Centers. It is responsible for receiving data from multiple sites, curating and documenting those data, protecting confidentiality, and making pooled datasets usable for cross-site analyses.

What types of data will the Statistical Coordinating Center manage?

The Center is expected to serve as the repository for pooled data contributed by Research Centers in three major domains: (1) characteristics of the screened populations, (2) detailed information on screening processes and pathways, and (3) clinical outcomes downstream of screening.

Is the Center only a data repository?

No. Beyond storing information, the Center is required to provide expertise and leadership to standardize data elements and analytic approaches so results are comparable across centers and can be combined reliably.

What does data harmonization and standardization involve for this program?

It includes developing common definitions, coding standards, quality control procedures, and agreed-upon statistical methods so PROSPR investigators can evaluate screening performance, follow-up, and outcomes consistently across diverse healthcare systems and populations.

What is meant by "pooled data" in this opportunity?

Pooled data refers to combining data contributed by multiple PROSPR Research Centers into a centralized repository so cross-site analyses and network-wide research can be conducted using standardized, documented information.

What role does the Center play in network-wide research and collaboration?

The Center is expected to support broader cross-network collaboration by facilitating trans-PROSPR activities and collaborative research. This includes enabling multi-center projects, supporting shared analyses addressing network-wide questions, and helping coordinate communications and working groups.

Why does the opportunity emphasize comparability across centers?

Because the PROSPR network involves diverse healthcare systems and populations, the Statistical Coordinating Center must ensure data elements and analytic methods are standardized so findings can be compared across centers and combined reliably in cross-site analyses.

Are applicants expected to coordinate with the parallel Research Centers opportunity?

Yes. Applicants are explicitly advised to review the parallel PROSPR Research Centers announcement (RFA-CA-11-003) to ensure the proposed coordinating activities align with the kinds of data and research activities the Research Centers will generate and with the overall network structure.

Who administers this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

How is this opportunity categorized in terms of funding type?

It is categorized as discretionary funding.

What are the key dates for this opportunity?

It was posted on November 12, 2010, had an application closing date of February 9, 2011, and was archived on March 12, 2011.

What is the estimated total funding available?

The estimated total funding listed is $2,000,000.

Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

No. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement indicated for this opportunity.

Which organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include private institutions of higher education, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding those that are institutions of higher education in the latter categories).

What NIH program areas does this opportunity align with?

The activity aligns with multiple NIH cancer-related program areas, reflected by CFDA listings for cancer cause and prevention research, cancer detection and diagnosis research, cancer treatment research, and cancer control.

In plain terms, what does this grant fund?

This grant funds the central statistical and data coordination engine for a national screening research network, enabling large-scale, multi-site evaluation of how screening is delivered and how it can be optimized through pooled, standardized, and rigorous analyses.