Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 08 165
Apply for PA 08 165
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Stem Cells and Cancer (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on May 2, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2011. (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: 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 Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Hispanic serving Institutions Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Stem Cells and Cancer (R21) funding opportunity (PA 08-165) is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant program led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in partnership with the National Institute on Aging (NIA). It is designed to support exploratory, early-stage research focused on tumor stem cell biology, with the broader goal of improving how cancer is understood and treated over the long term. The central idea behind the announcement is that many tumors may be driven by a small, rare subpopulation of cells often described as tumor stem cells (or cancer stem cells). These cells are thought to have the ability to self-renew, divide asymmetrically, and regenerate the full mix of cell types found in the original tumor, which makes them especially important for understanding why tumors persist, recur, spread, and resist therapy.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is on the isolation and detailed characterization of tumor stem cells across a wide range of tumor types. The announcement highlights the need for methods and studies that can reliably identify these rare cells, define their properties, and clarify how they contribute to key clinical behaviors such as transplantability (the ability to initiate tumors when moved into a new host model) and metastasis (the ability to spread to distant organs). By improving how tumor stem cells are detected and studied, the program aims to strengthen the foundation for understanding malignant progression and the biological events that allow cancers to evolve and become more aggressive.
Beyond simply finding and describing tumor stem cells, the FOA encourages deeper work on the molecular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms that regulate stem-like behaviors relevant to tumor formation. This includes research into how self-renewal programs are controlled, how asymmetric cell division is regulated, and how developmental pathways seen in embryonic and adult stem cells may be co-opted during cancer. Another key theme is the stem cell microenvironment, often called the niche, which refers to the local cellular and molecular surroundings that can maintain stemness, influence differentiation, and protect tumor stem cells from stress or treatment. Studies that clarify how the niche supports tumor stem cells, or how tumor stem cells reshape their surroundings to survive and expand, are directly aligned with the goals of this program.
The practical motivation behind the announcement is therapeutic. The NIH is signaling that conventional treatments may successfully shrink tumors while leaving behind tumor stem cells that can regenerate the disease later. As a result, the FOA explicitly points to the potential for new treatment strategies that specifically target tumor stem cells, either by disrupting their self-renewal machinery, altering their division patterns, or interfering with supportive niche signals. The long-term expectation is that knowledge generated under this program could lead to cancer therapies that are more specific and durable, reducing relapse and improving sustained disease control.
Administratively, this is an R21 mechanism, which generally supports exploratory and developmental projects that may be higher-risk but potentially high-impact. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted May 2, 2008, with an original and final closing date of May 7, 2011, and it was archived June 7, 2011. The activity category is listed under education and health, and it is associated with multiple cancer-related CFDA numbers spanning prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control research (93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399), reflecting how broadly tumor stem cell research can apply across the cancer research pipeline.
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations), state governments, small businesses and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and additional categories such as eligible federal agencies, Hispanic-serving institutions, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). Overall, the program is positioned to draw in a wide range of applicants, from academic labs to research institutes and industry groups, as long as the proposed work advances understanding of tumor stem cells and the mechanisms that make them central players in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance.
For the full text of the announcement, the NIH provided an official link through the NIH grants guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-165.html). For access or technical problems with the electronic posting, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Stem Cells and Cancer (R21) - PA-08-165
What is the Stem Cells and Cancer (R21) funding opportunity?
The Stem Cells and Cancer (R21) funding opportunity (PA-08-165) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to support exploratory, early-stage research focused on tumor stem cell biology (often called cancer stem cells). The broader long-term goal is to improve how cancer is understood and treated by strengthening the scientific foundation around tumor initiation, persistence, recurrence, metastasis, and treatment resistance.
Which NIH institutes lead and partner on this opportunity?
This opportunity is led by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in partnership with the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What is the main scientific premise behind this announcement?
The central premise is that many tumors may be driven by a small, rare subpopulation of cells described as tumor stem cells (cancer stem cells). These cells are believed to be able to self-renew, divide asymmetrically, and regenerate the full mix of cell types found in the original tumor, making them important for understanding tumor behavior over time.
What types of research does the FOA emphasize most strongly?
A major emphasis is on the isolation and detailed characterization of tumor stem cells across many tumor types. The announcement highlights the need for approaches that can reliably identify these rare cells, define their properties, and clarify how they contribute to clinically important behaviors such as transplantability and metastasis.
What does the FOA mean by "isolation and characterization" of tumor stem cells?
Based on the announcement description, this refers to developing or applying methods to identify rare tumor stem cell populations and then studying their defining features. This includes determining properties tied to stem-like behavior (such as self-renewal and asymmetric division) and connecting those properties to functional outcomes relevant to cancer progression.
What is "transplantability" in the context of this opportunity?
Transplantability is described as the ability of tumor stem cells to initiate tumors when moved into a new host model. The FOA highlights this as an important functional behavior to study because it relates to tumor-initiating capacity.
Why is metastasis specifically mentioned?
Metastasis (the ability of cancer to spread to distant organs) is specifically called out as a key clinical behavior that tumor stem cells may influence. The program encourages research that clarifies how tumor stem cells contribute to metastatic potential and malignant progression.
Does the opportunity only focus on finding tumor stem cells, or does it also support mechanism-focused studies?
It goes beyond identifying tumor stem cells. The FOA encourages deeper work on molecular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms that regulate stem-like behaviors relevant to tumor formation. This includes how self-renewal programs are controlled, how asymmetric cell division is regulated, and how developmental pathways seen in embryonic and adult stem cells may be co-opted during cancer.
What role does the stem cell microenvironment ("niche") play in the FOA?
The microenvironment, or niche, is identified as a key theme. It refers to local cellular and molecular surroundings that can maintain stemness, influence differentiation, and protect tumor stem cells from stress or treatment. Studies that clarify how the niche supports tumor stem cells, or how tumor stem cells reshape their surroundings to survive and expand, align directly with the program goals.
What is the therapeutic motivation behind this research program?
The practical motivation is that conventional treatments may shrink tumors while leaving behind tumor stem cells that can later regenerate the disease. The FOA points toward the potential for new strategies that specifically target tumor stem cells by disrupting self-renewal machinery, altering division patterns, or interfering with supportive niche signals, with the long-term expectation of more durable cancer control and reduced relapse.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which generally supports exploratory and developmental projects that may be higher-risk but potentially high-impact.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was this funding opportunity posted, and what were the closing dates?
It was posted on May 2, 2008. The original and final closing date was May 7, 2011.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on June 7, 2011, and the final closing date was May 7, 2011.
What activity category is associated with this opportunity?
The activity category is listed under education and health.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this announcement?
The opportunity is associated with multiple cancer-related CFDA numbers: 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399. These span areas including prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control research.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations); state governments; small businesses; and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses). Additional eligible categories listed include eligible federal agencies, Hispanic-serving institutions, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility information explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Can for-profit organizations apply under this FOA?
Yes. Eligibility includes small businesses and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), indicating that both small business and other for-profit applicants are included as eligible categories.
What kinds of applicants does NIH appear to be trying to attract with this FOA?
Based on the broad eligibility and the scientific focus, the FOA is positioned to draw applicants ranging from academic labs and research institutes to industry groups, as long as the proposed work advances understanding of tumor stem cells and the mechanisms that make them important in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance.
Where can applicants find the full official text of PA-08-165?
The NIH provided the official announcement through the NIH Grants Guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-165.html
Who should be contacted for access or technical problems with the electronic posting?
For access or technical problems with the electronic posting, the listed contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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