Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 13 004
Apply for RFA CA 13 004
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Validation and Advanced Development of Emerging Technologies for Biospecimen Science (R33)" 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 9, 2012 and posted on Nov 9, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 20, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $700,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments Special district governments Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education.
- 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 National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant opportunity "Validation and Advanced Development of Emerging Technologies for Biospecimen Science (R33)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-13-004) was designed to move promising biospecimen-related technologies beyond early proof-of-concept and into rigorous advanced development and validation. The central focus is on tackling pre-analytical variability, meaning all the factors that can unintentionally change a biospecimen before it is analyzed, such as how a specimen is collected, processed, handled, transported, and stored. Because these variations can significantly distort downstream molecular or cellular measurements, the program aims to fund technology development that helps researchers either measure those quality impacts directly or reduce them so that biospecimens remain fit for modern cancer research and clinical testing.
The FOA specifically calls for technically innovative projects that improve the ability to interrogate biospecimen condition and maximize biospecimen utility. In practical terms, NCI is looking for tools, devices, instruments, and supporting methods that can assess sample quality, preserve or protect sample integrity, and establish objective verification criteria for quality assessment and quality control under a wide range of real-world conditions. This includes approaches that can determine whether a sample has degraded, been exposed to problematic temperatures or delays, suffered from suboptimal fixation or stabilization, or otherwise experienced handling conditions that could bias genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, epigenetic, or other downstream analyses. The end goal is to produce technologies and methods that help ensure biospecimen-derived data are reliable, reproducible, and comparable across sites and over time.
This solicitation uses the NIH R33 mechanism, which is generally intended for later-stage exploratory/developmental projects where feasibility has already been demonstrated. Applicants are expected to come in with proof-of-principle already established and with supportive preliminary data in hand, then use the award period to perform advanced development and validation work. The program is not meant for projects that simply apply established technologies to a new biological or clinical question; proposals where the only novelty is the cancer question (rather than the technology development/validation itself) are considered non-responsive and would not be reviewed.
Administratively, the opportunity was categorized as a discretionary grant in the education/health activity area and was associated with CFDA numbers 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research), 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research), and 93.395 (Cancer Treatment Research). NCI anticipated making about two awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $700,000 and an award ceiling of $300,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The FOA was posted on November 9, 2012, with an original and current closing date of September 20, 2013, and it was archived on October 21, 2013.
Eligibility was broad and included small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), public and private institutions of higher education, and a range of government entities (state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities). It also explicitly included tribal governments and tribal organizations, as well as a variety of mission-based institutional categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities. Importantly, foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible to apply, foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy were permitted, reflecting an intent to draw from the best technology development efforts globally.
In summary, this NCI R33 FOA targeted late-stage development and validation of innovative biospecimen science technologies that directly address pre-analytical sources of error and variability. The funded work was intended to produce practical, validated solutions for biospecimen quality assessment and preservation, along with clear QC/verification criteria, ultimately strengthening the integrity of cancer research and clinical investigations that depend on high-quality specimens.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Validation and Advanced Development of Emerging Technologies for Biospecimen Science (R33)" from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-13-004.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA is designed to move promising biospecimen-related technologies beyond early proof-of-concept into advanced development and rigorous validation, with the goal of improving biospecimen quality and reliability for modern cancer research and clinical testing.
What does the FOA mean by "pre-analytical variability"?
Pre-analytical variability refers to factors that can unintentionally change a biospecimen before it is analyzed, including how it is collected, processed, handled, transported, and stored. These variations can distort downstream molecular or cellular measurements.
What types of projects is NCI looking to fund under this R33?
NCI is seeking technically innovative projects that improve the ability to interrogate biospecimen condition and maximize biospecimen utility. The emphasis is on advanced development and validation of technologies that directly address pre-analytical sources of bias and error.
What kinds of technologies or deliverables are considered responsive to this FOA?
Responsive projects may include tools, devices, instruments, and supporting methods that can assess sample quality, preserve or protect sample integrity, and establish objective verification criteria for quality assessment and quality control under real-world conditions.
What problems should the proposed technologies help detect or prevent?
The FOA highlights the need for approaches that can determine whether a sample has degraded or been compromised by conditions such as problematic temperatures, delays in processing, suboptimal fixation or stabilization, or other handling conditions that could bias downstream analyses.
Which downstream analyses are explicitly mentioned as potentially impacted by pre-analytical variability?
The FOA specifically notes impacts on genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, epigenetic, and other downstream analyses.
What is the end goal of funding technology development in this area?
The end goal is to produce technologies and methods that help ensure biospecimen-derived data are reliable, reproducible, and comparable across sites and over time.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This solicitation uses the NIH R33 mechanism, generally intended for later-stage exploratory/developmental projects where feasibility has already been demonstrated.
Is early proof-of-concept work appropriate for this FOA?
The FOA is aimed at moving technologies beyond early proof-of-concept. Applicants are expected to have proof-of-principle established and supportive preliminary data, and then use the award period for advanced development and validation.
Are projects that apply an established technology to a new cancer question eligible?
No. The FOA states that projects where the only novelty is the cancer question (rather than technology development/validation itself) are considered non-responsive and would not be reviewed.
How many awards did NCI anticipate making?
NCI anticipated making about two awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount for the FOA?
The estimated total funding amount was $700,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $300,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA indicated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on November 9, 2012.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed was September 20, 2013.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The FOA was archived on October 21, 2013.
What activity area was this opportunity categorized under?
The opportunity was categorized as a discretionary grant in the education/health activity area.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with this FOA?
The FOA was associated with CFDA numbers 93.393 (Cancer Cause and Prevention Research), 93.394 (Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research), and 93.395 (Cancer Treatment Research).
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included small businesses; for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); public and private institutions of higher education; and various government entities (such as state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities).
Were tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly included tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Did the FOA mention eligibility for specific minority-serving or mission-based institutions?
Yes. It explicitly included categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Were foreign organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible to apply.
Were foreign components of U.S. organizations allowed?
Yes. Foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy were permitted.
What is the practical emphasis of the FOA in real-world settings?
The FOA emphasizes objective quality assessment and quality control criteria that work under a wide range of real-world conditions, including the ability to verify whether handling and storage conditions may have introduced bias into downstream measurements.
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