DoW Prostate Cancer, Data Science Award

The Prostate Cancer Research Program Data Science Award is offered by the Defense Health Agency through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs as part of a broader federal effort to advance innovative research targeting prostate cancer. Established by Congress in 1997, the Prostate Cancer Research Program has received substantial appropriations to support groundbreaking and translational research aimed at improving patient outcomes and ultimately eradicating prostate cancer. This specific funding opportunity is administered under federal authority and is designed to accelerate discoveries through the application of data science methodologies to complex prostate cancer datasets. The purpose of this award is to support research that leverages quantitative and analytical approaches to extract meaningful insights from large and complex datasets related to prostate cancer. The program emphasizes areas such as computational biology, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, epidemiology, and medical imaging. Applicants must align their proposals with at least one of the program’s overarching challenges, which focus on improving survivorship, developing treatments for lethal prostate cancer, enhancing clinical care, or understanding disease progression. Projects are expected to contribute high-impact findings that advance both scientific knowledge and patient care. Funding under this mechanism is structured as grants with a maximum total cost of 1.4 million dollars per award over a performance period of up to three years. The program anticipates awarding approximately four grants from a total allocation of about 5.6 million dollars. Funds may be used for research-related costs such as data analysis, collaboration travel, and dissemination of findings, but may not be used for equipment purchases, clinical trials, or animal research. The award encourages collaborative efforts, including partnerships between multiple principal investigators, particularly those that combine expertise in data science and clinical practice. Eligibility for this funding opportunity is broad and inclusive. Both domestic and international organizations are eligible, including public and private entities, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and government-affiliated institutions. Principal investigators must be independent researchers affiliated with an eligible organization, and there are no restrictions based on nationality or citizenship. However, each investigator may only serve as a principal investigator on one application. Cost sharing is not required, and awards are made to organizations rather than individuals. The application process consists of two required stages. First, applicants must submit a pre-application in the form of a letter of intent through the Electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal. Following this, a full application must be submitted either through Grants.gov or eBRAP depending on the applicant’s organizational type. The full application includes a comprehensive set of components such as a project narrative, technical and lay abstracts, statement of work, impact statement, and supporting documentation. Strict formatting and submission requirements apply, and applicants must ensure that all registrations and system requirements are completed in advance. Applications are evaluated through a two-tier review process consisting of peer review and programmatic review. Peer review assesses scientific merit based on criteria such as research strategy, feasibility, statistical rigor, and team expertise. Programmatic review considers broader factors including alignment with program priorities and portfolio balance. Successful applicants can expect funding decisions following programmatic review, with awards anticipated to be made by September 2027. The program requires rigorous reporting, including annual progress reports and data sharing plans, reflecting its emphasis on transparency and reproducibility. Key deadlines for this opportunity include a pre-application submission deadline of August 12, 2026, and a full application deadline of September 2, 2026. Peer review is scheduled for November 2026, followed by programmatic review in March 2027. The funding opportunity represents a recurring federal initiative within the Prostate Cancer Research Program, reflecting ongoing investment in data-driven approaches to cancer research. Applicants are encouraged to begin preparations early due to the complexity of submission requirements and the competitive nature of the program.

Align proposal with one overarching challenge; demonstrate strong statistical rigor and dataset access; emphasize high-impact outcomes and data sharing plans