Advanced Development and Sustainment of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Advanced Development and Sustainment of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management opportunity is a forecasted federal funding initiative administered by the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Specifically aligned with the National Cancer Institute Informatics Technology for Cancer Research program, this cooperative agreement aims to support the continued evolution of advanced informatics tools that enhance cancer research infrastructure. The program reflects a long-standing federal commitment to improving data-driven cancer research capabilities across multiple domains including biology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and epidemiology. The primary purpose of this opportunity is to fund technologies that have already progressed beyond early-stage prototyping and pilot development. Rather than supporting initial innovation, the program emphasizes further development, optimization, dissemination, and long-term sustainment of existing tools. These technologies are expected to demonstrate strong potential for broad scientific impact and usability across the cancer research continuum. Eligible projects may include software platforms, data integration tools, visualization systems, or analytical resources that improve the acquisition, management, interpretation, or sharing of cancer-related data. Funding is structured under a cooperative agreement mechanism, indicating substantial federal involvement in the project. The estimated total program funding is 4400000 dollars, with an anticipated five awards and an individual award ceiling of 600000 dollars. While no explicit award floor is provided, applicants are expected to propose budgets consistent with the scope of advanced development and sustainment activities. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, allowing applicants to pursue funding without additional financial contribution obligations. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive, encompassing a wide range of organizational types. These include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501c3 status, small and large for profit entities, state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, school districts, and public housing authorities. Additionally, federal agencies, regional organizations, faith-based groups, and non domestic institutions are also eligible. This wide eligibility scope reflects the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of cancer informatics research. The application process is expected to follow standard NIH submission procedures, likely requiring registration in federal systems such as Grants.gov and submission of a full proposal package. While specific application components are not detailed in the forecast, typical NIH cooperative agreement applications include research strategy narratives, budget justifications, biosketches, and institutional support documentation. Evaluation criteria are expected to focus on scientific merit, technical feasibility, potential impact, and the ability to sustain and disseminate the developed technologies. The timeline for this opportunity indicates an estimated posting date of April 1 2027, with applications due by June 11 2027. Awards are anticipated to be issued by April 1 2028, with project start dates aligned to the same timeframe. As a forecasted opportunity, these dates are subject to change, but they provide a planning framework for prospective applicants. Interested parties are encouraged to monitor updates and prepare early engagement strategies. For additional information, applicants may contact the program office via the ITCR mailbox at nciitcr at mail nih gov or by phone at 301 448 9529. As part of a recurring federal research funding ecosystem, this opportunity is likely to reappear in future cycles, although no explicit recurrence schedule is stated. Applicants should remain attentive to NIH funding announcements and program updates to track future opportunities in this domain.