Grants for Special District Governments

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Postdoctoral Institutional Research Training Grants for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32) to eligible institutions to enhance postdoctoral research training of individuals with health professional degrees and help ensure a heterogenous pool of clinical and translational scientists trainees are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications that improve health.

This funding opportunity supports researchers investigating the long-term health effects of cancer treatments, aiming to understand their causes and develop strategies to prevent or alleviate these adverse outcomes.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Institutional Research Career Development (K12) programs through the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA).The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Institutional Research Career Development (K12) programs through the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA). The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage institutions to propose creative and innovative institutional research career development programs designed to prepare an outstanding heterogeneous pool of promising later stage postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty scholars in clinical and translational science who have made a commitment to independent research careers (i.e., tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions), and to facilitate their timely transition to more advanced support mechanisms, e.g., K08, K23, R01, R03, etc. Applicants must submit both a UM1 application to PAR-21-293: Clinical and Translational Science Award and a K12 application to this FOA. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) allows appointment of Scholars (K12) proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial; or proposing a separate ancillary clinical trial; or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, as part of their research and career development

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to solicit applications for the Research Units (RUs), one of the two scientific components of the Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium (PCDC), to conduct research on early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and characterization of its precursor lesions to identify those patients who are at high risk of progression to cancer. The PCDC will continue to address one of the four research priorities identified in the National Cancer Institute's 2014 Scientific Framework for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. The PCDC will support research for the development and testing of new molecular and imaging biomarkers for detecting PDAC early and for identifying those patients at high risk of PDAC (because of genetic factors or presence of precursor lesions) who could be candidates for early intervention. The PCDC-RUs will consist of multi-disciplinary teams and will undertake studies to: identify and test biomarkers measurable in bodily fluids for early detection of PDAC and/or its precursor lesions; determine which pancreatic cysts are likely to progress to cancer; develop molecular- and/or imaging-based approaches for screening populations at high risk of PDAC; use machine learning and computational approaches towards biomarker discovery and/or validation; and conduct biomarker validation studies. The PCDC-RUs will also collect longitudinal biospecimens for building a biorepository. Each PCDC-RU is expected to participate in collaborative activities with other PCDC-RUs and share ideas, biospecimens and data within the Consortium. The other scientific component of the PCDC will be the Management and Data Coordination Unit (MDCU). The PCDC-MDCU will provide support toward study design, protocol development, statistical analysis, coordination, harmonization, data management and stewardship for the trans-PCDC collaborative projects, including biorepository building effort. The PCDC-MDCU will also supp

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to solicit applications for the Research Units (RUs), one of the two scientific components of the Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium (PCDC), to conduct research on early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and characterization of its precursor lesions to identify those patients who are at high risk of progression to cancer. The PCDC will continue to address one of the four research priorities identified in the National Cancer Institute's 2014 Scientific Framework for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. The PCDC will support research for the development and testing of new molecular and imaging biomarkers for detecting PDAC early and for identifying those patients at high risk of PDAC (because of genetic factors or presence of precursor lesions) who could be candidates for early intervention. The PCDC-RUs will consist of multi-disciplinary teams and will undertake studies to: identify and test biomarkers measurable in bodily fluids for early detection of PDAC and/or its precursor lesions; determine which pancreatic cysts are likely to progress to cancer; develop molecular- and/or imaging-based approaches for screening populations at high risk of PDAC; use machine learning and computational approaches towards biomarker discovery and/or validation; and conduct biomarker validation studies. The PCDC-RUs will also collect longitudinal biospecimens for building a biorepository. Each PCDC-RU is expected to participate in collaborative activities with other PCDC-RUs and share ideas, biospecimens and data within the Consortium. The other scientific component of the PCDC will be the Management and Data Coordination Unit (MDCU). The PCDC-MDCU will provide support toward study design, protocol development, statistical analysis, coordination, harmonization, data management and stewardship for the trans-PCDC collaborative projects, including biorepository building effort.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for early-career researchers to explore innovative studies that address the intersection of substance use disorders and HIV/AIDS, helping them transition into independent research careers.

This funding opportunity supports postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented groups in cancer research as they transition to independent faculty positions, providing salary and research funding to help establish their own research programs.

This grant provides funding to support the career development of underrepresented clinical scientists in cancer research, helping them gain the skills and experience needed to advance in their field.

This grant provides funding to support postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented backgrounds in transitioning to independent cancer research roles, with a focus on clinical trials and addressing cancer health disparities.

The Career Transition Award for NINDS Intramural Clinician-Scientists (K22 Clinical Trial Required) aims to support licensed neurologists and neurosurgeons in the NINDS intramural program as they transition to independent academic positions while leading clinical trials and advancing their research careers in neuroscience.

This grant provides funding and support for underrepresented clinical scientists to develop their research skills in cancer-related fields, with a focus on addressing health disparities and preparing them for future research funding opportunities.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, of higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used. AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS) works to ensure patient safety in multiple settings with recent efforts to increase the development of processes including measures, metrics, tools and practices to increase patient safety in the ambulatory care setting and in long-term care facilities.

The "Utilizing the PLCO Biospecimens Resource to Bridge Gaps in Cancer Etiology and Early Detection Research" grant aims to fund research projects that use the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial's biorepository to study cancer causes and develop early detection biomarkers.

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for support of investigator-initiated studies addressing mechanisms by which bariatric surgery impacts cancer risk, and seeks to draw in talented scientists who study bariatric surgery to investigate its effects on cancer, rather than shorter-term outcomes such as weight loss and diabetes.Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for support of investigator-initiated studies addressing mechanisms by which bariatric surgery impacts cancer risk, and seeks to draw in talented scientists who study bariatric surgery to investigate its effects on cancer, rather than shorter-term outcomes such as weight loss and diabetes. Background Obesity: Obesity will soon surpass smoking tobacco as the number one cause of preventable death both in the United States and worldwide. Bariatric (metabolic) surgery is the most effective strategy to achieve significant initial and sustained weight loss among individuals who are morbidly obese. Bariatric surgery provides dramatic improvement in metabolic function, associated with a reduction in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular (CV) risk. Bariatric surgery also appears to reduce the risk of certain obesity-related cancers, although which cancers are favorably impacted vary by study, and the mechanism(s) driving this risk reduction is mostly speculative. Bariatric surgery is performed in over 250,000 people in the U.S. annually, and the frequency is rising. Studies evaluating which bariatric surgery procedure(s) are most effective in cancer risk reduction could help bring to light new pathways to target for cancer prevention. Bariatric Surgery: Importantly, it is not yet clear from clinical and preclinical studies if the benefit from bariatric surgery arises from weight loss alone or if there is also a surgery-specific benefit. One mechanism for a possible surgery-specific effect is elevated bile acids (BA), both intestinal and circulating, after gastric bypass surgery such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) that are proposed to be central to weight loss and other metabolic benefits. The interaction between BA and intestinal microbes is also an area of intense interest. Studies have identified important changes after bariatric surgery in the composition and function of the gut microbiome, which may mediate bariatric surgery effects. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from humans or mice that had undergone bariatric surgery to germ-free recipient mice showed decreased weight gain and decreased adiposity are both transmissible traits. In addition, FMT induced important host metabolic changes including decreased energy harvest from the diet, increased resting energy expenditure, and increased lipid utilization. The data suggest a causal link between gut microbiota and the metabolic and weight loss effects of bariatric surgery. If validated, the findings will provide insight into the mechanisms driving the benefit of bariatric surgery on cancer risk and would be useful to further scientific understanding and patient care. Animal Models: Several diets or genetically induced animal models of obesity have consistently demonstrated the benefits of weight loss on cancer risk, and these obesity-induced tumor models may be adaptable to bariatric surgery studies, such as the Kras model of pancreatic cancer. Animal models have been developed to study the effects of bariatric surgery. Rodent animal models are most often used due to feasibility (low cost, ease of housing) and have been used extensively to study the mechanism(s) of bariatric surgery responsible for the reduction or elimination of T2DM and CV risk. However, very little has been reported on bariatric surgery and cancer risk despite the fact that both rat and murine models of mammary and other cancers develop in 6 months or less, making it feasible to assess mechanistic changes that influence cancer risk. Bariatric Surgery and Cancer Risk: Obese patients undergo bariatric surgery for a variety of reasons, including weight loss and improvement in metabolic dysfunction. Physician advice regarding the potential benefit of bariatric surgery and cancer risk reduction can currently only be given in generalities based on large-scale studies and not targeted to the individual. Many but not all bariatric surgery investigations document an overall cancer risk reduction among women but not men. Some but not all bariatric surgery studies have found that both women and men undergoing bariatric surgery have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Older studies which assessed bariatric surgery and cancer risk may not be useful to guide targeted advice to patients, as one of the most common procedures performed in the past, gastric banding, is only performed in 1% of bariatric surgery procedures today. The two most common bariatric surgery procedures currently performed are sleeve gastrectomy and RYGB. As such, planned animal and/or human studies should focus on the mechanistic effects of the two procedures that are currently in common use. Human biospecimens and/or data may be available from cohorts to enhance the studies proposed including the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS), Adolescent Bariatrics: Assessing Health Benefits & Risks (Teen-LABS), and NCI Cohort Consortium Members. Applications that include collaborators from fields outside of cancer research will be given special programmatic consideration. Responsive applications may investigate animal models, human studies, or a combination of both. General Area of Research and Scope of Work for this FOA General Area of Research Examples of relevant areas of research include but are not limited to: Do alterations in cancer risk biomarkers occur before weight loss? If so, in what organ, tissue, or cell type do they originate? Is maximum weight loss or long-term weight loss more important for cancer risk reduction? If so, how do the two differ at a cellular and/or biochemical level? What mechanism(s) explain the evidence that bariatric surgery is more beneficial in cancer risk reduction in women than men? Does bariatric surgery increase or decrease the risk of CRC, and if so, what are the mechanism(s)? Which cancers are decreased in incidence by bariatric surgery, and what are the mechanism(s) that explain the effect? Are any cancers increased in incidence by bariatric surgery? If so, through what mechanism(s)? Does the specific bariatric surgery procedure have an impact on cancer risk? If so, what are the mechanism(s) driving the difference in impact? Does racial or ethnic background influence the impact of bariatric surgery on cancer risk, and if so, what are the mechanism(s) involved? How does bariatric surgery affect the penetrance of high-risk genetic predisposition to cancer? Scope of Work and Additional Guidance It is anticipated that studies will evaluate bariatric surgery animal models where a significant proportion of the animals develop cancer. Similarly, human studies involving individuals who will or have undergone bariatric surgery are also encouraged, so long as within the cohort to be studied the number of enrolled subjects who develop cancer is adequate to for a statistically powered endpoint linking cancer (and not a biomarker of cancer) to a molecular mechanism as the driver of cancer. When appropriate and feasible, the investigators may want to evaluate mechanisms influenced by bariatric surgery in animal models of cancer and evaluate potential changes that might correlate with humans due to bariatric surgery. We define mechanism as a biologic endpoint based on analyzed samples from bariatric surgery animal models or from subjects who have or are planned to undergo bariatric surgery. This FOA does not support studies where an epidemiologic endpoint is the primary aim of the project. The mechanism(s) to be studied should evaluate samples collected from animals or humans who have undergone bariatric surgery who did or did not develop cancer. If both animals and humans are studied, the mechanisms chosen should be based on a cancer endpoint. Applications Not Responsive to This FOA The following types of activities remain outside the scope of this FOA, and applications proposing them are non-responsive to this FOA and will not be reviewed. This FOA is not intended for epidemiologic studies, where the primary endpoint is the assessment of cancer in a cohort of animals or humans, which has undergone bariatric surgery and mechanistic studies evaluating bodily fluid or tissue samples are nonexistent or of secondary endpoints. Application that focuses entirely on in vitro investigations. Epidemiologic investigations as the primary focus of the application. Animal or human studies that do not evaluate tissue and/or bodily fluid samples collected from participants who have undergone bariatric surgery, some of which developed cancer after surgery. Application, which includes a clinical trial that does not have a bariatric surgeon as a key investigator on the team. NOTE: Applicants to this FOA are strongly encouraged to contact NCI staff as soon as possible in the development of the application (preferably no later than 12 weeks prior to the application due date) to discuss the details of their proposed clinical trial, so that NCI staff can help the applicant understand whether the proposed clinical trial is within the goals and mission of the NCI and is appropriate for this FOA.

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for support of investigator-initiated studies addressing mechanisms by which bariatric surgery impacts cancer risk, and seeks to draw in talented scientists who study bariatric surgery to investigate its effects on cancer, rather than shorter term outcomes such as weight loss and diabetes. The goal of this FOA is to support proof of concept studies for feasibility and exploratory development. Feasibility must not have already been developed in the literature or with preliminary data. While unpublished data are not permitted, references and data from widely available preprints that have a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) are acceptable. Investigators who have generated unpublished preliminary data should submit a proposal to companion R01.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic, mechanistic research into the biological/genetic causes of cancer health disparities. These research project grants will support innovative studies designed to investigate biological/genetic bases of cancer disparities, such as (1) mechanistic studies of biological factors associated with cancer disparities, including those related to basic research in cancer biology or cancer prevention strategies, (2) the development and testing of new methodologies and models, and (3) secondary data analyses. This FOA is also designed to aid and facilitate the growth of a nationwide cohort of scientists with a high level of basic research expertise in cancer health disparities research who can expand available resources and tools, such as biospecimens, patient derived models, and methods that are necessary to conduct basic research in cancer health disparities.

The purpose of the NINDS Alzheimers Disease and Alzheimers Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00) program is to support of a cohort of new and talented, independent investigators from diverse backgrounds conducting AD/ADRD research. The program is designed to facilitate a timely transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds (e.g., see NIHs Interest in Diversity) from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. The program will provide independent NIH research support during this transition in order to help awardees establish independent research programs in the AD/ADRD field. This FOA is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. Applicants to this FOA are permitted to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic, mechanistic research into the biological/genetic causes of cancer health disparities. These research project grants will support innovative studies designed to investigate biological/genetic bases of cancer health disparities, such as (1) mechanistic studies of biological factors associated with cancer disparities, including those related to basic research in cancer biology or cancer prevention strategies, (2) the development and testing of new methodologies and models, and (3) secondary data analyses. This FOA is also designed to aid and facilitate the growth of a nationwide cohort of scientists with a high level of basic research expertise in cancer health disparities research who can expand available resources and tools, such as biospecimens, patient derived models, and methods that are necessary to conduct basic research in cancer health disparities.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic, mechanistic research into the biological/genetic causes of cancer health disparities. These research project grants will support innovative studies designed to investigate biological/genetic bases of cancer health disparities, such as (1) mechanistic studies of biological factors associated with cancer health disparities, including those related to basic research in cancer biology or cancer prevention strategies, (2) the development and testing of new methodologies and models, and (3) secondary data analyses. This FOA is also designed to aid and facilitate the growth of a nationwide cohort of scientists with a high level of basic research expertise in cancer health disparities research who can expand available resources and tools, such as biospecimens, patient derived models, and methods that are necessary to conduct basic research in cancer health disparities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for early-career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to lead independent clinical trials and develop their research skills under the mentorship of experienced scientists.