NCI Funding Opportunities

National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding opportunities that may be of interest to University of Illinois Cancer Center members.

RNA Modifications Driving Oncogenesis (RNAMoDO; U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Application Date: 11/04/2024
Letter of Intent: 10/05/2024
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the NCI solicits applications for the RNA Modifications Driving Oncogenesis (RNAMoDO) initiative. This NCI initiative aims to promote fundamental studies in the emerging area of RNA modifications that underlie the oncogenic process, focusing on the central role of RNA modifications in translational reprogramming of cancer cells. RNA modifications have been recognized to exert a substantial impact on gene expression and function and their de-regulation has been linked to the cancer phenotype. In particular, recent insights point to a crucial role for mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA modifications in translational reprogramming during tumor initiation, progression, and adaptation to therapy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this reshaping of the translatome caused by dynamic changes in RNA modifications, as well as the interplay between different RNA modifications within and/or across RNA molecules during translation, are not understood and represent the focus of this initiative. This new program will be composed of up to five U01 grants that will be supported by this NOFO.

Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Application Date: 10/05/2024
Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) encourages grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic, mechanistic research into the biological/genetic causes of cancer health disparities. These research project grants (R01) 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 NOFO 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.

Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Application Dates: 10/16/2024
Letter of Intent: Due 30 days prior to application due date.
Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) encourages grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic research studies into the biological/genetic causes and mechanisms of cancer health disparities. These awards will support pilot and feasibility studies designed to investigate biological/genetic bases of cancer health disparities, such as (1) mechanistic studies of identified biological factors associated with cancer health disparities, (2) the development and testing of new methodologies and models, and (3) secondary data analyses. This FOA is also designed to aid and facilitate growth of a nationwide cohort of scientists with a high level of basic research expertise in cancer health disparities who can expand available resources and tools, such as biospecimens, cell lines and methods that are necessary to conduct basic research in cancer health disparities. In addition, the NOFO will further the development of scientific areas, providing support for early-stage exploratory projects that lead to future in-depth mechanistic studies (such as R01 projects) of the biology of cancer health disparities.

Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk after Bariatric Surgery (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

Application Date: 02/05/2025; 06/05/2025; 10/05/2025
Letter of Intent: 30 days prior to the application due date.
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the 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.

Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk after Bariatric Surgery (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Application Date: 02/16/2025; 06/16/2025; 10/16/2025
Letter of Intent: January 16, 2025
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the 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.

Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Cancer Health Disparities and Minority Health (CHD-MH) (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)

Application Date: 09/26/2024
Optional Letter of Intent: Due 30 days prior to the application due date.
Purpose: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for U54 Specialized Programs of Research Excellence in Cancer Health Disparities and Minority Health (CHD-MH SPOREs). The program will fund a network of multidisciplinary, multi-institutional U54 CHD-MH SPOREs uniquely focused on health disparities and/or minority health translational research for improved prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in populations who are underserved (and/or underrepresented). U54 CHD-MH SPOREs can investigate more than one cancer type in underserved populations, including groups of highly related cancers (e.g., gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine, and head and neck). The research supported through this program must be translational and must stem from knowledge of human biology, addressing the interplay of various determinants of health with the biology of the disease. U54 CHD-MH SPORE projects must have the goal of reaching a translational human endpoint within the project period of the grant.

Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): CP-CTNet Sites (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)

Application Date: 10/31/2024
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) proposes and will support the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet) sites, for which the goals are as follows:

Design and conduct of early phase clinical trials to assess the safety, tolerability, and cancer preventive potential of agents and interventions of varying classes, many of which target molecules or processes known to be important during carcinogenesis. These trials include phase 0 (micro-dosing), phase I (dose-finding), and phase II (preliminary efficacy) clinical trials;
Characterization of the effects of these agents and interventions on their molecular targets, as well as on other biological events associated with cancer development (such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, growth factor expression, oncogene expression, immune response) and correlation of these effects with clinical endpoints.
Development of further scientific insights into the mechanisms of cancer prevention by the agents examined, including the development of novel potential markers as determinants of response.

Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): Data Management, Auditing, and Statistical Center (DMASC) (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)

Application Date: 10/31/2024
Optional Letter of Intent: Due 30 days prior to the application due date.
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) proposes and will support the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet), for which the goals are as follows:

Design and conduct of early phase clinical trials to assess the safety, tolerability, and cancer preventive potential of agents and interventions of varying classes, many of which target molecules or processes known to be important during carcinogenesis. These trials include phase 0 (micro-dosing), phase I (dose-finding), and phase II (preliminary efficacy) clinical trials.
Characterization of the effects of these agents and interventions on their molecular targets, as well as on other biological events associated with cancer development (such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, growth factor expression, oncogene expression, immune response) and correlation of these effects with clinical endpoints.
Development of further scientific insights into the mechanisms of cancer prevention by the agents examined, including the development of novel potential markers as determinants of response.

Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet): Data Management, Auditing, and Statistical Center (DMASC) (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)

Application Date: 10/31/2024
Optional Letter of Intent: Due 30 days prior to the application due date.
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) proposes and will support the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network (CP-CTNet), for which the goals are as follows:

Design and conduct of early phase clinical trials to assess the safety, tolerability, and cancer preventive potential of agents and interventions of varying classes, many of which target molecules or processes known to be important during carcinogenesis. These trials include phase 0 (micro-dosing), phase I (dose-finding), and phase II (preliminary efficacy) clinical trials.
Characterization of the effects of these agents and interventions on their molecular targets, as well as on other biological events associated with cancer development (such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, growth factor expression, oncogene expression, immune response) and correlation of these effects with clinical endpoints.
Development of further scientific insights into the mechanisms of cancer prevention by the agents examined, including the development of novel potential markers as determinants of response.

The Confluence of Cancer Stigma and HIV Stigma in HIV-positive Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

Application Dates: 12/102024
Letter of Intent: Due 30 days prior to application due date.
Purpose: Through this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) as a request for applications (RFA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to support research that expands the current understanding of the confluence of cancer stigma and HIV stigma among people with HIV (PWH) diagnosed with cancer; assesses the impact of these two converging stigmas on cancer outcomes among PWH with cancer; leverages stigma reduction interventions at multiple levels to intervene on modifiable mechanisms of stigma that contribute to negative cancer outcomes among PWH with cancer; and promotes research in domestic and international contexts, focusing on regions in which the HIV-cancer burden is elevated.

Limited Competition: AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC; UM1 Clinical Trial Required)

Application Date: 01/10/2025
Letter of Intent: 12/10/24
Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to enable the provision of support for AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC). AMC is a multi-center infrastructure intended to stimulate cooperative research efforts in the following areas:

Design, development, and evaluation of clinical interventions for the prevention and treatment of malignancies in people with HIV (PWH);
Development of more effective therapeutics and management strategies for malignancies in PWH;
Investigation of the biology of HIV malignancies within the context of clinical trials;
Management of issues of international importance in malignancies in PWH; and
Distribution of excess tumor tissue and other relevant biologic fluids to the AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) for ongoing or future investigations.

The AMC must consist of the following functional units: an Operations Center; Clinical Trial Sites; Network Laboratories; and a Statistical Center. The AMC team must have scientific disease-oriented Working Groups to study Kaposi sarcoma, hematologic malignancies, human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers, and solid tumors in PWH. The Network Laboratories will be responsible for routine clinical trial support activities, pathogenesis-driven correlative studies, and clinical pharmacology and pharmacokinetics studies of anticancer/antiviral interactions. All clinical trials to be conducted by the AMC must be available to subjects of all racial/ethnic groups.

RNA Modifications Driving Oncogenesis (RNAMoDO; U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)