DoD Lung Canceer, Investigator-Initiated Translational Research Award | W81XWH 18 LCRP IITRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 18 LCRP IITRA

The FY18 DoD Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Investigator-Initiated Translational Research Award is a funding opportunity meant to push promising lung cancer ideas beyond discovery and toward real-world clinical use. It is designed specifically for translational research, meaning projects that intentionally connect basic science (such as lab-based biology, model systems, and mechanistic studies) with clinical observations (such as patient outcomes, clinician insights, and human biospecimen findings). A key expectation is that the project will not treat translation as a one-direction pipeline from bench to bedside. Instead, the research plan needs to show a two-way, back-and-forth flow of information where clinical findings shape laboratory work and laboratory findings, in turn, refine clinical strategies or tools.

The award supports a broad set of translational study types as long as they are positioned to move into clinical application. Examples include studies that take results from in vitro systems or animal models and advance them into studies using human samples or defined patient cohorts, as well as late-stage preclinical efforts that directly prepare for a clinical trial. That preparation can include concrete steps toward regulatory readiness, such as work that supports an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The mechanism also welcomes correlative studies tied to clinical trials, whether those trials are ongoing or completed, and projects aimed at developing or validating clinical trial endpoints. Overall, the emphasis is on work that is past the earliest exploratory stage and is structured to produce outcomes that can be adopted, tested, or implemented in clinical research and care.

Applicants are required to include preliminary data that demonstrate feasibility for the hypothesis and approach. Importantly, the notice makes clear that the supporting preliminary data do not have to come from lung cancer studies specifically. In practice, this allows investigators to leverage proof-of-concept results from related cancers, relevant immunology or biomarker platforms, technology development, or other disease contexts, as long as the proposal clearly explains why those data justify moving into lung cancer translation.

A major feature of this opportunity is the requirement for military relevance. Because the LCRP is housed within the Department of Defense health research enterprise, applications are expected to connect their scientific aims to the healthcare needs of Service members, Veterans, and their families, and military relevance is considered during programmatic review. The solicitation provides concrete ways to demonstrate that relevance, such as using military or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patient populations, biospecimens, or data resources; collaborating with DoD or VA investigators; or including military consultants and specialty leaders aligned with the Surgeons General in the appropriate clinical area. It also encourages applicants to explain how the resulting knowledge, product, or technology could be implemented in a dual-use way, meeting a military need while also benefiting civilian populations. Another encouraged angle is addressing lung cancer factors particularly pertinent to military communities, including environmental or occupational exposures other than tobacco.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary research and development funding opportunity issued by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA, with awards made as grants and/or cooperative agreements. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning many entity types can apply, subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement. The opportunity number is W81XWH-18-LCRP-IITRA, and the posted timeline shows it was created on May 3, 2018, with an original closing date of September 26, 2018. The program anticipated making about four awards. The budget guidance states that anticipated direct costs for the entire period of performance may not exceed $400,000, with additional restrictions referenced in the full funding instructions.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Lung Canceer, Investigator-Initiated Translational Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 03, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 26, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 18 LCRP IITRA

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