DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer, Horizon Award | W81XWH 19 PRCRP HA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 19 PRCRP HA

The DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Horizon Award (FY19) is designed to bring new, junior scientists into cancer research by funding a mentored project that is both scientifically meaningful and strongly tied to the applicant's career development. The award is structured so that the junior investigator, not the senior scientist, is the Principal Investigator (PI). In other words, the proposal needs to read as the PI's own research vision and plan, with the Mentor providing guidance, resources, and training support. The program is meant to help early researchers build independence, tackle an important cancer-related question, and grow into the next generation of cancer investigators working in areas that matter to the Department of Defense.

A defining feature of this mechanism is who can apply as the PI. Eligibility is limited to predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows who are still very early in training. Predoctoral applicants must be within two years of completing required graduate coursework, have finished lab rotations, and have passed qualifying exams, with allowable exclusions for time spent in residency, clinical training, or family medical leave. They also must be working in their Mentor's laboratory by the application deadline, and the proposed work should align with the topic of their thesis. Postdoctoral applicants must be within three years of receiving their terminal degree (again excluding residency, clinical training, or family medical leave) and must also be working in the Mentor's lab at the time of submission. Reviewers look at the PI's accomplishments to gauge potential, including publications, awards, and other signs of research promise, specifically in relation to the FY19 PRCRP Topic Area(s) the project targets.

The Mentor is not a formality here; the program expects an established cancer researcher with a proven track record of active funding and peer-reviewed publications, plus clear commitment to the junior PI's advancement. The Mentor's achievements should show real contributions to cancer research, such as influential papers, patents, and presentations. If the Mentor's expertise does not closely match the specific FY19 PRCRP Topic Area the PI is proposing to address, the announcement strongly recommends adding a collaborator or co-Mentor to ensure the project has the right domain depth and day-to-day scientific support.

On the science side, the project must address at least one of the FY19 PRCRP Topic Areas (as defined in the solicitation's referenced section). The Research Approach needs to be more than a rough idea; it should reflect thoughtful analysis of the problem, a coherent scientific rationale, and a well-described experimental strategy. The solicitation is explicit that preliminary data are not required, which is helpful for trainees who may be proposing a new direction. Even so, the application still needs to persuade reviewers through logic, background evidence from the literature, and a realistic plan that demonstrates feasibility, clear objectives, and a credible path to achieving the project goals. One important limitation is that clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism, so the work needs to be preclinical, translational (short of a clinical trial), mechanistic, computational, or otherwise non-trial research that fits the program's topic boundaries.

Career development is a core deliverable, not an add-on. Applicants must include a formal Researcher Development Plan created with the Mentor's guidance. This plan should spell out how the PI will gain the skills, expertise, and competencies needed to execute the proposed research and progress as a cancer researcher, such as training in specific methods, analytical approaches, responsible conduct, presentation and publication goals, and milestones that mark increasing independence. The award requires a full-time commitment from the PI (100% effort), emphasizing that this is meant to be the PI's primary focus during the award period rather than a side project.

Finally, the program places weight on impact, particularly as it relates to the military context. The proposed research is expected to have potential for significant impact on at least one FY19 PRCRP Military Health Focus Area within the selected cancer Topic Area(s). In practical terms, applicants need to connect their project to outcomes that could matter for service members, veterans, beneficiaries, or military-relevant health needs, and explain how the work could move the field forward in a meaningful way.

Administratively, this opportunity was released by the Department of Defense (Department of the Army, USAMRAA) under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-19-PRCRP-HA, categorized as discretionary research funding, using cooperative agreement and grant instruments. The CFDA number listed is 12.420, eligibility is broadly open to applicant organizations (with any limits defined in the full text), and the program anticipated making about 15 awards. The original closing date for FY19 was September 11, 2019.

• 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 Peer Reviewed Cancer, Horizon 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 Mar 21, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 11, 2019. (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 15 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 19 PRCRP HA

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