U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command &
Fort Detrick Public Affairs/Marketing Office, Fort Detrick, Maryland

September 16, 2004

The fiscal year 2005 (FY05) Defense Appropriations Act provides $10 million to the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) to support innovative research directed toward eliminating ovarian cancer. This program is administered by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command through the Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The FY05 OCRP Program Announcements will call for proposals in the following three funding mechanisms:

• Pilot Awards
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Collaborative Research Awards
• Idea Development Awards

New this year, Pilot Awards are intended to support initial work of innovative, potentially groundbreaking concepts in ovarian cancer. Preliminary data are not expected. Innovation will receive 50% of the score during peer review. Proposals must address at least one of the three research areas of emphasis: (1) etiology/tumor biology, (2) preclinical development of targeted therapeutics (excluding clinical trials), or (3) early detection/diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Pilot Awards are targeted to: (1) junior faculty who are within 5 years of their last training experience, or (2) established scientists or clinicians who have less than 3 years of experience in ovarian cancer research. Funding support is a maximum of $200,000 in direct costs over a 2-year performance period, plus indirect costs as appropriate. The electronic submission process for the pre-proposal is available now, but must be completed by the applicant by Tuesday, October 26, 2004, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, using the CDMRP Electronic Proposal Submission website https://cdmrp.org/proposals. A portion of those submitting pre-proposals will be invited by the OCRP to submit full proposals. The electronic submission process for the full proposal must be completed by the applicant and his or her institutional contracting representative by February 15, 2005, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, using the CDMRP Electronic Proposal Submission website https://cdmrp.org/proposals.

New this year, HBCU/MI Collaborative Research Awards are intended to establish a collaborative partnership at an investigator level between an HBCU/MI and another institution with faculty conducting ovarian cancer research. The partnering institution will provide research training and experience in ovarian cancer research to the HBCU/MI doctoral-level faculty investigator. The collaboration will obtain the training and experience necessary for the HBCU/MI investigator to initiate and sustain an independent, competitive research program in ovarian cancer. Proposals must address at least one of the three research areas of emphasis: (1) etiology/tumor biology, (2) preclinical development of targeted therapeutics (excluding clinical trials), or (3) early detection/diagnosis of ovarian cancer. These awards can be requested for a maximum of $750,000 in direct costs for a 3-year performance period plus indirect costs as appropriate. The electronic submission process for the pre-proposal is available now, but must be completed by the applicant by Tuesday, October 26, 2004, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, using the CDMRP Electronic Proposal Submission website website https://cdmrp.org/proposals. A portion of those submitting pre-proposals will be invited by the OCRP to submit full proposals. The electronic submission process for the full proposal must be completed by the applicant and his/her institutional contracting representative by February 15, 2005, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, using the CDMRP Electronic Proposal Submission website website https://cdmrp.org/proposals.

Idea Development Awards are designed to support innovative approaches to research ovarian cancer. Preliminary data relevant to ovarian cancer and the proposed project are required. The research may represent a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, or investigate an existing problem from a new perspective. All independent investigators at all levels of experience are eligible. Proposals must address at least one of the three research areas of emphasis: (1) etiology/tumor biology, (2) preclinical development of targeted therapeutics (excluding clinical trials), or (3) early detection/diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Funding for Idea Development Awards is $600,000 in direct costs over a 3-year period of performance, plus indirect costs as appropriate. A letter of intent is requested by January 15, 2005. The electronic proposal submission process must be completed by the applicant and his or her institutional contracting representative by February 15, 2005, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, using the CDMRP Electronic Proposal Submission website website https://cdmrp.org/proposals.

Detailed descriptions of each of these mechanisms, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements can be found in the FY05 Program Announcement corresponding to that mechanism. Each Program Announcement is available for download from the CDMRP website website https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL/ and also on the CDMRP Electronic Submission website website https://cdmrp.org/proposals. (Please note: You do not need to log-in to review Program Announcements. Double click on the words "Program Announcements and Forms" and select among the open Program Announcements.)

Please note that the FY05 Program Announcements are being released before the actual receipt of funding at the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) for these projects. Funding of projects received in response to these program announcements is contingent on the receipt of funds by the USAMRMC.

For more information about the OCRP, OCRP awardees, previous OCRP Program Announcements, and other CDMRP-sponsored programs and events, please visit the CDMRP website https://CDMRP.HEALTH.MIL.

Points of Contact:
Gail Whitehead, Public Affairs Coordinator, phone 301-619-7783M
Patricia Modrow, Ph.D., OCRP Manager, phone 301-619-7071