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Kidney Cancer

NEWS RELEASE

Released: March 7, 2022

Department of Defense
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
Kidney Cancer Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22)

The Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Defense Appropriations Bill has not been signed into law. Although FY22 funds have not been appropriated for the Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP), the KCRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY22 funding opportunities. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government.

The FY22 Defense Appropriations Act is anticipated to provide funding for the KCRP to support research of exceptional scientific merit in the area of kidney cancer. The managing agent for the anticipated program announcements/funding opportunities is the CDMRP at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).

The KCRP is providing the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY22 funding opportunities. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the Government. The FY22 KCRP funding opportunity announcements for the following award mechanisms will be posted on the Grants.gov website. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the announcements are released.

Applications submitted to the FY22 KCRP must address one or more of the following Focus Areas:

  • Conduct basic biology research to better understand etiology and cancer progression, metastatic disease, refractory disease and therapeutic resistance, genetic and environmental risk factors and the prevention of kidney cancer.
  • Define the biology of rare kidney cancers and develop treatments to improve outcomes and reduce death.
  • Identify and develop new strategies for screening, early-stage detection, accurate diagnosis and prognosis prediction of kidney cancers, with examples including biomarkers and imaging.
  • Develop novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of kidney cancer, such as novel drug targets, therapeutic modalities and agents, treatment combinations, and drug delivery systems.
  • Identify and implement strategies to improve the quality of life and survivorship for patients.
  • Identify and implement strategies to mitigate health disparities, such as access to healthcare, social and cultural factors, environmental factors, and biological contributors.
  • Support preparation and development of the next generation of kidney cancer researchers, or cultivate collaborations in kidney cancer research or patient care in alignment with the KCRP Overarching Strategic Goals.

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Academy of Kidney Cancer Scholars - Early-Career Investigator Award Within 4 years of last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.) or clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent, as of full application submission deadline.

Letter attesting to eligibility required.
  • Supports addition of new Early-Career Investigators (ECIs) to the unique, interactive virtual academy that provides intensive mentoring, national networking, and a peer group for junior faculty.
  • ECIs whose ability to commit to conducting kidney cancer research is limited by lack of resources or other overwhelming obstacles are encouraged to apply.
  • Requires Designated Mentor who is an independent, established kidney cancer investigator with a record of kidney cancer publications in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Designated Mentor not required to be at the same institution as the ECI.
  • Preliminary data required.
  • Funding for clinical trials not allowed.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum funding of $725,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.
Clinical Research Nurse Development Award As of full application submission deadline, Principal Investigators must possess an RN, Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree in nursing.
  • Prepares nurses for active careers in collaborative clinical kidney cancer research and patient care.
  • Requires participation of a mentor with extensive experience in kidney cancer clinical research.
  • Emphasis placed on structured, interdisciplinary clinical research training environment.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum funding of $300,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years.
Clinical Trial Award

Modified for FY22		 Independent investigators at all levels.
  • Supports hypothesis-based, early-phase clinical trials (e.g., Phase 0, Phase 1, pilot Phase 2) to test interventions that will have a major impact in the field of kidney cancer.
  • Interventions may include drugs, devices, biologics, surgical procedures, behavior modifications, or other types.
  • Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption approvals, if applicable, must be in place by the time of application submission.
  • Letter of support demonstrating proof of possession of sufficient drug supply to conduct study must be provided (if appropriate).
  • Clinical trials are expected to be initiated within 12 months of the award date.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum funding of $1,500,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.

Cell Therapy Option:

  • Maximum funding of $2,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.
Concept Award Investigators at all academic levels.
  • Supports highly innovative, untested, potentially groundbreaking concepts in kidney cancer.
  • Emphasis on innovation.
  • Funding for clinical trials not allowed.
  • Preliminary data not allowed and should not be discussed.
  • Blinded review.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum funding of $100,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 1 year.
Idea Development Award

Modified for FY22		 Established Investigators:
Independent investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and 10 years or more from a terminal degree.

Early Career Investigators:
Investigators at the level of Assistant Professor, Instructor, or Assistant Research Professor (or equivalent) and less than 10 years from a terminal degree (excluding time spent in medical residency/fellowship or family medical leave) at the time of application submission deadline.
  • Supports new ideas that represent innovative, high-risk/high-gain approaches to kidney cancer research, and have the potential to make an important contribution to kidney cancer.
  • Preliminary data required.
  • Innovation and Impact are the most important review criteria.
  • Funding for clinical trials not allowed.
  • Different funding options, based on the scope of research. It is the responsibility of the PI to select the funding option that is most appropriate for the research proposed. 
  • Early Detection Studies Option: Supports basic or preclinical research that focuses on biomarkers, improved imaging capabilities, and/or new technologies that may foster new paradigms for the early detection of kidney cancer. With justification, applications under the Early Detection Studies Option may request a higher level of funding within the defined period of performance. Such studies may require additional resources due to the participation of human subjects and/or use of human biospecimens.
  • Population Science and Prevention Studies Option: Supports preclinical research that is already supported by substantial preliminary or published data and strongly validates clinical translation in a well-defined context within the kidney cancer field. With compelling justification, applications under the Population Science and Prevention Studies Option may request higher levels of funding within the defined period of performance. Such studies may require additional resources due to the participation of human subjects and/or use of human biospecimens.
  • Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.
  • Maximum funding of $675,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Early Detection Option:

  • Maximum funding of $700,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

Population Science and Prevention Studies Option:

  • Maximum funding of $2,000,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years.
Postdoctoral and Clinical Fellowship Award

 As of full application submission deadline, Principal Investigators:
  • Must possess a doctoral and/or medical degree (or equivalent).
  • Have 4 years or less of postdoctoral and/or mentored clinical research training experience (excluding family medical leave).
  • All other academic ranks are ineligible.
  • Supports research opportunities focused on kidney cancer for individuals in the early stages of their careers.
  • Requires participation of a designated mentor who is an experienced kidney cancer researcher.
  • Submission of a Letter of Intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum funding of $195,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.
Translational Research Partnership Award

 Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).
  • Supports partnerships between clinicians and laboratory scientists that accelerate ideas in kidney cancer into clinical applications.
  • Supports translational correlative studies.
  • Preliminary data required.
  • Funding for clinical trials not allowed.
  • Pre-application is required; application submission is by invitation only.
  • Maximum funding of $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
  • Maximum period of performance is 3 years.

A pre-application is required and must be submitted through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) at https://eBRAP.org prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcements that will be available for downloading from the Grants.gov website. The application package containing the required forms for each award mechanism will also be found on Grants.gov. A listing of all CDMRP and other USAMRDC extramural funding opportunities can be obtained on the Grants.gov website by performing a basic search using CFDA Number 12.420.

Submission deadlines are not available until the funding opportunity announcements are released. For email notification when announcements are released, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under “Email Subscriptions” on the eBRAP homepage at https://eBRAP.org. For more information about the KCRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website (https://cdmrp.health.mil).

Point of Contact:

CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-9783
usarmy.detrick.medcom-cdmrp.mbx.cdmrp-public-affairs@mail.mil


Last updated Monday, December 16, 2024