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DEPARTMENT OF WAR - CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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  5. 2026 Ovarian Cancer Research Program

Ovarian Cancer

NEWS RELEASE

Released: February 13, 2026

Defense Health Agency Research and Development
Medical Research and Development Command
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Ovarian Cancer Research Program
Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026

The FY26 Defense Appropriations Act provides funding for the OCRP to support innovative, high-impact research with clinical relevance that will support research to prevent, detect, treat, cure and optimally survive ovarian cancer to enhance the well-being of Service Members, Veterans, retirees, their Family members and all women impacted by this disease. As part of the DHA R&D-MRDC, the CDMRP is the program office managing these anticipated FY26 funding opportunities.

The OCRP provides the information in this pre-announcement to allow investigators time to plan and develop ideas for submission to the anticipated FY26 funding opportunities. Investigators should not construe this pre-announcement as an obligation or promise by the government. The CDMRP will post FY26 OCRP funding opportunity announcements on the Grants.gov website. Once released, the funding opportunity announcements will include pre-application and application deadlines.

Applications submitted to the FY26 OCRP must address one or more of the following areas of emphasis:

  • Develop novel therapeutic strategies for treatment
  • Identify and develop new strategies for risk stratification, screening, early-stage detection, accurate diagnosis and prognosis
  • Identify and implement strategies to improve access to quality care, survivorship and quality of life
  • Investigate innovative approaches for ovarian cancer prevention
  • New for FY26 Provide access to quality care for military personnel, Veterans and their Families
  • Understand the basic biology and etiology of ovarian cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, recurrence, genetics and other critical events

Award Mechanism Eligibility Key Mechanism Elements Funding
Clinical Trial Award Independent investigators at all academic levels.
  • Supports rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to significantly impact ovarian cancer.
    • Proposed projects may range from small proof-of-concept trials through large-scale, definitive trials, including early-phase or pilot clinical trials in phase 0, 1, or 1/2.
  • Applications require preliminary data. Larger, more-definitive clinical trials, including expansion of previous promising pilot trials, must include preliminary data with respect to safety in an ovarian cancer population.
  • The OCRP requires submission of a letter of intent prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $2.8M for total costs;* funding requested must be commesurate with the phase and size of trial proposed
Investigator-Initiated Research Award Investigators at or above the level of Assistant Professor, or equivalent.
Partnering PI Option: Up to two investigators may collaborate on a single application, each of whom will serve as a PI and receive a separate award.
  • Supports high-impact research that addresses a critical need and demonstrates the potential to make an important contribution to ovarian cancer or patient/survivor care.
    • Applications cannot support clinical trials.
    • Applications proposing research on cell lines or animals must provide justification for use.
    • Research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients encouraged.
    • Applications require preliminary data.
  • The OCRP requires submission of a pre-application; application submission is by invitation only.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years
  • Single PI: Maximum allowable funding is $1.05M for total costs*
  • Partnering PI Option: Maximum allowable funding is $1.4M for total costs*
Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award Investigators must be within 5 years of their last postdoctoral research position or clinical fellowship or equivalent as of the full application submission deadline. Requires a letter attesting to eligibility.
  • Supports the addition of new early-career investigators to the unique, interactive virtual academy that provides intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations and a peer group for junior faculty.
    • Encourages applications from ECIs limited by lack of resources or other overwhelming obstacles, impacting their ability to commit to conducting ovarian cancer research.
    • Requires a designated mentor who is an experienced ovarian cancer researcher with ovarian cancer funding.
    • The ECI and designated mentor may originate from different institutions.
    • Applications cannot support clinical trials. An ECI that wishes to propose a clinical trial may refer to the Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy Award – Early-Career Investigator award mechanism.
    • Investigators who apply to both the Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award and the Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award mechanisms may not accept an award from both mechanisms.
  • The OCRP requires submission of a letter of Intent prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $1.125M for total costs*
Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award Investigators must be within 12 years of their last postdoctoral research position or clinical fellowship or equivalent as of the full application submission deadline. Requires a letter attesting to eligibility.
  • Supports the addition of new ECIs to the unique, interactive virtual Clinical Trial Academy that provides intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations and a peer group for junior faculty.
    • Encourages applications from ECIs limited by lack of resources or other overwhelming obstacles, impacting their ability to commit to conducting ovarian cancer research.
    • Requires a designated mentor with clinical trial experience and an active clinical trial.
    • A designated mentor may only mentor one ECI.
    • The ECI and designated mentor may originate from different institutions.
    • Applications require preliminary data.
    • Clinical trials allowed.
    • Investigators who apply to both the Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award and the Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award mechanisms may not accept an award from both mechanisms.
  • The OCRP requires submission of a letter of intent required prior to full application submission.
  • Maximum period of performance is 4 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $1.4M for total costs*
Pilot Award Investigators at the level of postdoctoral fellow or clinical fellow, or equivalent.
  • Supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research in ovarian cancer that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will drive the field forward.
    • Innovation is an important review criterion.
    • The goal is to develop preliminary data; thus, preliminary data are not required but are allowed.
    • Applications cannot support clinical trials.
    • Encourages research aimed at extending the lives of advanced-state and recurrent patients.
  • The OCRP requires submission of a pre-application and will blind reviewers to the names of investigators and organizations during review; application submission is by invitation only.
  • Maximum period of performance is 2 years
  • Maximum allowable funding is $350,000 for direct costs*
*Total costs include direct and indirect costs.

Before full application submission, the CDMRP requires submission of a pre-application through the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal, eBRAP, prior to the pre-application deadline. All applications must conform to the final funding opportunity announcements available for downloading from Grants.gov. To obtain a listing of all CDMRP funding opportunities on the Grants.gov website, perform a basic search using CFDA number 12.420.

To receive email notifications upon release of funding opportunity announcements, subscribe to program-specific news and updates under "Email Subscriptions" on the eBRAP homepage. For more information about the OCRP or other CDMRP-administered programs, please visit the CDMRP website.

Point of Contact:
CDMRP Public Affairs
301-619-7071
dha.detrick.cdmrp.mbx.public-affairs@health.mil


Last updated Tuesday, February 17, 2026