Novel Technology Tools to Facilitate Research Using Next Generation Patient-derived Cancer Models (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 19 055

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 19 055

This funding opportunity (RFA-CA-19-055) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cooperative agreement (U01) designed to push forward practical, usable technology tools that make it easier and faster for scientists to work with advanced patient-derived cancer models. The focus is specifically on next generation cancer models (NGCMs) such as organoids and conditionally reprogrammed cells, along with related human-derived model systems. A key constraint is that the proposed work must be centered entirely on NGCMs that were developed through the Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI), an international consortium that includes NCI participation. In other words, the grant is not meant for building tools for any patient-derived model in general; it is meant to strengthen and expand the value of the HCMI model collection for the broader research community.

The program is aimed at developing or optimizing "technology tools" that improve how these models are used in real research settings. The FOA is broad about what counts as a tool, but it is clear about what does not qualify: new hardware or equipment development is not supported. Instead, the emphasis is on things like improved laboratory methods and workflows, standardized reagents and reference materials, chemical or biological agents that enable perturbation of the models (including tools that support screening readouts), and software or bioinformatics methods that help process, analyze, interpret, or integrate data generated from NGCM experiments. This could include pipelines that make complex datasets more comparable across labs, or analytical approaches that translate organoid or cell model results into more actionable biological or clinical insights.

NCI lays out several concrete expectations for what the funded tools should accomplish. First, they should make it easier to use NGCMs in ways that raise robustness, rigor, and reproducibility, meaning that experiments should be more consistent within and across laboratories. Second, tools should enable more advanced interpretation of experiments performed in these systems, which can include better computational analysis, improved readouts, or frameworks for integrating multi-omics or functional data. Third, the FOA explicitly calls for capabilities to design and test CRISPR reagents across cancer types and NGCM types, signaling a strong interest in functional genomics approaches that are reliable in these patient-derived platforms. Fourth, applicants are expected to develop strong standardization and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) approaches, with an eye toward routine workflows or best-practice procedures that many labs can adopt without needing specialized local expertise.

The bigger picture goal is community adoption and faster knowledge-sharing. NCI is looking for projects that will help more researchers confidently use these HCMI-derived models, share protocols and results more efficiently, and validate findings across independent groups. By improving the practical toolset around NGCMs, the program aims to speed progress in precision oncology areas such as discovering new therapeutic targets, understanding drug resistance mechanisms, and developing diagnostic or predictive biomarkers. The FOA is also tied to the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative, reflecting an emphasis on accelerating impactful, collaborative cancer research.

Administratively, the award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U01), which generally means NCI anticipates substantial involvement with awardees beyond what is typical for a standard research grant. The FOA states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so projects must not propose clinical trials, even if the ultimate intent is translational. The opportunity falls under NIH and lists CFDA numbers 93.353, 93.394, 93.395, and 93.396. The source information indicates an award ceiling of $700,000, with an original closing date of 2019-08-30 (so the listed cycle is historical, though similar concepts may reappear in later solicitations).

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizational types, including state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and certain tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). The FOA also highlights inclusion of a range of institution types and community-focused entities such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it places firm limits on foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them) are not allowed.

In practical terms, a strong application under this FOA would propose a well-defined tool or suite of tools that directly solves known bottlenecks in using HCMI NGCMs, demonstrates a credible path to broad adoption (including standard operating procedures, QA/QC, and validation), and produces outputs that are reusable by many labs rather than tailored to a single project. The common thread is enabling the research community to generate more reliable, comparable, and interpretable results from next generation patient-derived cancer models, thereby speeding up discovery and translation in precision oncology without building new physical instrumentation.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Technology Tools to Facilitate Research Using Next Generation Patient-derived Cancer Models (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.353, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-06-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-08-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $700,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA CA 19 055

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