Funding Opportunities

Quick-Trials for Novel Cancer Therapies and Prevention: Exploratory Grants

In 2008, NCI and the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements reissued the program announcement (PA) PAR-08-025 “Quick-Trials for Novel Cancer Therapies and Prevention: Exploratory Grants.” The intention of this PA is to promote translational research in new agent/modality development with timely exploitation of new cancer-relevant therapeutic and/or preventive strategies that involve defined molecular targets. The major end goal is to lead to the development of novel anti-cancer drugs, diagnostic tools, treatments, and prevention strategies.

Applications that explore CAM approaches for cancer prevention and/or treatment are encouraged, including clinical studies evaluating the effect(s) of novel nutritional interventions such as herbal therapies, dietary supplements, and bioactive food components aimed at reducing cancer treatment-related side effects and toxicities. Clinical studies that propose improvements and evaluations of single agent or combinatorial treatments, treatment-associated morbidities, and patients’ prognoses are also encouraged to apply. Finally, investigators who propose to conduct clinical studies of unconventional pharmacological and biological interventions (e.g., antineoplastons, Coley's toxin, enzyme therapies, etc.) are invited to apply.

For more information on this PA, please visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-025.html.

Exploratory/Developmental Grant for CAM Studies of Humans Program Announcement Reissued

In April 2008, NCCIH re-released the program announcement (PA) “Exploratory/Developmental Grant for CAM Studies of Humans” or PAR-08-135. The purpose of this announcement is to encourage investigators to submit high quality, preliminary research of humans that will advance the science of CAM and provide a solid foundation and justification for larger, subsequent clinical studies to definitively determine the efficacy of CAM approaches.

NCI is participating in this PA again because of its interest in CAM approaches as they apply to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, symptom and side effect management, and survivorship. Projects of strong interest to NCI include the following interventions reviewed by the NCI Best Case Series Program: homeopathic approaches of the P. Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation, insulin potentiation therapy, and macrobiotic lifestyle as instructed by the Kushi Institute.

Other examples of research that NCI would consider to be responsive to the PA include:

• Clinical studies identifying a single or a combination of bioactive food component(s) on molecular targets associated with cancer prevention.
• Translational studies linking bioactive food component(s) intake with biomarkers or surrogate outcome measures which may predict cancer risk and/or tumor behavior.
• Innovative dietary prevention strategies targeting risk reduction of populations caused by genetics or environmental conditions.

For more information on this PA, please visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-135.html.