DoD Peer Reviewed, Convergent Science Cancer Consortium Development Award | W81XWH 22 PRCRP CSCCDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 PRCRP CSCCDA

The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), is soliciting applications for the FY22 Convergent Science Cancer Consortium Development Award (funding opportunity number W81XWH 22 PRCRP CSCCDA; CFDA 12.420). This opportunity is designed to jump-start a new, large-scale effort in cancer research built around "convergent science," meaning a deliberate integration of knowledge, methods, and expertise from distinct disciplines to form new frameworks that can tackle complex, real-world problems. In this case, the problem is cancer across its full spectrum, from prevention and early detection to treatment and quality of life, with an emphasis on solutions that go beyond typical multidisciplinary collaborations by truly merging disciplines into unified approaches.

A central idea behind the program is that major cancer challenges are often too complex to be solved within the boundaries of a single field. The PRCRP is therefore encouraging teams that combine areas such as biomedical science, data science, engineering, chemistry, psychology, and other relevant domains to build more holistic strategies. The solicitation ties this approach to broader national goals like the Cancer Moonshot, which aims to significantly reduce cancer mortality over the coming decades while also improving the lived experience of patients, families, and caregivers. Consistent with the DoD mission, the program highlights impact on Service Members, Veterans, their families, and the general public, with the ultimate aim of reducing the overall burden of cancer and improving quality of life outcomes.

This FY22 award is explicitly positioned as a development mechanism that lays the groundwork for a larger, anticipated FY24 Convergent Science Cancer Consortium Award. Applicants funded under the FY22 Development Award are expected to be prepared to submit an application for the FY24 consortium award, effectively using the FY22 period to establish the consortium structure, prove feasibility, and demonstrate early research traction. At the same time, the PRCRP retains flexibility in how it proceeds in FY24: it may open the FY24 consortium competition more broadly to all eligible applicants who meet those requirements, and it may also re-release the Development Award in FY24 if the FY22 development goals are not sufficiently achieved.

Functionally, the Convergent Science Cancer Consortium Development Award supports both infrastructure and research. A key deliverable is the creation of a Coordinating Center, which would serve as the organizing hub for the consortium. The award is meant to enable applicants to build the necessary cross-disciplinary collaborations, governance, and operational capabilities that a true convergent science effort requires. Importantly, it is not only a planning grant; it also calls for demonstrating the value of convergent science through active research projects, meaning applicants should be able to show how their integrated approach is being applied to produce insights, tools, or interventions relevant to cancer.

The opportunity is listed as discretionary and supports funding via cooperative agreements and/or grants, signaling that DoD involvement may be more hands-on than in a standard grant depending on the specific award instrument used. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, indicating that a wide range of organization types can apply (subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement). The PRCRP anticipated making about three awards, contingent on the number and quality of applications received. The posting was created March 31, 2022, with an original closing date of September 7, 2022. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that applicants must refer to the full funding announcement for detailed budget limits or that ceilings may be defined in programmatic guidance rather than in the summarized dataset.

In practical terms, a competitive application would be expected to present a clear vision for a convergent science cancer consortium, explain why the selected cancer problem(s) require a convergent approach, identify the disciplines and partners needed, and describe how the Coordinating Center will coordinate collaboration, data or resource sharing, and scientific integration. It would also need to outline early-stage research projects that can credibly demonstrate the utility of the convergent model during the development phase, positioning the team to compete for the larger FY24 consortium award.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Peer Reviewed, Convergent Science Cancer Consortium Development Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 22 PRCRP CSCCDA

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