DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research, Career Development Award | W81XWH 20 PRCRP CDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 PRCRP CDA

The Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Career Development Award is a federal funding opportunity designed to strengthen cancer research by investing directly in early-career investigators who are building independent research programs. The central goal is career development paired with an impactful research project, meaning the application is expected to clearly describe both a discovery-oriented research plan and a credible path for the applicant to mature into a productive, independent cancer researcher. The early-career investigator serves as the Principal Investigator (PI), and the proposal should be centered on the PI's scientific vision, training needs, and long-term trajectory rather than primarily on a senior mentor's established program.

A notable feature of this opportunity is that preliminary data are not required. Instead, applicants are expected to present strong logical reasoning, a sound scientific rationale, and a well-constructed approach that demonstrates feasibility and potential impact. The PRCRP emphasizes research with meaningful potential to move the field forward, particularly projects with an emphasis on discovery. Awards are made through either grants or cooperative agreements, and the opportunity is administered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). The listing is associated with CFDA number 12.420, and eligibility is broadly described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to clarifications in the full announcement.

The program offers two distinct tracks, and applicants are responsible for selecting the option that best matches their current career stage and accomplishments. The choice is supposed to be driven by eligibility criteria in the program announcement rather than by budget considerations. Both options require guidance from an experienced cancer researcher serving as a Career Guide, but they differ in the level of structure, expectations, and engagement with a broader mentoring network.

The Fellow Option (CDA-FO) supports independent early-career investigators, referred to as Fellows, who want to conduct an impactful research project with mentorship from their Career Guide. This pathway is aimed at providing the funding, guidance, and experience needed to help the Fellow establish a strong, independent career at the leading edge of cancer research. Fellows funded under this option are not formally integrated into the PRCRP Virtual Cancer Center structure, even though they still receive structured mentorship via their Career Guide.

The Virtual Cancer Center Scholar Option (CDA-SO) is intended for independent, highly accomplished early-career investigators, referred to as Scholars. Like Fellows, Scholars conduct an impactful research project under the guidance of a Career Guide, but they also participate in the Virtual Cancer Center (VCC), an interactive national structure meant to foster the next generation of cancer researchers. This option emphasizes intensive mentoring, national networking, and cohort-based peer support for junior faculty. Scholars are expected to engage not only with their Career Guide but also with the VCC Director, Deputy Director, and other Scholars, making it a more connected and collaborative development experience than the Fellow Option.

Finally, the opportunity highlights a broader strategic push tied to the Congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force. Applicants are encouraged to review the Task Force recommendations focused on accelerating clinical and translational research to extend the lives of patients with advanced-stage and recurrent cancers, and to consider proposing ideas that align with those recommendations as long as they fit within the specific limits of the Career Development Award and the PRCRP priorities for the referenced fiscal year. In practical terms, this signals that proposals addressing metastatic, advanced, or recurrent disease challenges, especially those with a clear translational path or relevance to urgent clinical needs, may be particularly responsive to program interest when aligned with stated priorities.

• 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 Cancer Research, Career 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 23, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2020. (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 30 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 20 PRCRP CDA

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