DoD Kidney Cancer, Idea Development Award | W81XWH 22 KCRP IDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 KCRP IDA

The DoD Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) FY22 Idea Development Award is a competitive research funding opportunity meant to push kidney cancer science in new directions, with the stated long-term aim of helping eliminate kidney cancer. It is designed for projects that are more than exploratory brainstorming: applicants are expected to propose an innovative, high-impact study built around a clear, testable hypothesis, backed by a strong scientific rationale, and supported by a well thought-out research plan. The program is looking for ideas that can meaningfully change what is known or what is possible in kidney cancer research or care, rather than work that would produce only incremental progress.

A central expectation is scientific rigor and feasibility. Applications need to show a deep understanding of kidney cancer biology and/or clinical challenges, and they must lay out a solid experimental strategy with defined methods, appropriate controls, and a realistic plan to accomplish the project goals. If statistics apply, the proposal should include a statistical analysis plan and a power analysis that justifies the study design and sample size. Reviewers will also look for evidence that the team has access to the resources required to succeed (datasets, patient samples, specialized instrumentation, core facilities, animal models, etc.), and they will expect applicants to think ahead by identifying likely pitfalls and providing credible alternative approaches.

Unlike some early-stage concept awards, preliminary data are required. That said, the preliminary evidence does not have to be generated in kidney cancer specifically. The program allows supporting data from the PI or collaborators (published or unpublished) as well as published literature that helps justify why the approach is promising and why the hypothesis is plausible.

Innovation is a major review theme. The award explicitly welcomes research that introduces new paradigms, challenges existing assumptions, or reframes kidney cancer problems in a creative way. High-risk, high-reward approaches are acceptable, but only if the application convincingly argues that the payoff could be substantial for the field, patient outcomes, and/or quality of life. Projects expected to deliver only modest, stepwise advances are not a good fit for this mechanism.

Impact is another key driver. The proposed work should tackle a central, critical question in kidney cancer research or clinical care and, if successful, should significantly advance knowledge or practice in at least one of the KCRP FY22 focus areas. The solicitation also notes alignment with broader DoD priorities, including interest in accelerating progress for advanced or recurrent disease; applicants are encouraged to consult and address recommendations from the congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force when relevant and within the program limits.

The opportunity is open to both Established Investigators (EIs) and Early-Career Investigators (ECIs) serving as Principal Investigator (PI), with the program specifically expecting to fund at least one or more meritorious applications led by an ECI. Investigators are evaluated partly through the lens of their career stage. EIs are generally independent faculty at or above Assistant Professor (or equivalent) who are 10 or more years from completing a terminal degree, and they are expected to show kidney cancer expertise through prior funding and publications, along with an appropriate commitment of effort and collaborations needed to execute the work. ECIs are independent investigators typically at the Assistant Professor/Instructor/Assistant Research Professor level (or equivalent) who are less than 10 years from their terminal degree (with certain allowances such as excluding time in medical residency or family medical leave). Postdoctoral fellows cannot claim ECI status. For ECIs, the application must demonstrate both capability and institutional commitment, such as protected time, independent space, and strong collaborative support.

ECI applications have extra career development requirements. An ECI must name a Career Guide whose role is to provide career guidance. The Career Guide must be at least an Associate Professor (or equivalent), must have a strong track record in kidney cancer research (for example through publications, patents, and/or funding), and must provide a letter of support. ECIs must also submit a Career Development Plan, which is treated as part of the overall evaluation of the team and the likelihood of success.

In terms of what kinds of projects fit, the program broadly supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward and/or preclinical kidney cancer research grounded in preliminary or published evidence. It also offers two specific options for projects that may require additional resources. The Early Detection Studies Option supports basic or preclinical work on biomarkers, improved imaging, or enabling technologies that could change how kidney cancer is detected earlier; with justification, applicants in this category may request a somewhat higher budget. The Population Science and Prevention Studies Option supports population-based, epidemiology, or public health research that already has substantial supporting data and presents a strong, clearly defined path toward clinical translation in kidney cancer; this option allows a substantially higher budget when well justified, especially when human subjects or biospecimens increase costs. The solicitation explicitly encourages using data and/or biospecimens from active-duty Service Members and/or Veterans where feasible, and it strongly encourages collaborations between military/VA and non-military institutions to leverage unique patient populations and infrastructure.

Human subjects research and research using human anatomical substances are allowed, but clinical trials are not permitted. The announcement uses a standard definition of a clinical trial as prospective assignment of human subjects to an intervention to evaluate effects on health-related outcomes. Various forms of clinical research short of a trial (including certain patient-oriented studies, epidemiology, outcomes, and health services research) may be possible, but applicants must stay within the non-trial boundary. Studies using existing de-identified specimens or data that qualify for IRB Exemption 4 are noted as not being considered CDMRP-defined clinical research under the program rules. Multi-institution human subjects projects must provide a plan for single IRB arrangements, identifying the lead institution responsible for the master protocol and consent and serving as the central regulatory contact.

The DoD also applies additional regulatory oversight beyond local compliance. Human subjects and related materials require review by the USAMRDC Office of Research Protections, Human Research Protection Office (HRPO), in addition to local IRB/Ethics Committee review, and applicants are advised to plan for an added approval timeline of up to about three months once the complete package is submitted for HRPO review. Animal studies similarly require review by the Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO) alongside local IACUC, and applicants are advised to plan for roughly three to four months for that additional review. The solicitation emphasizes rigorous, reproducible preclinical design and reporting practices (for example, randomization, blinding, sample size estimation, and transparent data handling), referencing commonly used standards and the ARRIVE guidelines.

Awards under this announcement are issued as assistance agreements, meaning they may be grants or cooperative agreements depending on how much substantial involvement the DoD anticipates having during the project. If the government expects no substantial involvement, the mechanism is typically a grant; if collaboration/participation/intervention by the DoD is expected, it may be a cooperative agreement, with the nature of that involvement specified during negotiation.

On the funding side, the expected direct cost cap for the standard Idea Development Award is up to $675,000 for the full period of performance. The Early Detection Studies Option can request up to $700,000 in direct costs, and the Population Science and Prevention Studies Option can request up to $2,000,000 in direct costs, reflecting the potentially larger scope and resource needs of those studies. Program-wide, the DoD planned roughly $19.44 million to support about 16 awards, contingent on federal funding availability and application quality. The original posting indicates the opportunity was created April 11, 2022, with an original closing date of October 6, 2022, and anticipated awards no later than September 30, 2023. Funds associated with FY22 awards were expected to remain available for use for a limited window, with FY22 funds expiring for use on September 30, 2028.

• 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 Kidney Cancer, Idea 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 Apr 11, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 06, 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 16 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.

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