OpportunityTitle: DoD Kidney Cancer Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators - Early-Career Investigator Award
Description: The KCRP Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators Award mechanisms, which are being offered for the first time in FY19, support a unique, interactive virtual academy providing intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for junior faculty emerging as potential leaders of kidney cancer investigation. The overarching goal of the Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators (AKCI) is to develop successful, highly productive kidney cancer researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment. The AKCI will be a virtual career development and research training platform that will consist of Early-Career Investigator (ECI)/Designated Mentor pairs from different institutions, and an Academy Dean. The KCRP AKCIECIA is not a traditional career development award; the ECI is expected to participate in monthly webinars and annual workshops and to communicate and collaborate with other members of the Academy (other ECIs, Mentors, Dean) as well as with the advocacy community. The Academy Dean will serve as a resource for the ECIs and Mentors, assessing the progress of the ECIs, and facilitating communication and collaboration among all of the ECIs and Mentors, as well as with national research and advocacy communities. In addition to fostering ECI scientific development, the Academy, through its leadership by the Academy Dean, will provide for professional and leadership development of the ECIs to include skills and competencies needed to fund and manage a productive laboratory or research team. A separate funding opportunity (W81XWH-19-KCRP-AKCIDA) will solicit applications for the Academy Dean. This FY19 Program Announcement is soliciting ECIs and Designated Mentors to join the inaugural class for the Academy. This award mechanism enables the ECI (the investigator named as the Principal Investigator [PI] on the application) to pursue a kidney cancer project that may be basic, translational, and/or clinical research. The Designated Mentor is not required to be at the same institution as the ECI. The KCRP encourages applications from ECIs whose ability to commit to conducting kidney cancer research is limited by minimal resources or a lack of resources, such as a qualified Designated Mentor at his/her institution, access to kidney cancer research tools, opportunities for establishing collaborations, or other obstacles, which should be identified in the application. Preliminary data to support the feasibility of the research applications and approaches are required; however, these data do not necessarily need to be derived from the kidney cancer research field. The ECI must be in the early-career stage. This award provides the ECI with funding, networking, and collaborative opportunities, and research experience necessary to develop and sustain a successful, independent career at the forefront of kidney cancer research. This award also provides support and protected time for the ECI for 4 years of intensive research under the guidance of a Designated Mentor experienced in kidney cancer research. Although the AKCI will serve as a conduit to share knowledge and research experience among all Academy members, the ECI and Designated Mentor will be responsible for developing the ECI&#8217;s career development plans and for designing and executing the proposed research. The ECI must clearly articulate his/her commitment to a career as a kidney cancer researcher and to participating in and contributing to the growth of the AKCI. The Designated Mentor must have a strong record of mentoring and training early-career investigators. With the goal to expand and enrich mentorship capacity within the Academy, a Designated Mentor must agree to also serve as a Secondary Mentor to another ECI in the Academy. The Designated Mentor will be limited to one Primary (applicant ECI-Mentor pair) and one Secondary mentorship. The Dean of the Academy cannot be listed as a Designated Mentor. The ECI and Designated Mentor are required to attend a biennial multi-day DoD KCRP AKCI Workshop and, in alternate years, a 1-day DoD KCRP AKCI Workshop. The proposed research must be relevant to active duty Service members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the general public. The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY19 KCRP AKCIECIA will not exceed $725,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information. The CDMRP expects to allot approximately $4.64M to fund approximately four Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators &#8211; Early-Career Investigator Award applications. Funding of applications received is contingent upon the availability of Federal funds for this program as well as the number of applications received, the quality and merit of the applications as evaluated by scientific and programmatic review, and the requirements of the Government. Funds to be obligated on any award resulting from this funding opportunity will be available for use for a limited time period based on the fiscal year of the funds. It is anticipated that awards made from this FY19 funding opportunity will be funded with FY19 funds, which will expire for use on September 30, 2025. Awards will be made no later than September 30, 2020. For additional information refer to Section II.F.1, Federal Award Notices. The types of awards made under the Program Announcement will be assistance agreements (grants or cooperative agreements). The level of involvement on the part of the Department of Defense (DoD) during project performance is the key factor in determining whether to award a grant or cooperative agreement. An assistance agreement (grant or cooperative agreement) is appropriate when the Federal Government transfers a &#8220;thing of value&#8221; to a &#8220;state, local government,&#8221; or &#8220;other recipient&#8221; to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States, instead of acquiring property or service for the direct benefit and use of the U.S. Government. An assistance agreement can take the form of a grant or cooperative agreement. If &#8220;no substantial involvement&#8221; on the part of the funding agency is anticipated, a grant award will be made (31 USC 6304). Conversely, if substantial involvement on the part of the funding agency is anticipated, a cooperative agreement will be made (31 USC 6305) and the award will identify the specific substantial involvement. Substantial involvement may include collaboration, participation, or intervention in the research to be performed under the award. The award type, along with the start date, will be determined during the negotiation process. Research Involving Human Anatomical Substances, Human Subjects, or Human Cadavers: All DoD-funded research involving new and ongoing research with human anatomical substances, human subjects, or human cadavers must be reviewed and approved by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Office of Research Protections (ORP), Human Research Protection Office (HRPO), prior to research implementation. This administrative review requirement is in addition to the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee (EC) review. Local IRB/EC approval at the time of submission is not required. The HRPO is mandated to comply with specific laws and requirements governing all research involving human anatomical substances, human subjects, or human cadavers that is supported by the DoD. These laws and requirements will necessitate information in addition to that supplied to the IRB/EC. Allow a minimum of 2 to 3 months for HRPO regulatory review and approval processes. Additional time for regulatory reviews may be needed for clinical studies taking place in international settings. When possible, protocols should be written for research with human subjects and/or human anatomical substances that are specific to the DoD-supported effort outlined in the submitted application as a stand-alone study. Submission to HRPO of protocols involving more than the scope of work in the DoD-funded award will require HRPO review of the entire protocol (DoD and non-DoD funded). DoD human subjects protection requirements may be applied to non-DoD funded work and necessitate extensive revisions to the protocol. Applications that involve recruitment of human subjects must indicate the quarterly enrollment targets across all sites in Attachment 5: Statement of Work (SOW). Successful applicants will work with USAMRAA to establish milestones for human subjects recruitment. Continued support for the project will be based upon satisfactory progress in meeting the established milestones. Refer to the General Application Instructions, Appendix 1, and the Human Subject Resource Document available on the electronic Biomedical Research Application Portal (eBRAP) &#8220;Funding Opportunities &amp; Forms&#8221; web page (https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/Program.htm) for additional information. A Congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force was formed with the purpose of identifying ways to help accelerate clinical and translational research aimed at extending the lives of advanced state and recurrent patients. As a member of the Metastatic Cancer Task Force, CDMRP encourages applicants to review the recommendations (https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Congressional-Testimonies/2018/05/03/Metastatic-Cancer- Research) and submit research ideas to address these recommendations provided they are within the limitations of this funding opportunity and fit within the FY19 KCRP priorities. Clinical trials are not allowed. Research Involving Animals: All DoD-funded research involving new and ongoing research with animals must be reviewed and approved by the USAMRMC ORP Animal Care and Use Review Office (ACURO), in addition to the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of record. IACUC approval at the time of submission is not required. Specific documents relating to the use of animals in the proposed research will be requested if the application is selected for funding. The ACURO must review and approve all animal use prior to the start of working with animals, including amendments to ongoing projects. PIs must submit the institutional animal use protocol, IACUC approval of that protocol, and a version of the animal use appendix titled &#8220;Research Involving Animals.&#8221; Allow at least 2 to 3 months for ACURO regulatory review and approval processes for animal studies. Refer to the General Application Instructions, Appendix 1, for additional information.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: CDMRP Help Desk
GrantorContactText: CDMRP Help Desk &lt;br/&gt;Phone: 301-682-5507 &lt;br/&gt;help@eBRAP.org