Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI- Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 23 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 23 007

This grant opportunity, RFA-CA-23-007, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding announcement that supports revision applications to active, currently funded NCI U01 cooperative agreement projects. The core idea is straightforward: teams that already hold an NCI U01 award can request additional support to expand or speed up the parent project by bringing in a new technology or technical approach that was developed with backing from NCI's Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) program. In other words, it is not meant for brand-new standalone projects; it is specifically designed for "revision" (formerly "competing revision") applications that build directly on an existing U01 study and push it forward using a novel IMAT-supported tool, platform, assay, or instrument.

The main purpose is to accelerate cancer research by enabling investigators to incorporate emerging IMAT-funded technologies into real-world cancer research workflows, where they can be tested, stress-tested, and shown to add value. A key emphasis is on independent validation and demonstrating suitability for broader research communities. That means the NCI is not just trying to fund more technology development here; it is trying to move promising technologies closer to routine, credible use by encouraging outside research groups to adopt them, evaluate performance, and show how they improve the speed, rigor, scale, or insight of ongoing cancer studies. The end goal is faster scientific discovery and a clearer pathway for new methods to become practical tools in the cancer research ecosystem.

The mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which typically implies more substantial involvement and coordination with NCI program staff than a standard research grant. The announcement also notes that clinical trials are optional, meaning proposed revision work may include a clinical trial component if appropriate, but it is not required. The activity area is listed under Education and Health, and the associated CFDA number is 93.394.

Eligibility is broad in general NIH terms, but with the important practical constraint that applicants must be tied to an already funded NCI U01 project that can be revised under this FOA. Eligible applicant organizations include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other categories. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) entities. The inclusion of these categories signals an interest in broad participation and, potentially, in expanding access to advanced technologies across diverse institutional settings and research communities.

From a project design standpoint, a competitive revision under this FOA should clearly show (1) how the proposed addition is rooted in and extends the existing U01 aims, (2) why incorporating the specific IMAT-supported technology is the right lever to expand the scientific question or accelerate progress, and (3) how the work will validate the technology in a way that makes it more credible and usable beyond the applicant's lab. Strong applications would typically spell out what the technology enables that was not feasible before, how it will be integrated into the parent study's infrastructure, what benchmarks or performance measures will be used, and how results will translate into broader uptake by the relevant cancer research community.

The opportunity was created on December 2, 2022, and the listed original closing date was September 1, 2023. The public summary does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, which usually means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget limits, scope constraints, and any NCI-specific requirements about allowable costs, project period for the revision, and expectations around collaboration with the IMAT technology developers or dissemination of validation results.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI- Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-12-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-09-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA CA 23 007

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: