Partnership for Aging and Cancer Research (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 18 552

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 552

The Partnership for Aging and Cancer Research (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding opportunity (PAR-18-552) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to push forward research on how aging-related biological mechanisms influence cancer. The core aim is to deepen scientific understanding of the processes that mediate aging in the context of cancer, meaning applicants are expected to focus on the biology at the intersection of aging and cancer development, progression, or related mechanisms, rather than proposing clinical trials. Because this is a U01 mechanism, the award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more active programmatic role for NIH staff compared with a standard research project grant, and it also signals that the work is expected to be collaborative, coordinated, and aligned with NIH priorities in this space.

A defining requirement of this opportunity is that the proposed project must be a true collaboration between a non-NIH Principal Investigator (the external, applicant-side PI) and an intramural NIH investigator specifically from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and/or the National Institute on Aging (NIA), with the intramural investigator participating as a co-investigator. In practical terms, this means an eligible external organization submits the application, but the scientific plan needs to be jointly built with an intramural NCI/NIA partner, and the partnership itself is central to responsiveness. The intended outcome is to leverage complementary strengths: for example, specialized intramural expertise, unique resources, or platforms at NCI/NIA paired with external innovation, models, datasets, or domain expertise in aging biology or oncology.

The announcement is explicitly not intended to support clinical trials, as reflected in the title and “Clinical Trial Not Allowed” designation. Projects should therefore be framed as mechanistic or otherwise non-trial research that advances knowledge about aging-related pathways and their role in cancer. While the notice does not list specific scientific topics in the excerpt provided, the emphasis on “mechanisms mediating aging in cancer” points to studies that can clarify causal biology and underlying processes rather than purely descriptive or intervention-testing work in human trial settings.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of U.S. public and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education when specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. In addition, the opportunity explicitly highlights that a variety of mission- and community-focused institutions and organizations are eligible, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), 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. Taken together, this signals an intent to encourage participation from diverse institutional types and geographies, as long as the required collaboration with intramural NCI and/or NIA investigators is in place.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity sits under the NIH with activity areas in education and health, and it is associated with CFDA numbers 93.396 and 93.866. The source data lists an award ceiling of $75,000, which suggests relatively limited direct costs per award or per year (depending on how the FOA structured budget periods), and applicants would need to shape a scope of work that is realistic within that constraint while still being scientifically meaningful. The original closing date shown is June 8, 2018, and the FOA creation date is December 22, 2017, which indicates this particular listing reflects a past application cycle; anyone considering it now would need to confirm whether the opportunity has been reissued, extended, or replaced by a newer FOA.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a targeted NIH partnership mechanism meant to catalyze collaborative, mechanistic aging-and-cancer research that bridges external research teams with intramural expertise at NCI and/or NIA, while excluding clinical trial activities and welcoming a very broad range of applicant organization types, including institutions serving underrepresented communities and foreign organizations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Partnership for Aging and Cancer Research (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $75,000.00 in funding.
• 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 PAR 18 552

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