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Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancers for Years 2024, 2025, and 2026 (P50 Clinical Trial Required)

National Institutes of Health

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for P50 Research Center Grants for Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). Based on the research proposed, applications may be jointly funded with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). The program will fund P50 SPORE grants to support state-of-the-art investigator-initiated translational research that will contribute to improved prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of an organ-specific cancer or a highly related group of cancers. For the purpose of this NOFO, a group of highly related cancers are those that are derived from the same organ system, such as gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine, head and neck, and other cancers. Other programmatically appropriate groups of cancers may include those centered around a common biological mechanism critical for promoting tumorigenesis and/or cancer progression in organ sites that belong to different organ systems. For example, a SPORE may focus on cancers caused by the same infectious agent or cancers promoted and sustained by dysregulation of a common signaling pathway. In addition, a SPORE may focus on cross-cutting themes such as pediatric cancers or cancer health disparities. The research supported through this program must be translational and must stem from research on human biology using cellular, molecular, structural, biochemical, and/or genetic experimental approaches. SPORE projects must have the goal of reaching a translational human endpoint within the project period of the grant.

Deadlines:

Letter of Intent Due Date: 30 days prior to the application due date.
P50 Due Date(s): Jan. 25, May 25, Sep. 25

PAR-23-284 Expiration Date September 26, 2026

Specialties

Interdisciplinary

Medical - Basic Science

Medical - Translational

Medical

Medical - Clinical Science

Eligibility Requirements

Investigators may only serve as a PI/multi-PI on only one funded SPORE P50 at a time. However, investigators may have other roles (i.e., co-leader, Core director) on multiple SPORE P50s concurrently, even from more than one institution.

Minimum Research Base: In order for a SPORE application to be programmatically considered for award by NCI, the application must include four or more independent investigators who currently serve as PDs/PIs (or project leaders) on peer-reviewed research grants (e.g., R01, R21, P01, U01, U10, U19, American Cancer Society [ACS], U.S. Department of Defense [DOD], or equivalent) or are overall chairpersons or site chairpersons on an active NCI-sponsored clinical trial. These activities must be directly related to the cancer(s) being investigated in the SPORE or the specific expertise required for the SPORE. PDs/PIs supported by the NCI’s non-mentored “K” career development grants or the R00 portion of the K99/R00 award can also be included in the research base requirement if the career award is directly relevant to the cancer(s) being investigated or the specific expertise required for the SPORE project. Please note that an investigator who is a PD/PI on multiple qualified grants or clinical trials counts only once towards the research base, and to qualify, the investigator must be the PD/PI on the highlighted activity. The qualifying investigators also must serve on the SPORE as a PD/PI, a multi-PD/PI, project co-leader or Shared Resources Core director.

Note : It is acceptable for investigators to concurrently submit the same or overlapping research project as a SPORE project and an independent R01, R21, etc., application to the NIH. However, PD(s)/PI(s) must be prepared to relinquish the R01 (or other single projects) award if both are determined to be eligible for funding. Investigators may not concurrently submit both a P01 and a P50 application requesting support for the same projects/activities. The potential overlap will be evaluated by NCI staff prior to award; submitted applications will not be reviewed if they do not conform to NIH policies or if they fail to meet the minimum requirements of the SPORE Program.

An applicant organization cannot have multiple SPOREs with the same overall scientific focus/theme, even if there is no overlap in scientific content. Moreover, an applicant organization cannot have a SPORE with a Project that overlaps with the overall scientific focus/theme of another SPORE at the applicant organization. This is particularly relevant for SPOREs focused on groups of highly related cancers or a cross-cutting theme.