EGRP News Flash - April 22, 2008
Two Funding Opportunities Announced For Mitochondria Research In
Cancer Epidemiology, Detection, Diagnosis, And Prognosis
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring two Program Announcements
to stimulate the development and validation of novel mitochondrial
(mt) DNA biomarkers for understanding etiology, early detection,
diagnosis, prognosis, and risk assessment of cancer, and response
to preventive and ameliorative treatment. The PAs invite applications
using the Research Project Grant (R01) and the Exploratory/Developmental
Grants (R21) funding mechanisms. The Epidemiology and Genetics
Research Program (EGRP) is the initiator and a cosponsor of these
PAs.
Some of the specific research questions that may be addressed in
response to these PAs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Are mitochondrial markers useful for identification of high risk
groups before clinical onset of disease?
- Are mitochondrial characteristics
or haplotypes associated with risk of developing cancer? If so,
can this help explain racial and ethnic differences in cancer risk?
- Are there modifiable factors or host factors that influence the
relationship between mtDNA characteristics and cancer risk?
- Are
mitochondria correlated with intermediate disease states in the
neoplastic pathway, such as precursor lesions?
- Are genetic and
mtDNA alterations (somatic mutations, deletions) correlated during
cancer development?
- Can the character of mtDNA anticipate the potential
aggressiveness of malignancy?
- How can mitochondrial markers be
utilized to predict disease progression and identify novel therapeutic
targets?
- Can we advance the technology for high-throughput analysis
and imaging of mitochondrial clustering?
- Are there unique mtDNA
mutations associated with specific types of cancers?
- How early can
mtDNA mutations be detected - can they be detected in pre-malignant
lesions such as PIN?
- Can a diagnostic assay based on mutations
in mtDNA alone or in combination with other markers be developed
for noninvasive detection and/or monitoring of cancer?
- Can nutrition
or chemopreventive agents ameliorate genetic effects of mitochondrial
activity induced mutational events?
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary,
it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also
vary. The total project period for R21 applications submitted
in response to this funding opportunity announcement may not exceed
two years and direct costs are limited to $275,000 over the two-year
period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any
single year. Standard application submission and receipt dates apply.
Both PAs expire on May 8, 2011.
The contact for general questions about epidemiology is EGRP's Mukesh
Verma, Ph.D., Chief, Methods and Technologies Branch, and Acting
Chief, Host Susceptibility Factors Branch; e-mail: vermam@mail.nih.gov.
Also cosponsoring these PAs are NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention
(DCP), Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), and the
Office of the Director (OD). Please refer to the PAs for the
scientific contacts.
Access the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts for details: PA-08-143
(R01),
and PA-08-144
(R21)
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