IMAT Funding Opportunities
The IMAT program issues new Requests for Applications (RFAs) annually with funding opportunities to support the early-stage development, maturation, and dissemination of novel technologies offering new or improved capabilities for basic, clinical, or epidemiological cancer research. Potential applicants for any of these funding opportunities should read the relevant RFA thoroughly and note the RFA-specific application and review requirements.
RFAs for Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies
The following funding opportunities support early-stage development and advanced development of molecular and cellular analysis technologies using the R61 and R33 grant mechanisms, respectively. These projects should be proposing to develop new or improved capabilities for targeting, probing, or assessing the molecular and cellular features of cancer biology.
- RFA-CA-25-001: Innovative Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- RFA-CA-25-002: Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Check out this RePORTER query for a list of projects that have been supported recently through these funding opportunities.
RFAs for Biospecimen Science Technologies
The following funding opportunities support early-stage development and advanced development of biospecimen science technologies using the R61 and R33 grant mechanisms, respectively. These projects should be proposing to develop new or improved capabilities to improve or assess the quality of samples used for cancer research or clinical care including new methods for collecting, processing, handling, or storing cancer-relevant biospecimens.
- RFA-CA-25-003: Innovative Biospecimen Science Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- RFA-CA-25-004: Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Biospecimen Science Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Check out this RePORTER query for a list of projects that have been supported recently through these funding opportunities.
Specific Application Requirements for Technology-Development Projects
All applications submitted in response to the R61 and R33 funding opportunities must be focused on the development of technologies with new or improved technical capabilities. Early-stage projects proposing proof-of-concept experiments are supported through the R61 grant mechanism and have a limit of $150k direct costs per year for up to 3 years. Advanced development and validation of emerging technologies are supported through the R33 grant mechanism and have a limit of $300k direct costs per year for up to 3 years. Applications proposing to use a novel technology in hypothesis-driven research are outside the scope of these opportunities entirely and should consider alternative opportunities. Note that every funding opportunity describes specific non-responsive criteria for these opportunities.
Projects that have sufficient preliminary data to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology are considered too far along for the R61 mechanism and should consider applying to the appropriate R33 opportunity. For more details about the R61 grant mechanism, you may watch a recording from a 2022 webinar introducing the R61 and answering questions about the scientific scope and application details of these funding opportunities.
All R61 and R33 applications must include performance measures within the Research Strategy. Performance measures are an objective and quantitative measure of the technical capabilities the applicant seeks to achieve over the course of the proposed aims and must include the numerically described target of performance. Applications without quantitative performance measures will be withdrawn from consideration.
Each funding opportunity includes NOFO-specific review criteria to focus the review panel’s evaluation around the new capabilities of the proposed technology and their usefulness for cancer research. This includes specific questions within the Importance of Research as well as additional questions to evaluate the proposed performance measures. Potential applicants are encouraged to consider the review criteria specific to the funding opportunity they are applying to as they prepare their proposal.
RFAs for Adoption of New Technologies into Ongoing Research
Researchers with active NCI funding can apply for additional support to expand or accelerate their ongoing research by incorporating a technology developed with support from the IMAT program into their work. The purpose of these funding opportunities is to accelerate adoption of new technologies by the cancer research community and promote independent validation of these tools. Applicants should have sufficient time remaining in their award to complete the proposed project. Awards in a period of no-cost extension are not eligible for funding.
Investigators applying for a revision to their active R01, U01, or P50 award should propose to add one or more specific aims to the original research project that leverages an IMAT-supported technology to overcome key shortcomings of alternative approaches being used in the research. The PI on the R01, U01, or P50 applying for the revision award cannot be the developer of the IMAT-supported technology they are seeking to use; all revision projects are expected to independently validate the usefulness of the new technology for the cancer research community. They may propose to collaborate with the original tool developer(s) as necessary.
- RFA-CA-24-012, Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- RFA-CA-24-013, Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- RFA-CA-24-014, Revision Applications for Incorporation of Novel NCI-Supported Technology to Accelerate Cancer Research (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)
Check out this RePORTER query for a list of projects that have been supported recently through these funding opportunities.
Beyond IMAT: Alternative Funding Opportunities
NCI drives innovation and the translation of emerging tools into laboratory and clinical use through several diverse technology-focused grant programs. For projects that are beyond the early stages of development that the IMAT program supports, or for technologies that are outside the scope of molecular/cellular analysis tools, explore the many other programs and resources listed on the Technology Development for Cancer Research page.