Immuno-Oncology Translation Network (IOTN): Cancer Immunoprevention Research Projects (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 19 014

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 19 014

The Immuno-Oncology Translation Network (IOTN): Cancer Immunoprevention Research Projects funding opportunity (RFA-CA-19-014) is an NIH cooperative agreement (U01) that was released under the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative to speed up progress in cancer research. It aligns with a Blue Ribbon Panel priority focused on building a dedicated translational network for immunotherapy approaches that can treat adult cancers and, importantly for this particular announcement, help prevent cancers before they develop. In practical terms, NIH is using this mechanism to organize multiple research teams into a coordinated, networked effort rather than funding isolated projects that operate independently.

This FOA specifically supports Cancer Immunoprevention Research Projects that will serve as one part of a larger Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC). The consortium is designed to include both immunoprevention projects (covered by this announcement) and complementary cancer immunotherapy research projects (covered elsewhere), with the expectation that these groups will interact closely, share insights, and collectively move discoveries toward clinical use. The overarching scientific aim is to accelerate translational research on both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms involved in tumor initiation and progression, and to use that knowledge to evaluate new or improved immune-based prevention strategies, including combination approaches that may integrate immunologic interventions with standard preventive or therapeutic modalities.

A key feature of the research scope is that it is intended to be largely preclinical, but not purely exploratory or basic. NIH is signaling a preference for studies that use clinically relevant models and endpoints, meaning the work should be designed with human translation in mind (for example, models that mimic human tumor development, immune interactions, or high-risk precancerous states, and endpoints that map cleanly onto future early-phase clinical testing). The emphasis is on projects that can reasonably and rapidly inform early-phase clinical applications, even though the funding announcement explicitly indicates that clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism. In other words, the projects should build a strong translational runway toward trials without actually running trials within this award.

Because this is a cooperative agreement (U01), awardees should expect a more substantial level of NIH involvement than in a typical research project grant. Cooperative agreements generally imply active programmatic partnership, network coordination, and shared expectations around collaboration, data sharing, harmonization of approaches, and participation in consortium activities. The “network” framing reinforces that these projects are meant to operate as integrated components of a broader team-science structure, rather than as stand-alone investigations.

From an eligibility standpoint, the FOA is broad and includes many common U.S.-based applicant types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, as well as various government entities (state, county, city/township, special district), independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. It also explicitly calls out eligibility for a range of mission-focused and capacity-building institution types, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and certain tribal governments and regional organizations. At the same time, it draws clear geographic boundaries: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which typically means a U.S. applicant can include certain scientifically justified foreign elements under NIH rules even though a foreign organization cannot be the primary applicant.

The administrative details provided indicate the opportunity falls under the “Environment, Health” activity category and lists CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.121, 93.353, and 93.853. The award ceiling is stated as $500,000, and the original closing date was February 8, 2019. Overall, the announcement is best read as NIH building a coordinated translational pipeline for cancer immunoprevention within a larger immunotherapy consortium, prioritizing collaborative, clinically anchored preclinical work that can quickly support the next step into first-in-human or other early clinical testing outside of this specific award mechanism.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Immuno-Oncology Translation Network (IOTN): Cancer Immunoprevention Research Projects (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): 93.113, 93.121, 93.353, 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-10-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-08. (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 $500,000.00 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 RFA CA 19 014

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