Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 20 020
The NIH (within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) is seeking R33 grant applications for advanced development and validation of emerging biospecimen science technologies that can improve the quality and reliability of biological samples used in cancer research and, where relevant, clinical care. The central problem this opportunity targets is pre-analytical variation: the changes and degradation that can happen to important molecules in a specimen (such as DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, or other analytes) during collection, processing, handling, transport, and storage. Because these early steps can strongly influence downstream results, the FOA is focused on technologies that either prevent or reduce specimen damage, or that can measure and verify specimen quality in a defensible, standardized way.
This announcement is specifically for the R33 phase, meaning the work should be beyond early concept and basic feasibility. Applicants are expected to have already addressed the major feasibility uncertainties and to provide supportive preliminary data showing that the technology or method is plausible and working at some level. The funding is intended to push the technology further through refinement, optimization, and rigorous validation so that it becomes credible and adoptable by the broader cancer research community. In practical terms, NIH is looking for innovations that are not just interesting prototypes, but are moving toward well-tested tools, devices, instrumentation platforms, and associated procedures that other labs, biobanks, and clinical research settings could realistically implement.
The kinds of projects that fit this FOA include technologies that preserve or protect biospecimen integrity under real-world conditions, as well as methods that establish verification criteria for quality assessment and quality control. That can include new devices or reagents that stabilize samples at the point of collection, improved workflows that reduce degradation during processing, storage solutions that better maintain analyte stability, or analytical approaches that can quantify specimen quality and detect compromised samples before they are used. A recurring theme is performance across diverse conditions, reflecting the variability in collection environments and handling practices that can introduce bias or noise into cancer studies.
The broader impact NIH is aiming for is improved confidence in downstream analyses and reduced variability across studies, sites, and populations. By minimizing pre-analytical artifacts, these technologies are expected to accelerate and strengthen research in cancer biology, early detection and screening, diagnosis, treatment selection and monitoring, and epidemiology. The FOA also highlights relevance to cancer health disparities, recognizing that inconsistent collection and handling conditions can disproportionately affect certain settings and populations, and that better stabilization and QC methods can support more equitable, comparable research and clinical insights.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-20-020; CFDA 93.394). It was created on December 4, 2019, with an original closing date of September 29, 2020. The award ceiling listed is $300,000, and the expected number of awards is 2, indicating a competitive and targeted program. Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, such as federal-recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, special districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement text.
Finally, the FOA explicitly states that clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism. The emphasis is on technology development and validation for biospecimen quality and utility, rather than testing an intervention in a clinical trial framework. The expected end result is a set of mature, validated tools and methods that can be adopted to improve biospecimen handling and assessment, leading to more reliable cancer research findings and better translation to clinical applications.Apply for RFA CA 20 020
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Biospecimen Science Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 04, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 29, 2020. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: NIH R33 Funding Opportunity for Biospecimen Science Technologies (RFA-CA-20-020)
What is this NIH funding opportunity about?
This NIH opportunity supports R33 grant applications focused on advanced development and validation of emerging biospecimen science technologies. The goal is to improve the quality and reliability of biological samples used in cancer research and, where relevant, clinical care.
What problem is the FOA trying to solve?
The FOA targets pre-analytical variation: changes, degradation, or loss of important molecules in a specimen (such as DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, or other analytes) that can occur during collection, processing, handling, transport, and storage. These early steps can strongly influence downstream results, so NIH is looking for technologies that reduce damage or provide standardized, defensible ways to measure specimen quality.
What does "pre-analytical variation" mean in practical terms?
It refers to the variability and damage introduced before the actual analysis happens. For example, differences in how samples are collected, how long they sit before processing, temperature fluctuations during transport, or storage conditions can change the specimen and bias the results of later tests.
What grant mechanism is being used?
This announcement is specifically for the R33 phase. The R33 phase is intended for projects that are beyond early concept and basic feasibility, and are ready for refinement, optimization, and rigorous validation.
Is this opportunity appropriate for very early-stage ideas?
No. The R33 phase is not meant for projects that are only at the concept stage. Applicants are expected to have already addressed major feasibility uncertainties and to provide supportive preliminary data showing the approach is plausible and working at some level.
What kind of evidence is expected in an application?
The FOA states applicants should provide supportive preliminary data and should have already addressed major feasibility uncertainties. The funding is intended to move the technology through refinement, optimization, and rigorous validation rather than initial proof-of-concept work.
What types of projects fit this FOA?
Projects that develop and validate technologies or methods to improve biospecimen integrity and reliability under real-world conditions. Examples described in the FOA include: devices or reagents that stabilize samples at the point of collection, improved processing workflows that reduce degradation, storage solutions that maintain analyte stability, and analytical approaches that quantify specimen quality and detect compromised samples before use.
Does the FOA focus more on preventing damage or measuring quality?
Both. NIH is interested in technologies that prevent or reduce specimen damage and technologies that can measure and verify specimen quality in a standardized, defensible way (quality assessment and quality control).
What does NIH mean by "advanced development and validation"?
It means pushing a technology beyond a prototype into something more mature: refined, optimized, and rigorously validated so it becomes credible and adoptable by the broader cancer research community. The emphasis is on producing well-tested tools, devices, instrumentation platforms, and associated procedures that other labs, biobanks, and clinical research settings could realistically implement.
What settings or users are these technologies expected to work for?
The FOA emphasizes adoption by the broader cancer research community, including realistic implementation in labs, biobanks, and clinical research settings, and performance across diverse collection and handling conditions.
Why does the FOA emphasize performance across diverse conditions?
Because biospecimens are collected and handled in many different environments with varying practices, which can introduce bias and noise into studies. NIH highlights the need for technologies that work reliably across this real-world variability.
How does this FOA relate to cancer research outcomes?
By minimizing pre-analytical artifacts and improving biospecimen quality, the technologies are expected to increase confidence in downstream analyses and reduce variability across studies, sites, and populations. This supports stronger research in cancer biology, early detection and screening, diagnosis, treatment selection and monitoring, and epidemiology.
Does the FOA mention cancer health disparities?
Yes. The FOA highlights relevance to cancer health disparities and notes that inconsistent collection and handling conditions can disproportionately affect certain settings and populations. Better stabilization and QC methods can support more equitable and comparable research and clinical insights.
Are clinical trials allowed under this funding opportunity?
No. The FOA explicitly states that clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism. The focus is technology development and validation for biospecimen quality and utility rather than testing an intervention in a clinical trial framework.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-CA-20-020.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.394.
Which agency is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the NIH, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
It was created on December 4, 2019, and the original closing date listed is September 29, 2020.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $300,000.
How many awards does NIH expect to make?
The expected number of awards is 2, indicating a competitive and targeted program.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including: federal-recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations; state and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA notes that additional eligibility details are referenced in the full announcement text.
Is this opportunity limited to nonprofits or universities?
No. The eligibility list includes a wide range of entities, including nonprofits, higher education institutions, government entities, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.
What kinds of technologies does NIH want at the end of the project?
The FOA describes an expected end result of mature, validated tools and methods that can be adopted to improve biospecimen handling and assessment, leading to more reliable cancer research findings and better translation to clinical applications.
Is this program more about research discoveries or practical tools?
It is geared toward practical tools and methods: well-tested technologies, platforms, devices, and procedures that can be implemented by the broader cancer research ecosystem to reduce pre-analytical artifacts and standardize quality assessment.
What makes an approach "adoptable" under this FOA?
Based on the FOA description, adoptable approaches are those that move beyond an interesting prototype and become credible and implementable in other labs, biobanks, and clinical research settings, supported by refinement, optimization, and rigorous validation.
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