Research Answers to National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Provocative Questions (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 18 019

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 18 019

This funding opportunity, titled "Research Answers to National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Provocative Questions (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-18-019), is a National Institutes of Health grant program led by the National Cancer Institute. It uses the R01 mechanism and is designed to support investigator-driven research projects that tackle specific, well-defined scientific puzzles in cancer research. Clinical trials are allowed but not required, meaning applicants can propose either basic, translational, population-based, or clinical research approaches as long as the work directly addresses the question they choose.

The core idea behind the Provocative Questions (PQ) initiative is to push the field toward problems that are both important and underexplored. NCI frames these problems as clearly stated questions meant to highlight paradoxes, gaps in knowledge, or observations that have been overlooked. Some of the questions come from older findings that were intriguing but never fully followed up, while others reflect newer discoveries that do not fit neatly into current models of cancer biology or treatment response. A third category involves problems long considered too difficult to solve, but that may now be approachable because of modern tools, new datasets, emerging technologies, and cross-disciplinary methods.

A key requirement of this FOA is focus: each application must be built around one specific Provocative Question selected from the current set, which in this issuance includes 12 updated PQs. The expectation is not a broad cancer research proposal, but a targeted plan aimed at producing clear answers to a defined PQ. At the same time, the FOA encourages creative strategies and allows applicants to combine ideas from multiple fields when that helps solve the chosen problem. Transdisciplinary projects are explicitly encouraged, as long as the multidisciplinary components serve the central purpose of answering the selected question rather than expanding the scope beyond it.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and institutions as well as certain non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (outside higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign organizations (non-domestic entities).

Programmatically, this opportunity falls under the NIH discretionary grant category and aligns with health-related research activities connected to several CFDA listings (93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399). The original posting date in the source information is March 9, 2018, with an original closing date of October 30, 2018. Award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, which is common for some NIH announcements where budgets depend on the proposed scope and standard NIH grant policies.

Overall, the FOA is meant for researchers who can make a strong case that a particular cancer research question remains unresolved, explain why it matters, and present a rigorous, innovative plan to generate a meaningful answer. The emphasis is on sharpening attention around concrete scientific puzzles and using the best available approaches, including newer technologies and cross-cutting collaborations, to move the field forward in areas that may have been neglected or considered too complex until now.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Answers to National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Provocative Questions (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-10-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 18 019

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