Coordinating Center for the Consortium of Translational Research in Early Detection of Liver Cancer (U24) | RFA CA 17 028

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 17 028

The grant opportunity titled "Coordinating Center for the Consortium of Translational Research in Early Detection of Liver Cancer (U24)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-17-028) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement issued under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It supports the creation and operation of a Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for a larger Liver Cancer Consortium focused on translational research that can improve how liver cancer is detected earlier, especially among people at higher risk. In practical terms, this award is not primarily funding a single research laboratory to run its own independent study; it is funding the central coordinating hub that allows multiple research sites to function as one integrated consortium with shared standards, harmonized data, and coordinated operations.

The broader initiative is designed to accelerate progress in early detection of liver cancer by organizing a network with two main components. First, the DMCC is supported through this U24 FOA and is responsible for the infrastructure and coordination that keeps the consortium running smoothly. Second, several Translational Research Centers (TRCs) are funded separately under a companion U01 FOA (RFA-CA-17-025). Those TRCs carry out the on-the-ground translational studies, such as testing improved surveillance approaches in high-risk populations, developing or validating strategies that increase the proportion of liver cancers detected at an earlier stage, and refining methods to better stratify which patients are most likely to develop liver cancer. The DMCC, funded here, serves as the backbone that connects these TRCs, enabling consistent study conduct and comparable results across sites.

Because the funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, NIH is expected to have substantial scientific and programmatic involvement compared with a standard research grant. That typically means the coordinating center will work closely with NIH staff and the consortium leadership on governance, data standards, reporting, and consortium-wide decision-making. The intent is to create an organized, high-functioning collaborative environment where studies can be aligned, data can be pooled or compared reliably, and discoveries can move more efficiently from research settings toward practices that improve early detection and surveillance.

The award parameters in the source information indicate an award ceiling of $400,000 and an expectation of a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1), reflecting the idea that one organization will be selected to serve as the consortium-wide DMCC. The opportunity was posted with a creation date of August 21, 2017, and an original closing date of October 24, 2017. The activity category is listed under Education and Health, and the CFDA number is 93.394, which corresponds to NIH cancer-related assistance programs.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic applicant organizations that could credibly operate a national-level coordinating center. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as clarified in the FOA. This wide eligibility range is consistent with the administrative and technical nature of a DMCC, which could be housed in an academic institution, a nonprofit research organization, or an experienced coordinating center in the private sector, as long as it can meet NIH expectations for data management, coordination, and consortium operations.

Overall, this FOA supports the essential centralized functions needed to run a multi-site translational research consortium aimed at early detection of liver cancer. The studies themselves are performed by the separately funded TRCs, while the DMCC ensures that the consortium can operate as a unified effort through strong data management, coordination, and cross-site support that helps translate findings into improvements in surveillance and early-stage detection for people at elevated risk.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Coordinating Center for the Consortium of Translational Research in Early Detection of Liver Cancer (U24)" 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 Aug 21, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 24, 2017. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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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