Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA CA-91-34 - V20(34) 09/13/91
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 91 08:22 EST

Hi Paul,
    Another one for the NIH Listserver.  Please post as:
  RFACA-91-34.910913
                    Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID RFA CA9134 CA-91-34 P1O1 *****************************************
 
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
 
RFA:  CA-91-34
 
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE IN LUNG CANCER
 
P.T. 34; K.W. 0715035, 0715165
 
National Cancer Institute
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  October 25, 1991
Application Receipt Date:  January 17, 1992
 
PURPOSE
 
The Organ Systems Coordinating Branch of the Division of Cancer Biology,
Diagnosis and Centers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites
grant applications to establish Specialized Programs of Research
Excellence (P50) in Lung Cancer at institutions that make strong
commitments to the organization and conduct of these programs.  Each
Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) must be dedicated to
translational research on prevention, diagnosis,and treatment of human
lung cancer. Translational research moves basic research findings to
applied innovative research with patients and populations. This may
areas such as the development of new diagnostic and prognostic tests,
the conduct of innovative therapeutic protocols, the development of new
primary and secondary prevention measures, as well as control studies
and studies that encompass rehabilitation and quality-of-life research.
The SPORE must (1) foster basic and clinical research collaborations;
(2) provide career development opportunities for independent
investigators who want to pursue active research careers in lung cancer
research; (3) develop and maintain human lung cancer tissue resources;
(4) participate with other lung SPOREs on an annual basis in sharing
information and assessing scientific progress; (5) develop extended
collaborations and interactions with scientists and clinicians in other
institutions.  Each SPORE will support a mix of basic and clinical
research.  The SPORE mechanism is not intended to support basic research
to the exclusion of clinical or applied research.  It must focus on
human disease and the application of basic research to patients and
populations as well as take advantage of observations from applied
research to stimulate new basic research.
 
This Request for Applications (RFA) is for a single competition with an
application deadline of January 17, 1992.  The NCI anticipates making up
to three awards for project periods of three years.  A total of $7.5
million is anticipated to be set aside for funding these activities in
the initial year, subject to availability of funds.
 
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000
 
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a
PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Request For
Application, Specialized Program of Research Excellence Lung Cancer is
related to the priority area of cancer.  Potential applicants may obtain
a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:  Stock No.
017-001-00474-0) or Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:  Stock No.
017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238).
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
 
Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United
States, with an estimated 143,000 deaths in 1991.  However, the
incidence rate for lung cancer has begun to decline in men from a high
in 1984.  In women, the rate continues to increase.  Since 1987, more
women have died yearly of lung cancer than of breast cancer.  The
scientific information base for lung cancer continues to expand
significantly.  However, the application of this knowledge to clinical
and preventive activities has been slow and incommensurate with research
advances.  Thus, there is a clear need to encourage translational
research that focuses on the interdependence between basic and clinical
investigators in both the planning and implementation of research.  An
emphasis in translational research would intensify the application of
basic research findings to clinical patients and to populations.  There
exists significant research and clinical expertise in lung cancer in
many institutions throughout the country, including NCI-designated
Cancer Centers.  A concerted effort to mobilize this expertise through
SPOREs could accelerate advances in the management and prevention of
this disease.  The recent NCI sponsored workshop "Investigational
Strategies for Detection and Intervention in Early Lung Cancer"
indicated a number of areas in which such interdisciplinary applications
could prove fruitful.  Experts from many disciplines presented data on
growth factors, oncogenes and suppressor genes, and new technologies
relevant to the field.  Interdisciplinary groups at the workshop focused
on the relevance of the science base for detection, diagnosis, treatment
and prevention.  The workshop report and the recommendations of the
participants will be valuable information to all SPORE applicants.
Copies of the report are available from the Organ Systems Coordinating
Branch (see INQUIRIES).
 
Specialized Programs of Research Excellence must address the scientific
information base and provide focal points for sustaining and maintaining
state-of-the-art research that will contribute to improved detection,
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of lung cancer.  SPOREs will not
only be expected to conduct a wide spectrum of research activities, but
also to contribute significantly to the development of specialized
research resources, career development of new investigators, the
development of improved research model systems and the expansion of the
research base through collaborative research with scientists and
clinicians in other institutions locally and nationwide.
 
GOALS AND SCOPE
 
The goal of this RFA is to establish three SPOREs that will include
laboratory and clinical scientists working together on human lung cancer
and the translation of basic findings into applied, innovative research
with patients and populations.  The ultimate objective is to reduce
incidence of and mortality from lung cancer, and to increase and improve
survival to the disease.  The essential characteristics of a SPORE
include (1) a strong scientific program which will have a clear impact
on the disease, (2) a strong innovative pilot research program that can
respond quickly to new research opportunities, (3) a strong career
development program to develop and expand the scientific cadre of
investigators dedicated to translational research on human lung cancer,
and (4) a human lung cancer tissue procurement resource and other
resources specifically dedicated to translational research objectives.
 
The special features of SPORE grants provide opportunities for
investigators with mutual or complementary interests to engage in
multidisciplinary research that will effect the prevention, diagnosis,
and treatment of human lung cancer, as well as the rehabilitation or
quality of life.  Research conducted in SPOREs must be highly
interactive both within and between projects.  Individual research
projects must be conceived, planned and implemented by multidisciplinary
interactions of independent laboratory and clinical scientists.  Such
interactions can be expected to accelerate the translation of research
findings into practical benefits for patients and populations.  A
distinguishing feature of a SPORE P50 grant is the highly dependent
nature of the research objectives upon intra- and inter- project
interactions.  Each project would not be expected to stand on its own in
the absence of interactions with other research projects.
 
Developmental research funds provide support for highly innovative pilot
projects that take maximum advantage of new research opportunities.
This provides a flexible means for responding quickly to new research
opportunities.  Career development of independent investigators will
generate a cadre of scientists who could leave the SPORE with enough
research experience to develop independent lung cancer research programs
that emphasize translational research objectives.
 
In order to facilitate achievement of SPORE program goals, each SPORE
must develop resources specialized for lung cancer research activities.
This must include human lung cancer tissue collection for research
activities of the SPORE and for use by scientists who are concentrating
on translational research within and outside the parent institution.
The development of additional resources specialized for lung cancer
research is also encouraged.
 
Interactions among SPOREs is an important objective of this initiative.
This may be in the form of research collaborations, exchange of
scientists on a visiting basis, exchange of resources and materials, and
other innovative ways.  A requirement for all SPOREs is an annual
meeting coordinated by the Organ Systems Coordinating Branch of the NCI.
The purpose of the meeting is to share scientific information, assess
scientific progress, identify new research opportunities, and establish
priorities that will accelerate the translation of basic research
findings to applied settings in patients and populations.
 
Each SPORE must include the following elements:
 
1.  A strong institutional commitment.  An institution receiving this
award must incorporate the SPORE high within its institutional
priorities.  The institution must demonstrate a strong commitment to the
program's stability and success.  The application must provide a plan
that addresses how the institutional commitment will be established and
sustained, and how it will maintain accountability for promoting
scientific progress.  This institutional commitment may be in the form
of faculty appointments for SPORE investigators, assignment of research
space, cost sharing of resources, or other ways to be proposed by the
applicant.
 
2.  A qualified Principal Investigator.  A leader must be selected as
Principal Investigator who can oversee and conduct planning activities,
provide direction to the SPORE and ensure a translational research
emphasis.
 
3.  A substantive lung cancer patient population.  Each SPORE must be
recognized as a leading program in the treatment of lung cancer.  The
grant application must demonstrate and document access to a patient
population that can participate in and can benefit from the innovative
clinical and population research activities of the SPORE.
 
4.  Research Projects.  Each SPORE must pursue at least three research
projects.  These must be new projects, not merely expansions or
duplications of existing projects.  Research projects must be conducted
by independent investigators, oriented toward translational research
activities using human materials and human subjects that address
innovative possibilities in lung cancer research.  Each project must
involve multidisciplinary laboratory and clinical interaction in the
conception, planning, design and implementation of research.  Projects
must interact with each other.  Collaborative arrangements within the
SPORE, within the parent institution and with other institutions are
encouraged.  Collaborations with scientists outside the immediate SPORE
must be documented with appropriate letters of commitment.
Collaborations with other institutions may involve consortial
arrangements.
 
5.  Developmental Research Funds.  Each SPORE must continually allocate
a significant proportion of its budget and effort to pilot projects that
explore innovative ideas. It is important that SPOREs use developmental
funds to stimulate projects that take maximum advantage of new research
opportunities.  Pilot projects may be collaborative among scientists
within one or more SPOREs, or with scientists outside the SPORE
environment.  The SPORE application must propose an institutional
process that can continuously select pilot projects that represent the
most innovative ideas and that will have the greatest impact on reducing
lung cancer incidence and mortality, and increasing and improving
survival in human lung cancer.
 
6.  Specialized Resources.  The SPORE is encouraged to develop and
maintain resources specialized for lung cancer research.  Each SPORE
must have a dedicated activity for collecting and distributing human
lung cancer tissue.  This should include the essential pathologic and
clinical information needed for conducting research.  This resource must
benefit the specific research activities of the SPORE as well as the
research activities of scientists within and outside of the parent
institution who are concentrating on translational research issues.  A
plan must be proposed for prioritizing the distribution of tissues to
SPORE scientists and scientists outside the SPORE.
 
7.  Career Development.  The SPORE must demonstrate a consistent
commitment to career development.  A sufficient portion of the budget
must be dedicated to the salaries and research activities of
investigators who want to pursue careers in translational research on
lung cancer and who would acquire the necessary research experience to
develop independent lung cancer research programs within or outside of
the parent institution.  These may be new investigators or established
investigators who wish to change research directions.  Candidates should
be scientists who have demonstrated outstanding research potential but
who need additional time in a productive scientific environment to
establish an independent lung cancer research program.  Candidates are
expected to devote full time to research.  Any deviation will require
prior NCI approval.  Recruitment must encourage the participation of
qualified women and minorities.  The SPORE application must propose the
number of slots available, the criteria for eligibility and for
selection of candidates, and describe the selection process.  Also, the
application must  indicate prospective mentors who are already at the
proposed SPORE, briefly describe their research programs, and describe
complementary activities that contribute to the environment for career
development (e.g., existing training grants, other career development
mechanisms and relevant programs).
 
8.  Annual Meeting of SPORE.  Lung Cancer SPOREs will be expected to
participate in an annual meeting with the Organ Systems Coordinating
Branch of the NCI to share information, assess progress, identify new
research opportunities, and establish priorities for effective
approaches to reducing incidence and mortality, and improving survival.
Travel funds for the Principal Investigator and Project Investigators
must be budgeted for this purpose.  This may include Project
Investigators from other institutions who are actively collaborating
with SPORE investigators.
 
A SPORE application can originate from an institution with or without an
existing NCI P30 core grant.  However, if a P30 grant already exists:
 
a) the Principal Investigator of the SPORE must be a senior leader in
the P30 cancer center;
 
b) the P30 Center Director may be the Principal Investigator of the P50
SPORE, but this is not necessary;
 
c) lines of authority must be indicated clearly and ensure that the
SPORE does not interfere with the P30 chain of authority;
 
d) a letter of commitment which delineates organizational relationships
and lines of authority is required; the letter must be signed by the
proposed Principal Investigator of the SPORE, the P30 Cancer Center
Director and the appropriate institutional official.
 
e) the SPORE must be a major programmatic element in the cancer center,
but there must be a separate and distinctive institutional commitment to
the SPORE;
 
f) the development of resources in the SPORE must not duplicate
resources already provided by the existing Cancer Center Support Grant
(P30); however, SPORE resources may be used to augment existing center
resources to orient these resources more effectively to SPORE research
objectives if this is a more efficient and more cost effective
alternative.
 
g) the applicant must describe how the P50 SPORE will interact
synergistically and effectively with the existing P30 programs in order
to maximize SPORE research objectives and contribute to cancer center
research objectives.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
Support of this program will be through the P50 Specialized Center Grant
mechanism.  This mechanism supports all parts of research and
development from basic to clinical and intervention studies.  The
spectrum of activities comprises a multidisciplinary attack on a
specific disease entity or biomedical problem.  These grants differ from
program project grants in that they are more complex and flexible in
terms of the activities that can be supported.  In addition to support
for multidisciplinary research projects, support is also provided for
career development, pilot research projects, specialized resources, and
shared core facilities.  Applicants will be responsible for the
planning, direction, and execution of the proposed SPORE program.
Except as otherwise noted in this RFA, awards will be administered under
PHS grants policy as stated in the Public Health Service Grants Policy
Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 90-50,000 revised October 1,
1990.
 
This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  NCI anticipates making up to three
awards for initial project periods of three years and anticipates that a
total of $7.5 million will be set aside for the initial year's funding.
Funding in response to this RFA is dependent upon the receipt of a
sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit.  Although
this program is provided for in the financial plans of the NCI, the
award of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent upon the availability
of funds for this purpose.  NCI policy for SPORE grants establishes the
following limits to the requested budgets:  up to $1.5 million direct
costs in the 01 year with a maximum of four percent annual escalation in
the remaining years proposed.  The total project period for applications
submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed three years.
Application for renewal will be for five years subject to successful
recompetition.  Recognizing that the initial three year funding period
may be too short for several substantive scientific accomplishments, the
recompetition will be evaluated on scientific accomplishment and on
interim progress in pursuit of SPORE organizational, collaborative, and
research objectives.  This would include, for example, research
accomplishments to date; the quality and substance of preliminary
findings; the effective use of pilot project funds; progress toward
planning, developing, and implementing new research programs; progress
toward recruiting and developing the careers of new scientists; progress
toward collecting and distributing tissue specimens; and progress toward
developing substantive collaborative interactions.
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Domestic non-profit and for-proft organizations, institutions, and
government agencies are eligible to apply.  To be eligible, applicant
organizations must have (1) a minimum of three independent investigators
who are successful in obtaining peer-reviewed research support directly
related to lung cancer, and who as a group represent experience in both
laboratory and clinical research; (2) access to a patient care and
service facility that serves lung cancer patients and, if the facility
is not part of the parent institution, a statement that assures access
to lung cancer patients for clinical research; the statement must be
signed by the responsible officials of the applicant institution and the
consortial care facility; (3) a statement signed by the SPORE Principal
Investigator, the responsible institutional official and cancer center
director that complies with the conditions noted in GOALS AND SCOPE, if
the institution is currently an NCI-designated clinical, comprehensive,
or consortium cancer center.  Although applications must be submitted by
a single institution, they may include consortial arrangements with
other institutions as long as these arrangements are clearly delineated,
and formally and officially confirmed by signed statements from the
responsible officials of each institution.
 
Support will not be provided for applications for support of research
activities focused exclusively on basic research, or clinical research
or trials, or epidemiological research.
 
Institute staff (See INQUIRIES) may be consulted if there are questions
regarding any of the above eligibility requirements or exclusions.
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA
 
A. Review Procedures
 
Upon receipt, applications will initially be reviewed by the Division of
Research Grants for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be
returned to the applicant without further consideration.  Evaluation for
responsiveness to the program requirements and criteria stated in the
RFA is an NCI program staff function; this will be done stringently and
will be based primarily on the clear orientation of the application to
human lung cancer, to translational research objectives, and to an
absence of duplication between the proposed research and currently
supported research.  Applications judged to be non-responsive to this
RFA will be returned to the applicant without review.
 
If the number of responsive applications is large compared to the number
of awards to be made, the NCI may conduct a preliminary scientific peer
review in order to eliminate applications judged to be non-competitive.
The NCI will remove these applications from further competition and will
provide an abbreviated summary statement to the Principal Investigator
outlining the primary reasons and rationale for this peer review
determination.  Those applications judged to be both competitive and
responsive will be further evaluated according to the review criteria
stated below for scientific and technical merit and for special SPORE
characteristics and requirements by a peer review group convened by the
Division of Extramural Activities, NCI.  The second level of review by
the National Cancer Advisory Board considers the special needs of the
NCI and the priorities of the National Cancer Program.
 
Review Criteria
 
The major factors to be considered in the evaluation of applications
will be:
 
1.  The Institutional Commitment
 
a) adequacy of facilities, equipment and space to promote translational
research objectives;
 
b) adequacy of institutional procedures and plans for monitoring,
evaluating and assuming accountability for the general success of the
SPORE;
 
c) adequacy of recruitment objectives and plans to strengthen the
scientific capabilities of the SPORE.
 
2.  Overall Program Organization and Capability
 
a) the scientific qualifications and demonstrated scientific and
administrative leadership capabilities of the SPORE Principal
Investigator; adequacy of the time commitment of the Principal
Investigator;
 
b) the depth and breadth of the proposed research activities and plans
to effectively pursue translational research objectives;
 
c) the adequacy of access to patients and to a population for conducting
current and projected therapeutic, prevention and control research;
 
d) the adequacy of the procedures, processes, and plans for promoting
interactions.
 
3.  Individual Research Projects
 
a) qualifications and demonstrated competence of the investigators to
conduct the proposed research; the adequacy of the time commitment of
all key laboratory and clinical researchers associated with the project;
 
b) clear evidence of significant multidisciplinary interactions in the
conception, design and proposed implementation of the project;
 
c) degree to which the project addresses an issue of substantive
importance for reducing incidence and mortality or for increasing
survival in human lung cancer;
 
d) the scientific merit and adequacy of experimental design of the
project;
e)the originality, novelty, and innovativeness of the experimental
design and relevance to the overall goals and objectives of the SPORE;
 
f) the degree to which the project is interactive with other projects in
the SPORE conceptually, experimentally, and translationally;
 
g) appropriateness of the budget to achieve research objectives.
 
4.  Developmental Funds
 
a) adequacy of the proposed process for continuously reviewing and
funding pilot projects for their quality, innovativeness and potential
impact on reducing incidence and mortality, and/or improving survival
from lung cancer;
 
b) quality, innovativeness, and potential impact of proposed pilot
projects;
 
c) degree to which developmental funds will be used to stimulate pilot
projects with multidisciplinary interactions and/or collaborative
interactions with other scientists within or outside of the parent
institution;
 
d) appropriateness of the proposed budget relative to the proposed pilot
projects and potential of the program to generate innovative pilot
projects on a consistent basis.
 
5.  Career Development
 
a) the adequacy of the process for selecting candidates for career
development who are beginning independent research careers or who are
established and changing the direction of their research careers;
 
b) adequacy of the policies to seek out and include qualified minorities
and women in the career development program;
 
c) adequacy of the individuals available in the program to serve as
possible mentors of career development candidates; the current
availability and adequacy of projects for career development candidates;
 
d) complementary activities that contribute to the environment for
career development;
 
e) capacity of the overall program to absorb career development
candidates and prepare them for independent lung cancer research
careers;
 
f) appropriateness of the budget relative to the proposed plans for
sustaining a strong activity in career development.
 
6.  Shared Resources
 
a) adequacy of the proposed plans to develop, maintain and distribute a
fresh/frozen human lung cancer tissue resource with pathological and
clinical data;
 
b) confirmation that the plan does not duplicate resources already
available within the institution (e.g. as part of a Cancer Center
Support Grant or P30) or through readily available national resources;
 
c) adequacy of the justification for other specialized
resources essential for the conduct of SPORE research;
 
d) adequacy of qualifications of proposed managers of resources to
conduct high quality, reliable resource operations;
 
e) appropriateness of the requested budgets to conduct each resource
operation.
 
7.  Interactions with other SPOREs
 
a) adequacy of plans to promote and maintain communication and
integration with other lung SPOREs;
 
b) willingness to interact with other SPOREs and with the NCI in sharing
information, in assessing scientific progress, in identifying new
research opportunities and in establishing scientific priorities.
 
C. Scoring the Applications
 
In addition to rating the merit of individual components, peer reviewers
will be asked to judge the overall program in the following areas:
 
1) scientific merit and innovativeness;
 
2) evidence of interdependent, multidisciplinary design and conduct of
the research;
 
3) potential for impacting on the disease;
 
4) institutional commitment.
 
A verbal descriptor will be recorded for each of the above areas.
 
A single numerical priority score will be assigned to the program as a
whole.  This score will weight each of the above four areas, 60 percent,
15 percent, 15 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
 
A recommendation for no further consideration for any required element
of the program will result in an overall evaluation of "not recommended
for further consideration."
 
D. Special Instructions to Applicants Regarding Implementation of NIH
Policies Concerning Inclusion of Women and Minorities in Clinical
Research Study Populations
 
NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for NIH/ADAMHA clinical
research grants and cooperative agreements will be required to include
minorities and women in study populations so that research findings can
be of benefit to all persons at risk of the disease, disorder or
condition under study; special emphasis should be placed on the need for
inclusion of minorities and women in studies of diseases, disorders and
conditions which disproportionately affect them.  This policy is
intended to apply to males and females of all ages.  If women or
minorities are excluded or inadequately represented in clinical
research, particularly in proposed population-based studies, a clear
compelling rationale should be provided.
 
The composition of the proposed study population must be described in
terms of gender and racial/ethnic group together with a rationale for
its choice.  In addition, gender and racial/ethnic issues should be
addressed in developing a research design and sample size appropriate
for the scientific objectives of the study.  This information should be
included in the form PHS 398 in Section 2, A-D of the Research Plan AND
summarized in Section 2, E, Human Subjects.
 
Applicants/Offerors are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of
including the broadest possible representation of minority groups.
However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in
all research projects to include representation of the full array of
United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., Native Americans
(including American Indians or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific
Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).  The rationale for studies on single
minority population groups should be provided.
 
For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human
biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology.  prevention
(and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of diseases,
disorders or conditions, including but not limited to clinical trials.
 
The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also apply.
Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues cannot be
identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However, every effort
should be made to include human tissues from women and racial/ethnic
minorities when it is important to apply the results of the study
broadly, and this should be addressed by applicants.
 
If the required information is not contained within the application, the
application will be returned.
 
Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in
the application conforms to these policies. If the representation of
women or minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the
scientific question(s) addressed AND the justification for the selected
study population is inadequate, it will be considered a scientific
weakness or deficiency in the study design and will be reflected in
assigning the priority score to the application.
 
All applications for clinical research to NIH are required to address
these policies.  NIH funding components will not award grants or
cooperative agreements that do not comply with these policies.
 
METHOD OF APPLYING
 
Applications are due by January 17, 1992, and must address all
requirements in the RFA.  Applications received after this date will be
returned to the applicant.
 
If the application submitted in response to this RFA is substantially
similar to a grant application already submitted to the NIH for review
but has not yet been reviewed, the applicant will be asked to withdraw
either the pending application or the new one.  Simultaneous submission
of identical applications will not be allowed, nor will essentially
identical applications be reviewed by different review committees.  An
application, therefore, cannot be submitted in response to this RFA
which is essentially identical to one that has already been reviewed.
This does not preclude the submission of substantial revisions of
applications already reviewed, but such applications must include an
introduction addressing the previous critique.
 
Specific instructions for preparing a SPORE grant application are
available from the Organ Systems Coordinating Branch (see INQUIRIES).
These instruction must be used in preparing the application.   The
research grant application form PHS 398 (revised 10/88) must be used in
applying for these grants. These forms are available at most
institutional business offices and from:
 
Office of Grants Inquiries
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 449
5333 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892-4500
Telephone:  (301) 496-7441
 
and from the NCI Program Director named below.
 
The RFA label available in the application form PHS 398 (revised 10/88)
must be affixed to the bottom of the face page.  Failure to use this
label could result in delayed processing of theur application such that
it may not reach the review committee in time for review.  In addition,
the RFA number and title "SPORE in Lung Cancer" must be typed on line 2
of the face page of the application form.
 
Submit a signed typewritten original of the application, including the
checklist, and four signed exact photocopies, in one package, to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892-4500**
 
C.O.D. applications will not be accepted.
 
The photocopies must be clear and single sided.
 
In addition, two copies must be sent to:
 
Referral Officer
Division of Extramural Activities
National Cancer Institute
Westwood Building, Room 848
5333 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892-9912
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit by October 25, 1991, a letter
of intent that includes the name and address of the Principal
Investigator and identifies the component research projects, core units
and their principal investigators, any collaborating institutions, and
the number and title of the RFA in response to which the application is
being submitted.  Although a letter of intent is not required, is not
binding, and does not enter into the review of subsequent applications,
it provides an indication of the number and scope of the applications to
be reviewed.  Furthermore, NCI staff can discuss the most recent
policies of the NCI relative to funding issues, potential problems in
meeting eligibility requirements and  clarification of the peer review
process before the final application is submitted.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to:
 
BY U.S. POSTAL:
 
Andrew Chiarodo, Ph.D.
Chief, Organ Systems Coordinating Branch
Centers, Training, and Resources Program
Division of Cancer Biology, Diagnosis, and Centers
National Cancer Institute
9000 Rockville Pike
Executive Plaza North, Suite 316
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-8528
FAX:  (301) 402-0181
 
BY DIRECT DELIVERY:
 
Andrew Chiarodo, Ph.D.
Chief, Organ Systems Coordinating Branch
Centers, Training, and Resources Program
Division of Cancer Biology, Diagnosis, and Centers
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard
Executive Plaza North, Suite 316
Bethesda, MD  20852
Telephone:  (301) 496-8528
FAX:  (301) 402-0181
 
INQUIRIES
 
Written and telephone inquiries concerning the objectives and scope of
the RFA, and inquiries about whether or not specific proposed research
would be responsive, are encouraged and are to be directed to Dr. Andrew
Chiarodo at the address above).  The program director welcomes the
opportunity to clarify any issues and answer questions from potential
applicants.
 
For fiscal and administrative matters, contact:
 
Robert E. Hawkins
Grants Management Specialist
Grants Administration Branch
National Cancer Institute
Executive Plaza South, Room 216
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7800  ext. 13
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
No.  93.397.  Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health
Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410 as amended:  42 USC
241) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations
42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review.