Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 324

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 324

The NIH funding opportunity "Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (PAR-21-324) supports small, focused basic research projects that dig into the biological and genetic mechanisms that contribute to cancer health disparities. The emphasis is on mechanistic, lab- and data-driven work that helps explain why certain populations experience differences in cancer risk, incidence, tumor biology, response to prevention approaches, or outcomes. Because this is an R03 mechanism, it is designed for short, tightly scoped projects that can generate useful preliminary findings, test a novel idea, or produce proof-of-concept evidence that can later be expanded into larger studies.

The FOA prioritizes research that directly investigates biological factors tied to disparities, rather than purely social, behavioral, or healthcare-access explanations. Supported topics include mechanistic studies of disparity-associated biological pathways (for example, ancestry-related genetic variants, tumor microenvironment differences, hormone or metabolic factors, immune response variation, or molecular features that may influence progression and treatment response). It also encourages basic research aligned with cancer prevention strategies when the prevention question hinges on biology or genetics. In addition to classic mechanistic work, the announcement explicitly welcomes the development and testing of new methods, tools, and experimental models that make disparities-focused biology easier to study, such as improved analytic approaches, novel preclinical systems, patient-derived models, and strategies for working with diverse biospecimens. Secondary data analyses are also included as an allowable approach, which can involve reanalyzing existing datasets or biospecimen-linked resources to uncover disparity-relevant biological signals.

A broader goal of the program is capacity-building: growing a nationwide group of investigators with strong basic science expertise focused on cancer health disparities. The FOA highlights the importance of expanding shared resources and tools needed for this space, including biospecimens, patient-derived models, and validated methods that can be reused and scaled by the field. In practice, applicants are expected to propose projects that not only address a clear biological mechanism question, but also strengthen the foundation for future disparities-focused basic science by producing data, methods, or models that others can build on.

This opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health under CFDA 93.393 and falls under the Health and Education activity area. It is a discretionary grant program using the R03 research project grant mechanism, and clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, meaning the proposed work must not include prospective assignment of human participants to interventions to evaluate health-related outcomes. The award ceiling listed is $50,000, and the original closing date shown is 2024-09-07.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicants such as 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), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities. Overall, the program is meant to attract innovative basic science proposals that clarify biological drivers of cancer disparities and help build the research infrastructure and expertise needed to sustain progress in this area.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R03 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): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-09-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-07. (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 $50,000.00 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 PAR 21 324

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