Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 17 449
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "The Interplay of Cell Death Pathways in Cancer Cell Survival and Resistance to Therapy (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PA-17-449; CFDA: 93.396) is a discretionary grant program designed to spur exploratory, early-stage research on how different regulated cell death pathways interact in both treatment-naive (often written as "naive") cancers and cancers that have become resistant to drugs. The scientific premise is that regulated cell death programs, particularly apoptosis and necroptosis, act as built-in protective barriers that normally limit how long malignant cells can survive and how effectively they can spread. Because avoiding cell death is a core hallmark of cancer, tumors that learn to sidestep these pathways often become more aggressive, more metastatic, and harder to treat.
A central focus of this FOA is the idea that cancer cells frequently retain the molecular machinery needed to trigger multiple forms of cell death at the same time, yet the field has not comprehensively mapped how these pathways "talk" to each other in real tumor settings, especially under therapeutic pressure. In practice, a tumor may block apoptosis to survive chemotherapy, but that same adaptation may expose dependencies or vulnerabilities in necroptosis (or other regulated death programs), and vice versa. The FOA encourages studies that look beyond a single pathway in isolation and instead examine the crosstalk, switching behavior, compensatory signaling, and shared regulators that determine whether a cancer cell survives or commits to death.
The opportunity also emphasizes the translational value of understanding this intersection. By clarifying the molecular markers that indicate which death program is engaged (or suppressed) in a given tumor context, researchers may be able to develop better biomarkers for response and resistance. Just as importantly, the FOA highlights therapeutic possibilities: inhibiting specific mediators of cell survival and/or enhancing mediators of cell death could push both naive and drug-resistant cancer cells toward more effective, irreversible cell death. In other words, rather than only trying to kill cancer cells with standard cytotoxic stress, the research supported here aims to reveal how to reactivate or redirect death pathways that cancers have learned to evade.
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for high-risk, high-reward projects that generate foundational insights or proof-of-concept data rather than fully mature programs. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The original closing date shown in the provided source data is 2020-09-07, and the FOA record indicates it was created on 2017-08-04. As with many NIH opportunities, the exact number of expected awards is not specified in the provided excerpt.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations as well as certain non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA additionally calls out a wide range of other eligible applicant 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, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, tribal governments other than federally recognized ones, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations).
Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at accelerating a more integrated understanding of regulated cell death in cancer biology, with the practical goal of identifying actionable molecular levers that can overcome therapeutic resistance by forcing cancer cells back into effective death programs.Apply for PA 17 449
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Interplay of Cell Death Pathways in Cancer Cell Survival and Resistance to Therapy (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (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 $200,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "The Interplay of Cell Death Pathways in Cancer Cell Survival and Resistance to Therapy (R21)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA-17-449.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.396.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
This discretionary grant program is intended to spur exploratory, early-stage research on how regulated cell death pathways interact in cancers that are treatment-naive and in cancers that have developed resistance to therapy.
What scientific problem is this FOA trying to address?
The FOA is motivated by the idea that regulated cell death programs (especially apoptosis and necroptosis) normally act as protective barriers that limit malignant cell survival and spread. Because evasion of cell death is a hallmark of cancer, tumors that bypass these programs can become more aggressive and harder to treat. The FOA aims to improve understanding of how these death pathways "talk" to each other in real tumor settings, particularly under therapeutic pressure.
Which regulated cell death pathways are specifically highlighted?
The FOA specifically highlights apoptosis and necroptosis, while also encouraging a broader view of regulated cell death programs beyond a single pathway.
Does the FOA encourage studying just one cell death pathway at a time?
No. A central emphasis is to look beyond a single pathway in isolation and instead study crosstalk, switching behavior, compensatory signaling, and shared regulators that influence whether cancer cells survive or undergo cell death.
What does the FOA mean by "crosstalk" between cell death pathways?
In this context, "crosstalk" refers to how different regulated cell death pathways interact and influence each other, including how blocking one pathway (such as apoptosis) may change a tumor cell's dependencies on another pathway (such as necroptosis), especially during or after treatment.
What types of cancer contexts are in scope?
The FOA includes both treatment-naive cancers and cancers that have become resistant to drugs (therapy-resistant cancers).
Why does therapy resistance matter in the context of this FOA?
The FOA focuses on how therapeutic pressure can push tumors to adapt by suppressing particular death pathways. Understanding these adaptations may reveal vulnerabilities that can be targeted to overcome resistance.
What translational outcomes does this FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes translational value in two main ways: (1) identifying molecular markers that indicate which death program is engaged or suppressed in a tumor, which could support better biomarkers of response and resistance; and (2) informing therapeutic strategies that inhibit mediators of survival and/or enhance mediators of cell death to drive more effective, irreversible tumor cell death.
Does the FOA mention biomarker development?
Yes. It highlights that clarifying molecular markers tied to engaged or suppressed death programs could enable improved biomarkers for treatment response and resistance.
What therapeutic strategy concepts are described in the FOA?
The FOA describes therapeutic possibilities such as inhibiting specific mediators of cancer cell survival and/or enhancing mediators of cell death, with the goal of pushing both naive and drug-resistant cancer cells toward more effective cell death.
What funding mechanism does this opportunity use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism.
What kind of projects are typically appropriate for an NIH R21?
Based on the description provided, the R21 is typically intended for high-risk, high-reward projects that generate foundational insights or proof-of-concept data rather than fully mature, long-term programs.
What is the award ceiling for this FOA?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is the number of expected awards specified?
No. The provided information indicates that the exact number of expected awards is not specified in the excerpt.
What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown in the provided source data is 2020-09-07.
When was the FOA record created?
The FOA record indicates it was created on 2017-08-04.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations as well as certain non-U.S. entities. Examples listed include state, county, and local 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations.
Are institutions such as HBCUs, HSIs, and Tribal Colleges explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out a wide range of eligible applicant categories including 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), among others.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA specifically includes faith-based or community-based organizations among the eligible applicant categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included as eligible applicants?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicant categories.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) as eligible applicants.
Does the FOA focus on basic science, translational research, or both?
Based on the description provided, it supports exploratory research into the molecular interplay of regulated cell death pathways while also emphasizing translational value (biomarkers and therapeutic strategy concepts). The overall framing suggests both mechanistic and translational relevance.
What is the overarching goal of the research supported by this FOA?
The overall goal is to accelerate an integrated understanding of regulated cell death in cancer biology and identify actionable molecular levers that could help overcome therapeutic resistance by forcing cancer cells back into effective death programs.
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| Analyzing and Interpreting Clinician and Patient Adverse Event Data to Better Understand Tolerability (U01) Apply for RFA CA 17 052 Funding Number: RFA CA 17 052 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $425,000 |
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