The FY24 LCRP Idea Development Award mechanism promotes new ideas that are still in the early stages of development and have the potential to yield impactful data and new avenues of investigation. This award supports conceptually innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress toward eradicating deaths and suffering from lung cancer. Research applications only in the area of mesothelioma will not be accepted. Applications should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale.
New Investigators: The FY24 LCRP Idea Development Award mechanism encourages applications from independent investigators in the early stages of their careers (i.e., within 10 years of their first faculty appointment or equivalent). The New Investigator category is designed to allow applicants early in their faculty appointments to compete for funding separately from established investigators. Applications from New Investigators and Established Investigators will be peer and programmatically reviewed separately. Principal Investigators (PIs) using the New Investigator category are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications by collaborating with investigators experienced in lung cancer research and/or possessing other relevant expertise. It is the responsibility of the applicant to describe how the included collaboration will augment the PI’s expertise to best address the research question. All applicants for the New Investigator category must meet specific eligibility criteria as described in Section II.C, Eligibility Information.
Deadlines:
• Required Pre-Application Deadline: May 28, 2024
• Invitation to Submit an Application: June 2024
• Application Submission Deadline: Aug. 7, 2024
To meet the intent of the funding opportunity, all applications must address at least one Area of Emphasis in a way that can lead to, or directly effect, a breakthrough and have a major impact. The LCRP developed a strategy to address multiple issues in lung cancer research over the cancer continuum of care spectrum that will be considered for funding under the LCRP. These Areas of Emphasis are critical gaps in cancer research, care, and/or patient outcomes that, if addressed will lead to reduced suffering from lung cancer and improved quality of life of Service Members, Veterans, and the general public. Simply identifying an Area of Emphasis is not sufficient.
• Biology and Etiology
○ Understand the molecular mechanisms of initiation and progression to lung cancer.
○ Understand contributors to lung cancer development other than tobacco.
○ Understand the biology of metastatic/oligometastatic disease progression.
• Prevention
○ Identify innovative strategies for prevention of the occurrence of lung cancer(s) or subsequent primaries.
○ Identify innovative strategies for the prevention of recurrence or metastases from lung cancer.
• Detection, Diagnosis, and Surveillance
○ Improve and expand approaches to screening and early detection of lung cancer.
○ Identify strategies for prompt detection and/or characterization of progressive disease.
• Treatment and Prognosis
○ Identify innovative strategies for the treatment of lung cancer, including overcoming resistance.
○ Develop or optimize biomarkers to assist with therapeutic decision-making.
○ Enhance the understanding, detection, and treatment of brain and leptomeningeal metastases in lung cancer.
• Health Outcomes and Survivorship
○ Identify and understand the long-term and cumulative effects of lung cancer and its treatment(s) on patients, families, and support systems with respect to the impact on quality of life including, but not limited to, physiological, psychosocial, cognitive, and financial effects.
○ Identify and understand impact of comorbidities on survivorship care in all stages of lung cancer.
• Disparities
○ Advance equity and reduce lung cancer disparities among underserved and underrepresented populations.
Although a PI may be eligible for both the New Investigator and Established Investigator categories, only one category may be chosen; the choice of application category is at the PI’s discretion provided the eligibility criteria are met.
• Established Investigator
The PI must be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent).
• New Investigator
By the application submission deadline date, the PI must:
○ Not have previously received an LCRP Idea Development Award and
○ Be an independent investigator at or above the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) and be within 10 years of their first faculty appointment (or equivalent) by the time of the application submission deadline. Lapses in research time or appointments as denoted in the biographical sketch may be articulated in the application.
PIs using the New Investigatory category are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications by collaborating with investigators experienced in lung cancer research and/or possessing other relevant expertise. It is the responsibility of the applicant to describe how the included collaboration will augment the PI’s expertise to best address the research question.
The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY24 LCRP Idea Development Award should not exceed $525,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.
