The FY19 MRP Concept Award supports the exploration of a highly innovative new concept or untested theory that addresses an important problem relevant to melanoma. The Concept Award is not intended to support an incremental progression of an already established research project but, instead, allows Principal Investigators (PIs) the opportunity to pursue serendipitous observations. This award mechanism supports early studies that have the potential to reveal entirely new avenues for investigation. Applications must describe how the new idea will enhance the existing knowledge of melanoma or develop an innovative and novel course of investigation. The FY19 MRP is not requesting research into established macrometastatic disease. Applications should address how the concept or novel idea responds to the FY19 MRP Challenge Statement. Research completed through a Concept Award may generate sufficient preliminary data to enable the PI to prepare an application for future research. Studies involving non-melanoma skin cancers are not allowed under the FY19 MRP.
Presentation of preliminary data is not consistent with the intent of the Concept Award mechanism. While the inclusion of preliminary data is not prohibited, the strength of the application should not rely on preliminary data but on the novelty of the hypothesis and/or approach.
Deadlines:
• Required Pre-Application Deadline: October 2, 2019
• Application Submission Deadline: October 23, 2019
To be considered for funding, applications for the FY19 MRP Concept Award must address at least one of the FY19 MRP Focus Areas.
• Precursor Lesions, Melanomagenesis, Host Factors, and the Tumor Microenvironment (e.g., melanoma instigators, UV exposure, other instigators)
• Melanoma Primary Tumor Evolution (e.g., dormancy, heterogeneity, metabolism, epigenetic dysregulation, cell death)
• Therapeutic Prevention (e.g. interruption of disease progression, recurrence)
• Minimal Residual Disease (e.g. chemoprevention, micro-metastasis)
• Rare Melanomas (e.g., uveal, acral, leptomeningeal disease, pediatric, adolescent and young adult [AYA], mucosal)
: All investigators at or above the level of postdoctoral fellow (or equivalent) are eligible to be named as the PI of the application. An eligible PI, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or citizenship status, must be employed by, or affiliated with, an eligible organization.
The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY19 MRP Concept Award will not exceed $75,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.
