ITCR: innovative algorithms (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA CA 19 038

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 19 038

The NIH, through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), offered this Funding Opportunity Announcement called "ITCR: innovative algorithms (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (RFA-CA-19-038) to support early-stage, exploratory projects that create genuinely new computational methods for cancer research. It uses the R21 mechanism, which is designed for developmental or high-risk, high-reward ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, but do have a strong conceptual foundation and a clear plan for demonstrating feasibility. The overall focus is on biomedical computing, informatics, and data science, with an emphasis on algorithmic innovation rather than building polished software products.

The core goal is to develop novel computational, mathematical, or statistical algorithms and methods that can significantly improve how cancer-related data and knowledge are acquired, managed, analyzed, and shared. The FOA is broad in terms of where the methods can have impact across the cancer research continuum. That includes basic cancer biology, cancer treatment and diagnosis, early detection, risk assessment and prevention, cancer control and epidemiology, and work aimed at understanding or reducing cancer health disparities. In practical terms, projects could involve new approaches for analyzing complex biomedical data, integrating multiple data types, improving inference or prediction, enhancing reproducibility, or enabling better use of large and messy real-world datasets, as long as the main contribution is an innovative algorithmic or methodological advance with clear relevance to cancer.

This opportunity sits within the NCI Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) Program, which is structured to move informatics ideas through a development lifecycle in a research-driven way. Within that context, this specific FOA is aimed at the earlier, innovation-heavy part of the pipeline: creating and validating new methods. Applicants were expected to make a convincing case that their proposed algorithm or method is truly novel (not a minor tweak of existing approaches) and to explain why it matters for cancer research, meaning how it would enable new science, improve decision-making, or address an unmet need in the field. The announcement also signals that if a team is mainly looking to do later-stage technology efforts such as building a prototype into a hardened tool, adapting it for widespread use, or doing more product-oriented development, they should look at the companion ITCR FOAs designed for downstream development rather than this one.

The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants could propose work that does or does not involve a clinical trial, depending on what is necessary for the algorithmic development and evaluation. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant under the NIH, and the activity category is listed under Education and Health, with CFDA number 93.396.

In terms of funding details provided in the source, the award ceiling is $200,000, and the original closing date listed is 2019-11-20, with a creation date of 2019-03-27. (The "ExpectedAwards" field is present but not filled in within the text you provided.) Even though this is an older FOA, the structure is representative of how ITCR positions algorithm-focused R21 proposals: you are generally expected to propose a methodologically bold idea, show why it is needed in cancer research, define how you will test it on relevant cancer data or use cases, and explain what success would look like at the end of an exploratory project.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and some non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city/township 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 and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible groups 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, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This broad eligibility aligns with the program's interest in drawing algorithm and data science innovation from a wide range of communities and institutional settings, including groups well-positioned to address cancer inequities and disparities through improved data and methods.

Overall, the opportunity is best summarized as a targeted R21 grant for inventing and demonstrating new informatics and data science algorithms that can materially improve cancer research, with success hinging on a clear explanation of novelty, a compelling cancer-relevant use case, and a feasible plan to show the method works well enough to justify later-stage technology development through other ITCR pathways.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "ITCR: innovative algorithms (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" 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 2019-03-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-11-20. (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.

Apply for RFA CA 19 038

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