Research Answers to NCI’s Pediatric Provocative Questions (R01)

The purpose of this grant is to invite applications for research projects designed to use sound and innovative strategies to solve specific problems and paradoxes in childhood cancer research identified by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as the NCI’s Pediatric Provocative Questions (Pediatric PQs). The FOA includes 9 Pediatric PQs that represent diverse fields relevant to childhood cancer research, but all are framed to inspire interested scientists to conceive new approaches and/or feasible solutions: 

PPQ-1: What are the processes of normal development that are permissive to the development of specific pediatric cancers?

PPQ-2: What is the functional mechanism by which gains and losses of large segments of chromosomes contribute to childhood cancer development and response to treatment?

PPQ-3: What role do alterations in noncoding sequences play in the development of pediatric cancers?

PPQ-4: What are the molecular vulnerabilities for tumors of childhood identified through CRISPR or equivalent screens?

PPQ-5: What molecular and cellular mechanisms allow reactivation or bypassing of specific silenced tumor suppressor genes in pediatric cancers?

PPQ-6: How can mouse or other preclinical models be used to study how standard of care and investigational therapies affect normal tissue and lead to adverse events later in life?

PPQ-7: How can prediction models be developed and used to identify patients at highest risk of treatment-related complications?

PPQ-8: What are the molecular mechanisms that define how pediatric solid tumors (both tumor cell and stroma) evolve in response to standard pediatric cancer therapy?

PPQ-9: What are the underlying molecular mechanisms that cause accelerated aging seen in some pediatric cancer survivors? 

Funding: No fixed limit

Duration: 5 years 

LOI (encouraged) due date: 30.5.16, 24.10.16, 23.5.17, 24.10.17

Full application due date: 30.6.16, 24.11.16, 23.6.17, 24.11.17