Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 703
The NIH funding opportunity PAR 18-703, titled "Innovative Basic Research on Adducts in Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," supports early-stage, exploratory research that uses adducts to cellular macromolecules as measurable indicators of exposure to cancer-related risk factors in human populations. In this context, "adducts" generally refer to chemical modifications formed when reactive compounds (from environmental exposures, diet, lifestyle factors, inflammation, endogenous metabolism, or other sources) bind to DNA, RNA, proteins, or lipids. The central idea is that these adducts can serve as a kind of molecular record of exposure and biological response, and that better tools and knowledge around adduct formation, persistence, and biological meaning could improve how cancer risk is identified and ultimately reduced.
A major emphasis of the announcement is on adductomics, meaning approaches that aim to characterize a broad range or "totality" of adducts rather than focusing on one or two well-known lesions. Projects are expected to explore basic questions that underpin the usefulness of adducts as biomarkers. That includes understanding which adducts are formed under certain exposure conditions, how reliably they can be detected, how long they persist, what variability exists across people or populations, and which adduct patterns may be informative for cancer detection, prevention strategies, or risk assessment. The FOA is not limited to any single exposure source and is designed to be responsive to the complex mixture of exposures that humans experience in real life.
Although the scientific relevance must tie back to humans and human populations, the FOA allows a wide range of experimental systems. Investigators can use cultured cells, animal models, or other systems to develop methods, establish mechanisms, validate candidate adduct signatures, or test hypotheses that would be difficult to address directly in humans. At the same time, the use of human biospecimens is strongly encouraged when it fits the scientific aims. Human samples are not strictly required, but the expectation is that the work should remain anchored to questions that matter for human exposure assessment and cancer risk biology. In select, well-justified cases, the announcement also supports innovative adductomics studies that explicitly integrate cancer etiology and gene-environment interaction research, recognizing that inherited differences in metabolism, DNA repair, inflammation, and detoxification pathways can shape adduct profiles and their downstream consequences.
For projects that fall under NIEHS interests, the FOA highlights technology and method development as a potential focus. This can include improved analytical platforms for detecting adducts at very low abundance, better workflows for untargeted or semi-targeted mass spectrometry, data processing and identification strategies for unknown adducts, reference materials and standards, reproducibility improvements, and approaches that make adductomic measurements more scalable and comparable across laboratories. Overall, the opportunity is positioned to stimulate innovative foundational work rather than late-stage validation, and it is specifically labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applicants should not propose studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial.
Mechanistically, this is an R21 discretionary grant mechanism, which is commonly used for high-risk, high-reward projects that generate proof-of-concept data, novel methods, or early evidence supporting a new line of investigation. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, exploratory nature of R21 projects. The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health, falls within health and environment-related funding activity categories, and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.393, 93.394, and 93.395.
Eligibility is broad and includes many standard applicant types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as public housing authorities and tribal entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out a range of other eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), tribal governments that are not federally recognized, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities. This breadth signals an intent to encourage diverse institutions and communities to participate in advancing exposure biology and cancer prevention science through adduct-focused research.
Key logistical details in the source information include an original closing date of July 11, 2018, and a creation date of March 6, 2018. While those dates indicate the specific posting is historic, the scientific scope described captures what NIH sought to fund: innovative, basic, adductomics-centered research that improves the foundational science and tools needed to connect real-world exposures to biologically meaningful markers of cancer risk, with the longer-term goal of enabling better prevention and risk identification approaches.Apply for PAR 18 703
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Basic Research on Adducts in Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-07-11. (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 PAR 18-703?
PAR 18-703 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Innovative Basic Research on Adducts in Cancer Risk Identification and Prevention (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." It supports early-stage, exploratory basic research focused on using adducts as measurable indicators of exposure to cancer-related risk factors in human populations.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to stimulate innovative foundational work that improves the science and tools needed to connect real-world exposures to biologically meaningful molecular markers of cancer risk. The longer-term aim is to enable better cancer risk identification and prevention strategies.
What are "adducts" in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, "adducts" generally refer to chemical modifications formed when reactive compounds bind to cellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, or lipids. These reactive compounds can arise from environmental exposures, diet, lifestyle factors, inflammation, endogenous metabolism, or other sources.
Why are adducts important for cancer risk research?
Adducts can act as a molecular record of exposure and biological response. By improving knowledge of adduct formation, persistence, detection, and biological meaning, researchers may improve how cancer risk is identified and ultimately reduced.
What is "adductomics"?
Adductomics refers to approaches aimed at characterizing a broad range, or the "totality," of adducts rather than measuring just one or two well-known lesions. The FOA places major emphasis on adductomics-oriented research.
What kinds of scientific questions are projects expected to address?
Projects are expected to explore basic questions that underpin the usefulness of adducts as biomarkers, such as which adducts form under specific exposure conditions, how reliably they can be detected, how long they persist, how adduct levels vary across people or populations, and whether certain adduct patterns may be informative for cancer detection, prevention strategies, or risk assessment.
Is the FOA limited to specific exposure sources?
No. The FOA is not limited to any single exposure source and is intended to be responsive to the complex mixture of exposures humans experience in real life.
Do studies have to involve human participants or human biospecimens?
The scientific relevance must tie back to humans and human populations. The use of human biospecimens is strongly encouraged when it fits the scientific aims, but human samples are not strictly required as long as the work remains anchored to questions that matter for human exposure assessment and cancer risk biology.
What experimental systems are allowed under this FOA?
A wide range of experimental systems is allowed. Investigators may use cultured cells, animal models, or other systems to develop methods, establish mechanisms, validate candidate adduct signatures, or test hypotheses that would be difficult to address directly in humans.
Can projects include gene-environment interaction or cancer etiology components?
Yes, in select and well-justified cases. The FOA supports innovative adductomics studies that explicitly integrate cancer etiology and gene-environment interaction research, recognizing that inherited differences in metabolism, DNA repair, inflammation, and detoxification pathways can shape adduct profiles and downstream consequences.
What kinds of projects are especially relevant to NIEHS interests under this FOA?
For projects aligned with NIEHS interests, the FOA highlights technology and method development. Examples include improved analytical platforms for detecting very low-abundance adducts, better workflows for untargeted or semi-targeted mass spectrometry, improved data processing and strategies for identifying unknown adducts, development of reference materials and standards, improvements in reproducibility, and methods that make adductomic measurements more scalable and comparable across laboratories.
Is this opportunity meant for late-stage validation studies?
No. The opportunity is positioned to stimulate innovative foundational work rather than late-stage validation.
What grant mechanism does PAR 18-703 use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for high-risk, high-reward exploratory projects intended to generate proof-of-concept data, novel methods, or early evidence supporting a new line of investigation.
What is the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000, consistent with the smaller, exploratory nature of R21 projects as described in the opportunity information provided.
Are clinical trials allowed?
No. The FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applicants should not propose studies that meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
Which agency administers this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What funding activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity falls within health and environment-related funding activity categories.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.393, 93.394, and 93.395.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special districts), as well as public housing authorities and tribal entities.
Are minority-serving institutions and tribal organizations included as eligible applicants?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); and tribal governments that are not federally recognized.
Can community-based or faith-based organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly lists faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or federal agencies eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes U.S. territories or possessions and eligible federal agencies among eligible applicants.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) entities eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly lists non-U.S. (foreign) entities as eligible applicants.
What were the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The information provided lists a creation date of March 6, 2018, and an original closing date of July 11, 2018.
Is this a current funding opportunity?
The dates provided indicate the specific posting is historic (with a 2018 closing date). The scope described reflects what NIH sought to fund under this opportunity.
What types of outcomes or deliverables fit the R21 exploratory intent described?
Based on the description, fitting outcomes include proof-of-concept findings, novel adductomics methods, improved analytical and computational workflows, early evidence supporting new hypotheses about exposure-linked adduct formation and persistence, and foundational insights that strengthen the use of adduct patterns for cancer risk identification and prevention research.
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