Coordinating Center for the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Cancer Research (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 21 022

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 21 022

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), through the National Institutes of Health, offered this cooperative agreement (U24; clinical trial not allowed) to fund a single Coordinating Center for the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program. The program is built around the idea that metabolic dysregulation is a central biological process connecting obesity to increased cancer risk. Rather than funding one stand-alone research project, this opportunity supports an infrastructure and leadership hub whose job is to keep multiple separately funded research teams working as one integrated program, with shared approaches, aligned measurements, and coordinated outputs that collectively improve understanding of how obesity-related metabolic changes contribute to cancer development.

The main purpose of the Coordinating Center is to provide program-wide coordination, administration, and collaboration support across multiple individual research project grants funded under a companion announcement (RFA-CA-21-021; U01; clinical trial optional). Together, the U24 Coordinating Center award and the U01 research awards make up the full Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program. In practice, that means the Coordinating Center is expected to be an active partner in shaping how the overall program operates day-to-day and how it produces consistent, comparable science across different projects and institutions. Because the mechanism is a cooperative agreement, NCI involvement is typically more substantial than in a standard grant, with NIH and awardees working in partnership on oversight, coordination, and program direction.

The Coordinating Center responsibilities are broad and operationally heavy. It is expected to provide administrative support for the entire program, including organizing and supporting meetings, facilitating communication among investigators, and keeping collaborative activities on track. A major scientific coordination role is to help establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices so that projects can use common measures, targets, and methods where appropriate. This includes identifying and managing core common data elements that can be collected across studies to enable pooled analyses and cross-project comparisons. When appropriate for the program, the Coordinating Center may also help coordinate the collection of biological samples, with an emphasis on ensuring consistent handling, documentation, and alignment with shared protocols so that biospecimen-related findings can be interpreted across studies.

Another key function is information and resource management. The Coordinating Center is tasked with creating and maintaining a program website to serve as a central home for program information, resources, and coordination materials. It also supports data stewardship by helping facilitate deposition of datasets into NIH-designated repositories when appropriate, which typically involves establishing expectations for formatting, metadata, timing, access controls, and compliance with NIH data sharing policies. Additionally, the description indicates the Coordinating Center may coordinate reviews of applications and the distribution of research funds, reflecting a role in internal program processes that support how collaborative work is selected, supported, and managed across the network.

Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights additional eligible categories 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is limited in a specific way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicants. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization could include certain justified foreign collaborations or activities under NIH rules even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

Administratively, the opportunity is identified as RFA-CA-21-022, categorized as discretionary funding, and uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument. The activity category is listed under education and health, with CFDA number 93.393. The original closing date was October 6, 2021, and the posting indicates an award ceiling of $550,000. Overall, this FOA is best understood as funding the backbone of a coordinated research network: the systems, standards, communications, data practices, and shared infrastructure needed to turn multiple independent obesity-and-cancer research projects into a coherent, transdisciplinary program focused on metabolic dysregulation and cancer risk.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Coordinating Center for the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Cancer Research (U24 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): 93.393.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-07-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-10-06. (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 $550,000.00 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 21 022

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