Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 KCRP AKCIECSA
The DoD Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators - Early-Career Scholar Award (AKCI-ECSA) is a four-year funding and mentoring opportunity designed to help junior faculty build an independent, long-term research career focused on kidney cancer. Rather than operating like a typical career development grant that mainly funds protected time, this mechanism is built around an active, structured virtual academy. Awardees are expected to run a kidney cancer research project while also taking part in a coordinated set of career-development activities, including monthly webinars, annual workshops, regular interaction with other scholars and mentors, and engagement with the kidney cancer advocacy community. The big-picture aim is to accelerate progress in kidney cancer by developing a networked cohort of highly productive early-career investigators who learn, collaborate, and grow together.
The academy model is centered on a mentored pairing: the Early-Career Scholar (ECS) is the Principal Investigator on the application, and they are matched with a Designated Mentor who is experienced in kidney cancer research and has a strong track record mentoring early-career investigators. Importantly, the mentor does not need to be at the same institution as the scholar, which is meant to remove a common barrier for promising investigators who lack local kidney cancer expertise, tools, or collaboration opportunities. The Academy also has an Academy Dean (selected previously, in FY19) who serves as a high-level resource across the whole group by monitoring scholar progress, helping solve mentorship and professional development challenges, and creating connections across scholars, mentors, and relevant research and advocacy communities. While the academy provides shared structure and community, the scholar and their mentor remain responsible for building the scholar's career development plan and for designing and executing the proposed research.
Research supported by this award can be basic, translational, and/or clinical in nature, but there are clear boundaries around what is and is not allowed. Feasibility must be supported with preliminary data, although that preliminary data does not have to come directly from kidney cancer studies (it can come from related areas as long as it supports the approach). Clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism, and the announcement uses a standard DoD definition of clinical trials (prospective assignment to an intervention to evaluate outcomes). However, other forms of clinical research may be permitted (for example, certain patient-oriented, epidemiologic, outcomes, or health services research), provided they fit the program rules and are not considered a clinical trial. Like other DoD biomedical awards, any work involving human subjects, human anatomical substances, or human cadavers must receive additional DoD-level regulatory review through the USAMRDC Office of Research Protections/Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) before research begins, on top of local IRB review. For animal studies, DoD-funded work also requires review through ACURO (Animal Care and Use Review Office) in addition to the local IACUC, and applicants are expected to plan for rigorous, reproducible study design and reporting standards (with references to widely used guidance such as ARRIVE 2.0 and core practices like randomization, blinding where appropriate, sample-size estimation, and transparent data handling).
A key feature of the AKCI-ECSA is its expectation of active participation and contribution to the academy community. Scholars and mentors are required to attend Department of Defense KCRP AKCI workshops on a set cadence: a multi-day workshop every other cycle (biennial), and in alternate years a one-day workshop. The award is intentionally set up to create sustained national networking and collaboration, and it strongly encourages partnerships that connect military or Veteran institutions with non-military institutions, leveraging unique clinical populations, infrastructure, and expertise across settings. The research itself must be relevant to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the broader American public, aligning the scientific goals with the program's public-purpose mission.
Mentorship requirements are also structured to expand the academy's capacity over time. In addition to serving as the primary mentor for the applicant scholar, the Designated Mentor must agree to serve as a Secondary Mentor to another scholar within the academy, with limits intended to keep mentorship meaningful and manageable (one primary and one secondary mentorship per mentor). Applicants cannot list the Academy Dean as the Designated Mentor. This design reinforces that the academy is not just a set of individual mentored projects, but a growing mentorship ecosystem where experienced investigators help develop multiple early-career researchers.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, awards are issued as assistance agreements, meaning they can be either grants or cooperative agreements depending on the anticipated level of DoD involvement during performance. If the agency expects no substantial involvement, the award is typically a grant; if substantial involvement is anticipated (for example, collaboration or participation by the funding agency), it can be a cooperative agreement, with that involvement specified in the award terms. For FY22, the anticipated direct cost budget for the full period of performance is capped at $725,000 per award. The program planned to allocate about $3.48 million total to fund roughly three awards, with final funding dependent on federal fund availability and on scientific and programmatic review outcomes. Awards were expected to be made no later than September 30, 2023, and FY22 funds associated with resulting awards were expected to be available for use only for a limited window consistent with fiscal rules (notably expiring for use by September 30, 2028).
Finally, the announcement points applicants toward broader federal priorities in advanced cancer research by referencing recommendations from the congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force. While proposals must stay within the kidney cancer program's scope and FY22 KCRP priorities, applicants are encouraged to consider research ideas that align with efforts to accelerate clinical and translational progress for advanced and recurrent disease, particularly where those ideas can meaningfully extend life or improve outcomes. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a combined research award and intensive professional development track: it funds a substantial kidney cancer project while placing early-career faculty into a structured national mentoring and networking environment intended to produce the next generation of kidney cancer research leaders.Apply for W81XWH 22 KCRP AKCIECSA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Kidney Cancer, Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators – Early-Career Scholar Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 20, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: DoD Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators - Early-Career Scholar Award (AKCI-ECSA)
1) What is the AKCI-ECSA award?
The AKCI-ECSA is a four-year Department of Defense Kidney Cancer Research Program (KCRP) funding and mentoring opportunity designed to help junior faculty build an independent, long-term research career focused on kidney cancer. It combines support for a kidney cancer research project with required participation in a structured, virtual academy that provides coordinated career development, mentoring, and networking.
2) How is this different from a typical career development award?
Instead of mainly supporting protected time, this mechanism is built around an active, structured academy model. Awardees are expected to run a kidney cancer research project while also participating in ongoing academy activities such as monthly webinars, annual workshops, regular interaction with scholars and mentors, and engagement with the kidney cancer advocacy community.
3) How long is the period of performance?
The award supports a four-year effort.
4) Who is the Principal Investigator (PI) on the application?
The Early-Career Scholar (ECS) serves as the Principal Investigator on the application.
5) Is mentorship required, and how is it structured?
Yes. The academy model is centered on a mentored pairing between the Early-Career Scholar (as PI) and a Designated Mentor who is experienced in kidney cancer research and has a strong track record of mentoring early-career investigators. The scholar and mentor are responsible for building the scholar's career development plan and for designing and executing the proposed research.
6) Does the Designated Mentor have to be at the same institution as the scholar?
No. The Designated Mentor does not need to be at the same institution as the scholar, which is intended to reduce barriers for investigators who do not have local kidney cancer expertise, tools, or collaboration opportunities.
7) What is the role of the Academy Dean?
The Academy Dean (selected previously, in FY19) serves as a high-level resource for the academy by monitoring scholar progress, helping address mentorship and professional development challenges, and creating connections across scholars, mentors, and relevant research and advocacy communities.
8) Can the Academy Dean serve as the Designated Mentor?
No. Applicants cannot list the Academy Dean as the Designated Mentor.
9) Are there any additional mentorship obligations for the Designated Mentor?
Yes. In addition to serving as the primary mentor for the applicant scholar, the Designated Mentor must agree to serve as a Secondary Mentor to another scholar in the academy. Mentorship is limited to one primary and one secondary mentorship per mentor to help keep mentoring meaningful and manageable.
10) What types of research are supported by this award?
Research may be basic, translational, and/or clinical in nature, as long as it fits the program rules and the kidney cancer focus.
11) Is preliminary data required?
Yes. Feasibility must be supported with preliminary data. The preliminary data does not have to come directly from kidney cancer studies; it can come from related areas as long as it supports the proposed approach.
12) Are clinical trials allowed under the AKCI-ECSA?
No. Clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism. The announcement uses a standard DoD definition of a clinical trial (prospective assignment to an intervention to evaluate outcomes).
13) Is any clinical research allowed if clinical trials are prohibited?
Some forms of clinical research may be permitted (for example, certain patient-oriented, epidemiologic, outcomes, or health services research), as long as the work fits program rules and is not considered a clinical trial under the DoD definition.
14) What regulatory reviews are required for human subjects or human-derived materials?
Any DoD-funded work involving human subjects, human anatomical substances, or human cadavers must undergo additional DoD-level regulatory review through the USAMRDC Office of Research Protections/Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) before research begins, in addition to local IRB review.
15) What oversight is required for animal research?
For animal studies, DoD-funded work requires review through ACURO (Animal Care and Use Review Office) in addition to the local IACUC.
16) What expectations are stated for rigor and reproducibility in study design?
Applicants are expected to plan for rigorous, reproducible study design and reporting standards, with references to widely used guidance such as ARRIVE 2.0 and core practices including randomization, blinding where appropriate, sample-size estimation, and transparent data handling.
17) What academy activities are scholars expected to participate in?
Awardees are expected to actively participate in the structured academy, including monthly webinars, annual workshops, regular interaction with other scholars and mentors, and engagement with the kidney cancer advocacy community.
18) Are there required in-person or scheduled workshop commitments?
Yes. Scholars and mentors are required to attend DoD KCRP AKCI workshops on a set cadence: a multi-day workshop every other cycle (biennial), and in alternate years a one-day workshop.
19) Does the program encourage collaboration across institutions?
Yes. The opportunity strongly encourages partnerships that connect military or Veteran institutions with non-military institutions, leveraging unique clinical populations, infrastructure, and expertise across settings.
20) Who should the research be relevant to?
The research must be relevant to active-duty Service Members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the broader American public, aligning the work with the program's public-purpose mission.
21) What is the maximum budget described for FY22?
For FY22, the anticipated direct cost budget for the full period of performance is capped at $725,000 per award.
22) How much total funding and how many awards were planned for FY22?
The program planned to allocate about $3.48 million total to fund roughly three awards, with final funding dependent on federal fund availability and on scientific and programmatic review outcomes.
23) What type of award instrument will be used?
Awards are issued as assistance agreements, meaning they can be either grants or cooperative agreements depending on the anticipated level of DoD involvement during performance.
24) What determines whether the award is a grant versus a cooperative agreement?
If the agency expects no substantial involvement, the award is typically a grant. If substantial involvement is anticipated (for example, collaboration or participation by the funding agency), it can be a cooperative agreement, and that involvement would be specified in the award terms.
25) When were awards expected to be made for FY22?
Awards were expected to be made no later than September 30, 2023.
26) How long were FY22 funds expected to remain available for use?
FY22 funds associated with resulting awards were expected to be available for use only for a limited window consistent with fiscal rules, notably expiring for use by September 30, 2028.
27) What is the overall goal of the academy approach?
The big-picture aim is to accelerate progress in kidney cancer by developing a networked cohort of highly productive early-career investigators who learn, collaborate, and grow together, ultimately strengthening the pipeline of kidney cancer research leaders.
28) Does the announcement reference broader federal priorities or guidance for research topics?
Yes. It references recommendations from the congressionally mandated Metastatic Cancer Task Force. While proposals must stay within the kidney cancer program scope and FY22 KCRP priorities, applicants are encouraged to consider ideas aligned with accelerating clinical and translational progress for advanced and recurrent disease, particularly where the work can meaningfully extend life or improve outcomes.
29) Who is responsible for the career development plan and research execution?
Even though the academy provides shared structure and community, the scholar and their Designated Mentor remain responsible for building the scholar's career development plan and for designing and executing the proposed research.
30) Is participation in the academy just encouraged, or is it an expectation?
Active participation and contribution to the academy community is an expectation of the award, including attendance at required workshops and engagement in coordinated career-development activities.
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