DoD Lung Cancer, Career Development Award | W81XWH 21 LCRP CDA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 21 LCRP CDA

The FY21 DoD Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) Career Development Award is designed to help early-career investigators launch strong, independent research careers in lung cancer while working under the guidance of an established mentor in the field. The intent is to provide not just research funding, but also structured mentoring and career-building support so that promising, newly independent scientists can develop into long-term leaders in lung cancer research. The program emphasizes discovery-oriented, impactful science, and it does not require preliminary data, although applicants still need to make a persuasive case through clear logic, a solid scientific premise, and a well-justified research approach.

A central eligibility feature is the career stage of the Principal Investigator (PI). The PI must be a research scientist or physician-scientist who is early in their independent career, specifically within five years of their first faculty appointment (or an equivalent position). The award is aimed at individuals who can demonstrate commitment to building a career focused on lung cancer, with the project serving as a springboard for future independence, productivity, and sustained contributions to the field.

Mentorship is treated as a core requirement rather than a minor add-on. The mentor must be an experienced lung cancer researcher with a strong track record of lung cancer-specific funding and publications. Beyond credentials, the mentor is expected to show a real commitment to the PI's development, meaning the relationship should be structured to actively support the investigator's transition toward independence through guidance, opportunities, and professional development.

Career development is explicitly built into the application through a required Career Development Plan. This plan should be created with input from the mentor and lay out a clear strategy for building the skills and expertise needed to operate at the forefront of lung cancer research. It should explain how the PI will gain meaningful experience in lung cancer research, including what new competencies will be acquired and how mentoring, training, and project activities will support long-term career goals. Because the award is intended to cultivate the PI's growth, the institution must also show commitment by guaranteeing at least 40 percent protected time for the PI to focus on lung cancer research, with the program signaling that more protected time is preferable when feasible.

The research itself is expected to be high-impact. The program is looking for projects that could meaningfully advance the field and accelerate progress toward reducing deaths and suffering from lung cancer. While the mechanism supports early-career investigators, the scientific ambition is not meant to be small; applicants are encouraged to propose work with the potential to shift understanding, open new directions, or enable substantial downstream improvements in prevention, detection, or treatment.

A defining feature of this DoD opportunity is its emphasis on relevance to Military Health System beneficiaries. Applications need to clearly connect the proposed research to the needs of Service members, Veterans, and their families. This relevance is not just a formality; it is considered during programmatic review as part of alignment with the Defense Health Program mission. The opportunity points to several ways investigators can demonstrate this connection, such as using military or Veteran populations, leveraging biospecimens or data resources tied to military or VA settings, collaborating with Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs investigators, or explaining how outcomes could be implemented in a dual-use way that addresses military needs while also benefiting civilian populations. The program also highlights that military relevance may include lung cancer risks tied to non-tobacco environmental exposures, reflecting concerns that may be especially salient in military contexts.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA, under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH 21 LCRP CDA. It falls under CFDA 12.420 and supports science and technology and other research and development activities. The funding instruments listed include grants and cooperative agreements. Eligibility is described as unrestricted in general terms (open to entity types), subject to any additional eligibility details in the full announcement. The posting indicates an expected three awards, with an original closing date of April 20, 2021, and a listed award ceiling of 0 (typically meaning applicants must consult the full announcement for budget limits or that a fixed ceiling is not stated in the summary).

• 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 Lung Cancer, Career Development 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 Feb 09, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 2021. (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.

Apply for W81XWH 21 LCRP CDA

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