Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium: Research Units (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 28 056

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 28 056

The Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium: Research Units (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR-28-056) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) cooperative agreement designed to support team-based research aimed at finding better ways to detect pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) earlier and to understand which pancreatic precursor lesions are most likely to progress into invasive cancer. The overarching goal is to improve early detection and risk stratification so that people with elevated risk (due to inherited genetics, family history, and/or existing precursor lesions such as pancreatic cystic lesions) can be identified sooner and potentially offered earlier intervention. This program continues work aligned with a major research priority highlighted in NCI's 2014 Scientific Framework for PDAC, reflecting the ongoing need for reliable early detection tools in a disease that is often diagnosed late.

This NOFO specifically supports the Research Units (RUs), which are one of the two scientific components of the broader Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium (PCDC). Each RU is expected to be a multidisciplinary group that can integrate clinical expertise, biomarker science, imaging, computational methods, and validation infrastructure. The research scope is focused on developing and testing new biomarkers and screening approaches that can identify PDAC and clinically meaningful precursor lesions earlier than current methods, and that can distinguish which lesions or patient profiles represent a genuinely high likelihood of progression.

The kinds of projects encouraged under this opportunity include studies to discover and evaluate biomarkers that can be measured in bodily fluids (for example, blood-based or other accessible biospecimens) for early detection of PDAC and/or its precursor lesions. Another major emphasis is the development of molecular and/or imaging markers to improve characterization of pancreatic cysts, with the practical aim of predicting which cystic lesions are likely to become malignant and which are not, thereby reducing unnecessary interventions while catching dangerous lesions sooner. The NOFO also supports efforts to create molecular and/or imaging-based screening strategies tailored to populations at high risk for PDAC, which may include individuals with hereditary predisposition, strong family history, or known precursor abnormalities. In addition, applicants are encouraged to use machine learning and other computational approaches to support biomarker discovery, integration of multi-modal data (such as imaging plus molecular assays), and rigorous validation. Beyond discovery, there is an explicit interest in biomarker validation studies, signaling that the Consortium is intended to move promising candidates toward evidence that could support real-world clinical use.

A core expectation is that each Research Unit will collect longitudinal biospecimens, meaning samples gathered over time from participants, which can be used to evaluate how biomarkers change across disease development and progression. These samples will help build and sustain a biorepository to support ongoing and future studies within the Consortium. Because early detection often depends on subtle changes that precede symptoms, longitudinal sampling is central to determining whether a biomarker can truly detect cancer or high-risk transformation early enough to matter clinically.

Collaboration is built into the structure of the award. Each funded RU is expected to participate actively in Consortium-wide activities and to share scientific ideas, biospecimens, and data with other PCDC Research Units. This cooperative model is reinforced by the funding mechanism itself: a U01 is a cooperative agreement, which typically means there is substantial programmatic involvement and coordination with NIH/NCI compared with a standard investigator-initiated grant. The emphasis on sharing and harmonization is intended to speed progress by enabling cross-site validation, larger pooled datasets, and coordinated strategies for biomarker testing.

In terms of administrative and eligibility details, the opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through NCI under CFDA 93.393 and uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument. The opportunity category is discretionary and falls under the health funding activity category. Eligible applicants include a broad range of U.S.-based entities such as state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other eligible tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses, among others listed in the NOFO.

Foreign eligibility is explicitly restricted. Non-U.S. (non-domestic) entities are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In practice, this means the funded research activities and organizational components tied to the award must be U.S.-based.

Key dates and funding parameters provided in the listing include an original closing date of 2029-11-05 and an award ceiling of $600,000. The opportunity was created on 2026-09-25. The listing notes "ExpectedAwards:" without a number, so the anticipated number of awards is not specified in the provided source data. Because this is a cooperative agreement and part of a coordinated consortium, applicants should expect requirements related to data sharing, collaborative governance, and participation in consortium meetings and joint activities, as well as alignment with consortium standards for biospecimen and data collection.

Overall, this NOFO is geared toward applicants who can mount integrated, collaborative early detection research programs that combine biomarker science, clinical cohorts (especially high-risk groups), imaging and molecular characterization of precursor lesions, computational analytics including machine learning, and the operational capacity to collect and share longitudinal biospecimens and data within a structured national consortium focused on reducing late diagnosis of PDAC.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium: Research Units (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)" 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 2026-09-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2029-11-05.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 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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