The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) provides funds to its members through multiple pilot grant award mechanisms with the purpose of supporting the acquisition of cancer relevant preliminary data that will lead to external grant funding and published work by Cancer Center members. Priority for these awards is given to innovative cancer-focused research that advances the goals of the UNMCCC Research Programs and Clinical Working Groups. These pilot projects cover clinical, basic, and population science research and span in size and complexity from post-doctoral and graduate student matching, to mid-range project development, to large scale collaborative efforts between multiple labs. Below please find an outline of each funding mechanism, associated deadlines, contact information and a link to the RFA for each award.
Please contact UNMCC-PilotProgram@salud.unm.edu for any general questions. Contacts for each pilot program are listed below for more technical question. We look forward to hearing about your novel ideas in your research proposals!
Internal Competition
American Cancer Society — Institutional Research Grant
The University of New Mexico (UNM) has been issued an Institutional Research Grant (IRG) by the American Cancer Society (ACS) for the period of January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. The purpose of this grant is to increase the base of cancer-related research at UNM through pilot awards to faculty members campus-wide.
Junior faculty members with appointments in all Schools and Colleges of UNM are eligible for research support through the ACS IRG.
Special Interest applications are due Nov. 1
Cancer Center Funded Pilot Projects
FY2019 Pilot Project Due Dates
6/15/2018: Shared Resources
7/16/18: Shared Resources, Matching Support & Research Project Support Pilots
10/15/18: Shared Resources Pilot
2/15/19: Shared Resources, Matching Support & Research Project Support Pilots
5/15/19: Shared Resources Pilot
Rolling Submissions: Bridge, Focused Interactive Groups (FIGs), EPCRS, Near Pay Line Resubmissions & Off-Setting Cut
Shared Resources
The primary purpose of this pilot grant award mechanism is to provide funds for the use of UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Shared Resources to promote cancer-relevant projects that are related to the goals of the Cancer Center Research Programs and Tumor Focused Clinical Working Groups. It is also intended to support the acquisition of preliminary data that will lead to external grant funding and published work. Awards will be made to projects that will use of the UNM Cancer Center Shared Resources listed below.
- Analytical & Translational Genomics
- Animal Models
- Behavioral Measurement & Population Sciences
- Bioinformatics
- Biostatistics
- Flow Cytometry & High Throughput Screening
- Fluorescence Microscopy & Cell Imaging
- Human Tissue Repository & Tissue Analysis
Due Date: Quarterly – August/November/February/May. Specific date will be determined with RFA for current fiscal year is released.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
Postdoctoral Fellows & Graduate Student Matching Support
The primary purpose of this pilot grant award program is to support postdoctoral fellows and graduate students who are carrying out cancer-focused research that advances the goals of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) Research Programs and Clinical Working Groups.
Due Date: Applications are accepted semiannually. See submission dates available for this opportunity above.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
Research Project Support Pilot Mechanism
The intention of these pilot awards is to enable UNMCCC members to develop preliminary data necessary for the submission of cancer-relevant external funding applications to the NCI, other NIH institutions, or other peer-reviewed funding sponsors. Priority will be given to projects which promote inter- and/or intra-programmatic collaborations and/or have the potential to lead to translation of our science to the clinic or population. Applicants should include a plan and timeline for submitting an extramural grant application that will be based upon data generated with the support of the pilot grant.
Due Date: Semiannually – August/February. Specific Dates can be found in current FY RFA.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson</a
Focused Interactive Groups (FIGs) for Development of Large, Programmatic Grant Applications Pilot Award Program
The primary purpose of this award mechanism Focused Interactive Groups (FIGs) for the Development of Large, Programmatic Grant Applications is to assist groups of Cancer Center investigators in the development of cancer-relevant collaborative projects that will be competitive for extramural funding as large multi-PI R01, P01 or SPORE grants or other similar sized extramural grant opportunities. Pilot projects must be a multidisciplinary collaboration between two or more Cancer Center members that links together existing areas of research strength and expertise within the Cancer Center and focuses on a problem that is related to the strategic goals of the Center and its research programs and clinical working groups. Projects may be across the full spectrum of research areas (basic, translational, pre-clinical/clinical, and population-focused research) and should have the ultimate goal of improving prevention, detection and treatment of cancers that impact the multi-ethnic populations served by the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC). While proposals should make maximum use of the unique technologies and capabilities available at the UNMCCC through its shared resources and affiliated centers (i.e. STMC, CMD), applicants are also encouraged to identify and engage with collaborators at other cancer centers and institutions, who strengthen the project by bringing critical complementary expertise, capabilities and/or resources that are not available within the UNMCCC. Applicants should include a plan and timeline for submitting an application to one or more specific extramural grant funding mechanisms that will be based upon data generated with the support of the pilot grant.
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
Bridge Funding
The primary purpose of this bridge funding program is to support University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) members through a period of low external funding, thereby enabling them to continue their research program and regain external peer-reviewed funding.
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
Early Phase Clinical Research Support (EPCRS) Pilot Award Program
The primary purpose of the Early Phase Clinical Research Support (EPCRS) pilot grant award program is to assist groups of Cancer Center investigators in the development of investigator-initiated, early phase clinical trial protocols. Initiated from the Clinical Working Groups, pilot projects must be a multidisciplinary collaboration between several Cancer Center members that links together existing areas of research strength and expertise within the Cancer Center and focuses on a problem that is related to the strategic goals of the Cancer Center. Projects may be focused on the identification of novel targets and biomarkers, drug discovery and/or the development of novel imaging technologies and should have the ultimate goal of improving prevention, detection, and treatment of cancers that impact the multi-ethnic populations served by the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC). This pilot grant will support the costs associated with early phase trials, including but not limited to: purchase of imaging time related to the clinical trial, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies, support for IND or IDE applications, unreimbursed radiologic and laboratory studies, and non-faculty salary support. Preclinical experiments that support the final development of an early phase clinical trial will also be eligible, and projects that will use clinical specimens to validate laboratory observations will also be considered with the explicit goal of initiating a clinical trial within 12 months. Only concepts or full protocols for clinical trials ranked as high priority by the Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee (PRMC) will be considered for review.
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Contact: Olivier Rixe
Near Pay Line Resubmission Pilot
The primary purpose of this developmental funds pilot program mechanism is to support UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) investigators with the resubmission of grant applications that received initial scores near to the pay line (25>
th percentile or less).
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
Off-Setting Cuts Pilot
The primary purpose of this developmental funds pilot program mechanism is to support UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC) investigators whose recently funded, cancer-focused external grant applications had significant cuts (cut of 10% or greater) to the requested budget.
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Contact: Alan Tomkinson
