DOD Grant for Advancing Lung Cancer Translational Research Towards Clinical Applications

The FY23 LCRP Translational Research Award mechanism supports advanced translational research that will foster transformation of promising ideas in lung cancer into clinical applications. Translational research may be defined as an integration of basic science and clinical observations. Observations that drive a research idea may originate from a laboratory discovery, population-based studies, or a clinician’s firsthand knowledge of patient care. The ultimate goal of translational research is to move a concept or observation forward into clinical application. However, Principal Investigators (PIs) should not view translational research as a one-way continuum from bench to bedside, but can include a reciprocal flow of ideas and information between basic science and clinical science (bench to bedside and/or bedside to bench). Research applications only in the area of mesothelioma will not be accepted. This mechanism is intended to fund a broad range of translational studies with two different funding levels. The following are general examples, although not all-inclusive, of the type of research projects that would be appropriate to propose under the current program announcement:

Funding Level 1:

• Advanced preclinical studies aimed at translating results from animal studies to applications with human samples/cohorts (The Translational Research Award is not intended to support initial mechanistic studies of a new target.)

• Late-stage preclinical work leading to/preparing for a clinical trial, e.g., Investigational New Drug (IND) application submission

• Correlative studies that are associated with an open/ongoing or completed clinical trial, e.g., projects that utilize biospecimens from clinical trials to improve clinical management of lung cancer and/or define new areas of research

• Projects that develop endpoints for clinical trials

Funding Level 2:

• Pilot clinical trials where limited clinical testing (e.g., small sample size) of a novel intervention is necessary to inform the next step in the continuum of translational research

Preliminary lung cancer relevant data to support the feasibility of the research hypotheses and research approaches are required.