DoD Offers the Peer Reviewed Cancer Impact Award for Mature, High-Impact Cancer Research

The FY24 PRCRP Impact Award supports high-impact research that can accelerate promising findings toward clinical applicability. The intent of the Impact Award mechanism is to fund mature research projects that specifically focus on critical scientific or clinical cancer issues, which have the potential to make a major near-term impact on at least one of the FY24 PRCRP Topic Areas and in at least one of the FY24 PRCRP Overarching Challenges.

The critical components of this award mechanism are:

·            Impact: Research supported by the Impact Award will demonstrate the potential to accelerate promising findings and have a major impact in the near term on an area of paramount importance in cancer. The proposed study should demonstrate potential to improve patient outcomes in at least one of the FY24 PRCRP Topic Areas and in at least one of the FY24 PRCRP Overarching Challenges. Proposed projects may include translational or clinical research, including clinical trials. The potential impact of the proposed research is expected to be near-term, and while it fundamentally may include the next step in research, it must be significant and go beyond an incremental advance. The applicant must articulate the potential impact the proposed work will have on cancer research and/or patient outcomes. The Impact Award is not intended for basic research. Applicants generating preliminary data, basic research, high-risk/high-gain studies should apply to the FY24 PRCRP Idea Award (HT942524PRCRPIA).

·            Preliminary Data: The Impact Award is intended to support transformative investigations that leapfrog the cancer research field forward by utilizing previous research findings. Applications must include preliminary data to support feasibility of the study. Any unpublished, preliminary data provided should originate from the laboratory of the Principal Investigator (PI) or a member of the research team.

·            Continuity of Research: The Impact Award is intended to support established projects that have moved beyond the realm of basic research and have the potential to result in a near-term impact in clinical research or the clinic.

·            Data Evaluation: The proposed research should be rigorously designed to include a statistical plan and data analysis plan. The Impact Award is intended to have near-term relevance to patients; therefore, the statistical plan and data analysis plan should represent how significant the results and/or outcomes may be on patient outcomes.

·            Clinical Trial, if applicable: The clinical study must be initiated within the first year, including FDA Investigational New Drug/Investigational Device Exemption application submission plans within 60 days of the award.