The DOD Pancreatic Cancer Focused Pilot Award: Supporting Innovative Patient-Centered Research to Enhance Quality of Life

The PCARP Focused Pilot Award supports the exploration and development of impactful and innovative concepts under two patient-centered Focus Areas of pancreatic cancer research that could ultimately lead to major advancements that will have a profound effect on patients’ overall quality of life.

Examples of studies appropriate for the PCARP Focused Pilot Award include, but are not limited to:

• Investigations into behaviors that affect access to health care,
• Correlations between mental health and/or cancer-related outcomes and quality of life,
• Strategies to overcome psycho-social issues,
• Behavioral studies that examine quality of life, decision-making and/or cognitive function research,
• Development and pilot testing of nutritional or educational interventions, and symptom management.

To foster advancement in these understudied areas of research, preliminary data is allowed, but not required. All projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale. Research supported by this award should strive to produce robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future clinical or real-world research application.

Clinical research studies are allowed; however, interventional clinical trials are beyond the scope of this funding mechanism and will not be supported.

Basic research and preclinical animal studies do not meet the intent of the Focused Pilot Award mechanism. Principal Investigators (PIs) seeking this funding for this type of research should utilize one of the other FY24 PCARP mechanisms.

Significant features of the Focused Pilot Award include:

• Impact: The proposed research is expected to provide the scientific foundation that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes and quality of life for individuals with pancreatic cancer. The project’s impact on both pancreatic cancer patient-centered research and care should be articulated, even if clinical impact is not an immediate outcome.

• Innovation: Research deemed innovative may represent a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research may be innovative in study concept, research methods or technology, or adaptations of existing methods or technologies. Research that represents an incremental advance on previously published work is not considered innovative.

The PCARP Focused Pilot Award supports the exploration and development of impactful and innovative concepts under two patient-centered Focus Areas of pancreatic cancer research that could ultimately lead to major advancements that will have a profound effect on patients’ overall quality of life.

Examples of studies appropriate for the PCARP Focused Pilot Award include, but are not limited to:

• Investigations into behaviors that affect access to health care,
• Correlations between mental health and/or cancer-related outcomes and quality of life,
• Strategies to overcome psycho-social issues,
• Behavioral studies that examine quality of life, decision-making and/or cognitive function research,
• Development and pilot testing of nutritional or educational interventions, and symptom management.

To foster advancement in these understudied areas of research, preliminary data is allowed, but not required. All projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale. Research supported by this award should strive to produce robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future clinical or real-world research application.

Clinical research studies are allowed; however, interventional clinical trials are beyond the scope of this funding mechanism and will not be supported.

Basic research and preclinical animal studies do not meet the intent of the Focused Pilot Award mechanism. Principal Investigators (PIs) seeking this funding for this type of research should utilize one of the other FY24 PCARP mechanisms.

Significant features of the Focused Pilot Award include:

• Impact: The proposed research is expected to provide the scientific foundation that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes and quality of life for individuals with pancreatic cancer. The project’s impact on both pancreatic cancer patient-centered research and care should be articulated, even if clinical impact is not an immediate outcome.

• Innovation: Research deemed innovative may represent a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research may be innovative in study concept, research methods or technology, or adaptations of existing methods or technologies. Research that represents an incremental advance on previously published work is not considered innovative.

The PCARP Focused Pilot Award supports the exploration and development of impactful and innovative concepts under two patient-centered Focus Areas of pancreatic cancer research that could ultimately lead to major advancements that will have a profound effect on patients’ overall quality of life.

Examples of studies appropriate for the PCARP Focused Pilot Award include, but are not limited to:

• Investigations into behaviors that affect access to health care,
• Correlations between mental health and/or cancer-related outcomes and quality of life,
• Strategies to overcome psycho-social issues,
• Behavioral studies that examine quality of life, decision-making and/or cognitive function research,
• Development and pilot testing of nutritional or educational interventions, and symptom management.

To foster advancement in these understudied areas of research, preliminary data is allowed, but not required. All projects should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale. Research supported by this award should strive to produce robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future clinical or real-world research application.

Clinical research studies are allowed; however, interventional clinical trials are beyond the scope of this funding mechanism and will not be supported.

Basic research and preclinical animal studies do not meet the intent of the Focused Pilot Award mechanism. Principal Investigators (PIs) seeking this funding for this type of research should utilize one of the other FY24 PCARP mechanisms.

Significant features of the Focused Pilot Award include:

• Impact: The proposed research is expected to provide the scientific foundation that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes and quality of life for individuals with pancreatic cancer. The project’s impact on both pancreatic cancer patient-centered research and care should be articulated, even if clinical impact is not an immediate outcome.

• Innovation: Research deemed innovative may represent a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research may be innovative in study concept, research methods or technology, or adaptations of existing methods or technologies. Research that represents an incremental advance on previously published work is not considered innovative.