Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 OCRP IIRA
The CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity designed to back high-impact ovarian cancer research ideas that are driven by the investigator and aimed at filling a clear, critical gap in the field. The central purpose is to support projects with a strong likelihood of meaningfully advancing ovarian cancer knowledge, improving patient and survivor care, or setting the stage for tangible downstream benefits. The program is meant for work that can credibly move the needle rather than incremental studies, and it is positioned to fund research that is well-justified, scientifically rigorous, and responsive to unmet needs in ovarian cancer.
This award supports a broad range of research stages, from basic laboratory science through translational research, as long as the work remains outside the scope of clinical trials. In practical terms, applicants can propose mechanistic studies, discovery and validation of biomarkers, development or refinement of model systems, target identification, therapeutic concept development, or other translational efforts that build a bridge toward clinical relevance without actually conducting a clinical trial. The flexibility in topic and research phase is intentional, but the expectation is that the work is clearly tied to ovarian cancer and has a convincing pathway to impact, whether that impact is scientific (new understanding of disease biology) or patient-centered (better approaches to prevention, detection, stratification, treatment selection, or survivorship considerations).
Competitiveness hinges on the quality of the scientific rationale and the way the proposal is built from the existing evidence base. The announcement makes it clear that applicants need to show logical reasoning grounded in a critical review and analysis of the literature, not just a general background section. That means the application should identify what is known, what is uncertain or flawed in current approaches, why the gap matters, and how the proposed research directly addresses that gap with an approach that is feasible and appropriately designed. The program also requires preliminary data that are relevant to ovarian cancer and that substantively support the proposed direction. This requirement signals that the funder is looking for ideas that are already supported by early evidence, reducing the risk that the project is purely speculative and increasing confidence that the team can execute the work successfully.
Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The funding opportunity number is W81XWH 20 OCRP IIRA, and it is listed under CFDA 12.420. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and supports science and technology and other research and development activities. Awards may be made as grants or cooperative agreements, which typically means that while many projects operate like traditional research grants, some may involve a higher level of programmatic involvement typical of cooperative agreements.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to different types of applicant organizations, subject to any specific clarifications in the full announcement text. The posting lists an expected total of 14 awards. The opportunity was created on February 27, 2020, with an original closing date of July 30, 2020. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which usually indicates that the ceiling is not specified in the summary field and applicants need to rely on the full program announcement for budget limits or expectations.
Overall, the OCRP IIRA is best understood as a mechanism for funding well-supported, investigator-driven ovarian cancer research that is ambitious but evidence-based, grounded in a careful reading of the field, and backed by ovarian cancer-relevant preliminary data. It is intended for projects that can credibly deliver an important scientific or care-related contribution, while staying within preclinical, basic, or translational boundaries rather than clinical trial execution.Apply for W81XWH 20 OCRP IIRA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 27, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 30, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CDMRP Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA)?
The OCRP Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity intended to support high-impact ovarian cancer research ideas that are driven by the investigator. The focus is on projects that address a clear, critical gap in the ovarian cancer field and have a strong likelihood of advancing knowledge, improving patient and survivor care, or enabling tangible downstream benefits.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The central purpose is to fund ambitious, well-justified, scientifically rigorous ovarian cancer research that can meaningfully move the field forward. The award is positioned for work that is likely to create important contributions rather than incremental advances.
What kinds of research are supported under the IIRA?
The award supports a broad range of research stages, spanning basic laboratory science through translational research, as long as the work remains outside the scope of clinical trials. Examples described include mechanistic studies, biomarker discovery and validation, development or refinement of model systems, target identification, and therapeutic concept development.
Are clinical trials allowed under this award?
No. The supported research can be basic or translational, but it must remain outside the scope of clinical trials.
Does the topic have to be directly related to ovarian cancer?
Yes. The program expectation is that the proposed work is clearly tied to ovarian cancer and includes a convincing pathway to impact in the ovarian cancer space.
What does the program mean by "high-impact" research?
In this opportunity, "high-impact" refers to research that can credibly deliver an important scientific or care-related contribution, such as meaningfully advancing understanding of ovarian cancer biology or improving approaches to prevention, detection, stratification, treatment selection, or survivorship considerations.
Is the IIRA intended for incremental studies?
No. The description emphasizes that the award is meant for projects that can credibly move the needle rather than studies that are primarily incremental.
What makes an application competitive for this award?
Competitiveness hinges on the strength of the scientific rationale and how the proposal is constructed from the existing evidence base. The opportunity emphasizes logical reasoning grounded in a critical review and analysis of the literature, a clear explanation of what gap exists and why it matters, and a feasible approach designed to address that gap.
Is a literature review required, and what kind of review is expected?
Yes, the announcement indicates that applicants should demonstrate reasoning grounded in a critical review and analysis of the literature rather than providing only a general background section. The application should clarify what is known, what remains uncertain or flawed, why the gap is critical, and how the proposed work addresses that gap.
Is preliminary data required?
Yes. The program requires preliminary data that are relevant to ovarian cancer and that substantively support the proposed research direction.
How should the preliminary data relate to the proposed project?
The preliminary data should be ovarian cancer-relevant and should meaningfully support the proposed direction, helping demonstrate that the idea is evidence-based and feasible rather than purely speculative.
Who offers and administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA), under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is W81XWH 20 OCRP IIRA.
What CFDA listing is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.420.
What type of award will be made (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Awards may be made as grants or cooperative agreements. This typically means that some projects may operate like traditional research grants, while others may involve a higher level of programmatic involvement consistent with cooperative agreements.
What is the opportunity category and activity type?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and supports science and technology and other research and development activities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to different types of applicant organizations, subject to any specific clarifications in the full announcement text.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The posting lists an expected total of 14 awards.
When was this opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on February 27, 2020, with an original closing date of July 30, 2020.
Is there a stated maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which generally indicates that a ceiling is not specified in the summary field and that applicants should rely on the full program announcement for budget limits or expectations.
What kinds of outcomes does the program want to see from funded projects?
The program is intended to support projects that can meaningfully advance ovarian cancer knowledge, improve patient and survivor care, or set the stage for tangible downstream benefits. Impact may be scientific (new understanding of disease biology) or patient-centered (better approaches to prevention, detection, stratification, treatment selection, or survivorship).
Does the award require a clear gap statement?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes that proposals should identify a clear, critical gap in the field, explain why the gap matters, and show how the research plan directly addresses it.
What research phases are explicitly within scope?
The scope includes basic laboratory science and translational research efforts that build toward clinical relevance, as long as they do not involve clinical trial execution.
Does the program prioritize feasibility and rigor?
Yes. The description highlights scientifically rigorous work, appropriately designed studies, and feasibility supported by ovarian cancer-relevant preliminary data.
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