Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional)

Funding Agency:

  • National Institutes of Health
RFP# and Website: 
PAR-21-293
Description: 

‘Translation’ is defined by NCATS as the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and communities – from diagnostics, preventions, and treatments to medical procedures and behavioral changes. ‘Translational research’ (TR) is defined by NCATS as the endeavor to traverse a particular step of the translational process for a particular target or disease. ‘Translational science’ (TS) is the field of investigation focused on understanding the scientific and operational principles underlying each step of the translational process. Whereas translational research focuses on the specific case of a target or disease, translational science is focused on the general case that applies to any target or disease; advances in translational science are the focus of this FOA. A key tenet of translational science is to understand common causes of inefficiency and failure in translational research projects (e.g., incorrect predictions of the toxicity or efficacy of new drugs, lack of data interoperability, ineffective clinical trial recruitment). Many of these causes are the same across targets, diseases, and therapeutic areas; therefore, advances in translational science will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of translational research to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. Like any other science, translational science seeks to elucidate general operative principles to transform translation from an empirical, phenomenological process into a predictive science. The application of scientific and operational innovation and strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all research is at the heart of developing, demonstrating, and disseminating the science of translation.

NCATS amended the CTSA Program goals in response to the recent feedback and the maturation of the existing CTSA Program and will use a variety of mechanisms to achieve these goals, including this UM1 FOA and other training and research opportunities.

  1. Advance CTS: develop, demonstrate, and disseminate scientific and operational innovations that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical translation from identification to first-in-human studies to medical practice implementation to community health dissemination

  2. Promote partnerships and collaborations to facilitate and accelerate translational research projects locally, regionally, and nationally

  3. Create, provide, and disseminate innovative research programs and partnerships across institutions and communities to address health disparities and deliver the benefits of translational science to all 

  4. Create and implement scientific and operational innovations that increase the quality, safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and informativeness of clinical research

  5. Provide a national resource for the rapid response to urgent public health needs

  6. Create, provide, and disseminate CTS training programs for clinical research professionals of all disciplines on the research team

  7. Create, provide, and disseminate CTS training and career support programs for translational scientists

  8. Foster the development of the emerging field of translational science

Awards: 

The amount of funding that applicants can request depends on the amount of NIH funding they receive.

Letter of Intent: 
30 days prior to the application due date
Full Proposal Submission Deadline: 

January 26, 2022, May 13, 2022, September 16, 2022

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s).

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date. No late applications will be accepted for this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Contacts: 

Erica Rosemond, Ph.D., National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Telephone: 301-594-8927, Email: CTSAFOAQuestions@mail.nih.go