DoD Breast Cancer, Innovator Award | HT9425 23 BCRP INNOV 2

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT9425 23 BCRP INNOV 2

The DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Innovator Award is a highly selective funding opportunity designed to back people, not just proposals. It targets established, visionary Principal Investigators who have a proven track record of exceptional creativity, bold thinking, and paradigm-shifting leadership, whether their prior work has been in breast cancer or in a completely different field. The core goal is to give these rare individuals the resources and flexibility to pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas that could meaningfully accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer. Rather than emphasizing incremental advances, the award is built for investigators who can clearly articulate an unconventional, forward-looking vision that challenges current dogma and shows a willingness to move beyond traditional approaches in research or patient care.

A key theme of this mechanism is that the most important "deliverable" is the innovative contribution the PI can make to the field. Reviewers are looking for evidence that the PI has historically challenged the status quo, changed how a field thinks or operates, and continues to demonstrate strong potential for future breakthrough innovation. Applicants are expected to be established leaders who can form and direct effective partnerships and collaborations, assembling a research team with the expertise needed to pursue ambitious goals. While prior breast cancer experience is not required, the work proposed under this award must be focused on breast cancer, and the PI must commit at least 15 percent level of time and effort during the performance period specifically to conduct breast cancer research supported by the award. The program also explicitly encourages cross-disciplinary applicants who can bring novel concepts, tools, or frameworks into breast cancer research from outside the usual pipeline.

The award also builds in a strong development component: applications must include mentoring of promising junior investigators as a way to cultivate the next generation of innovators and stimulate new idea formation. In addition, the research team is required to include at least two breast cancer consumer advocates. These advocates must be individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and who are actively involved in a breast cancer advocacy organization. They are intended to function as independent lay representatives, meaning they cannot be employees of any organization participating in the application, and their contribution should be separate from any professional role. The opportunity expects these advocates to bring meaningful, informed input, with sufficient familiarity with current breast cancer issues and appropriate background or training to engage with research planning and interpretation. Their role is centered on providing objective perspectives on the research direction and its potential real-world impact for people living with breast cancer or at risk of developing it.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA, and falls under CFDA 12.420 (science and technology and other R&D). The funding instruments listed include grants and cooperative agreements, and eligibility is described as broadly open (unrestricted) subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement. The opportunity information provided lists an opportunity number of HT9425 23 BCRP INNOV 2, a creation date of May 2, 2023, and an original closing date of September 26, 2023, with an expected number of awards listed as 1. The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source data, which typically signals that applicants should rely on the full solicitation for the actual budget guidance, limits, and negotiation details rather than treating that field as a usable cap.

• 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 "DoD Breast Cancer, Innovator 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 May 02, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 26, 2023. (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 1 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.

Apply for HT9425 23 BCRP INNOV 2

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