Ovarian Cancer Proteogenomics Research Award | W81XWH 22 OCRP PGRA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 22 OCRP PGRA

The Ovarian Cancer Proteogenomics Research Award is a Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) funding opportunity meant to push forward innovative, clinically relevant research in ovarian cancer using proteomics and/or genomics. The main idea is to leverage modern genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches to dig into new biological concepts and disease mechanisms, especially those that could change how ovarian cancer is understood, classified, detected, or managed. Rather than funding the collection of new samples through a prospective clinical study, this award is built around analyzing clinical specimens that already exist, with the expectation that applicants will use those materials to answer important biologic and pathophysiologic questions tied to real clinical needs.

A key feature of this mechanism is its focus on data-rich molecular analysis of available patient specimens. Projects are expected to apply genomic and/or transcriptomic profiling, proteomic profiling, or integrated multi-omics strategies to interrogate ovarian cancer in a way that is both conceptually fresh and potentially impactful. The emphasis is not simply on generating datasets, but on addressing a well-defined, innovative research question that can produce insight into ovarian cancer biology with clear clinical relevance, such as uncovering mechanisms of progression, resistance, recurrence, tumor heterogeneity, immune interactions, or identifying biomarker candidates that could ultimately support earlier detection, better patient stratification, or improved monitoring of treatment response.

Clinical trials are explicitly not permitted under this award mechanism, meaning applicants should not propose interventional or prospective clinical trial activities. That said, the program encourages the use of specimens that were derived from clinical trials (for example, archived samples from prior trials) and also encourages work involving large patient specimen cohorts. In practice, that makes this a good fit for teams that can access biobanked tissue, blood, ascites, or other clinically annotated materials, and that have the analytical and computational capacity to extract meaningful biological and clinically interpretable signals from those specimens.

From an application-readiness standpoint, preliminary data are not required, which lowers the barrier for investigators proposing genuinely new directions or applying emerging technologies to ovarian cancer questions. Preliminary data are allowed, so applicants who already have supportive pilot findings can include them, but the opportunity is structured to support strong ideas even if they are early-stage, as long as the approach and rationale are compelling and feasible with existing specimens.

Applicants are also encouraged to consider using a specific Department of Defense-supported resource: the Women’s Health Integrated Research Center Clinical Proteomics Platform. This platform was established by the DOD intramural Gynecologic Cancer Center of Excellence and is described as a specialized, cutting-edge proteomics capability aimed at identifying and validating protein biomarkers and surrogate markers. The stated downstream purpose of these capabilities aligns with practical clinical needs in oncology: improved early detection, better stratification of patients into clinically meaningful subgroups, and improved monitoring for therapeutic efficacy, outcomes, and recurrence. While use of the platform is framed as an option rather than a requirement, it signals the program’s interest in high-quality proteomic measurements and translationally oriented biomarker and monitoring concepts.

Administratively, this opportunity is listed as discretionary funding from the Department of Defense, Department of the Army (USAMRAA). The funding opportunity number is W81XWH 22 OCRP PGRA, and the assistance listing (CFDA) number is 12.420, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The available funding instruments include cooperative agreements and grants. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to a wide range of applicant organizations, subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement. The opportunity was created on March 18, 2022, with an original closing date of August 5, 2022. The listing indicates an expectation of about two awards, and the award ceiling is shown as 0, which typically means applicants should rely on the full announcement for the actual budget limits or that ceilings may be specified elsewhere in the program documentation.

Overall, this award is best read as a targeted investment in hypothesis-driven ovarian cancer proteogenomics: using existing, clinically grounded specimen resources and modern -omics tools to generate insights that could matter for patients, without conducting a new clinical trial. The most competitive projects would likely be those that pair strong clinical annotation and thoughtful cohort selection with rigorous proteomic/genomic methods and a clear line of sight to clinically meaningful biology, whether that is biomarker discovery and validation, mechanistic understanding of aggressive disease, or molecular stratification that could inform future therapeutic strategies.

• 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 "Ovarian Cancer Proteogenomics 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 Mar 18, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 05, 2022. (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 2 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 W81XWH 22 OCRP PGRA

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