The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has announced the Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) funding opportunity announcement: PAR-16-411. The OIA will support investigators with outstanding records of productivity in cancer research with up to $600,000 in direct costs per year for seven years to provide funding stability. NCI anticipates making about 50 awards annually. Vanderbilt may submit more than one application to this program, provided each is scientifically distinct.
The OIA will allow funded investigators the freedom to embark on long-term projects of unusual potential in cancer research; the opportunity to take greater risks and be more adventurous in their lines of inquiry; and sufficient time to develop new techniques.
The PI must have been a PD/PI or Project Leader of a research project, excluding cores, (of a NIH-defined multi-project grant e.g., P01, P50, U54) on an eligible NCI research grant(s) continuously since September 2011. The continuous support cannot include supplements or no cost extensions. Eligible NCI research grant mechanisms are defined as R01, R15, R33, R35, R37, P01, P30, P50, U01, U54, UM1, U19, U10, DP1, and DP2. The applicant PD/PI will be expected to commit at least 50% of her/his research activities to the OIA. The Institution will be expected to make a clear and substantial Institutional commitment to the PD/PI, for example, providing 20 percent of salary support.
An institutional letter of nomination is required for applicants to this funding opportunity. Anyone interested in being considered for nomination to this program must submit the following (in PDF format) to Susan Meyn (s.meyn@vanderbilt.edu) by 5 p.m. on Oct. 3. Please specify “NCI Outstanding Investigator Award (R35)” in the email subject line.
- Brief (two-page maximum) research plan including summary budget
- Very brief letter of support from department chair including statement regarding clear and substantial commitment to the PI (e.g. 20 percent effort support).
- New pilot version of the NIH Biosketch. The pilot Biosketch includes the addition of a new Contribution to Science section. The Pilot Biographical Sketch Instructions and Sample can be downloaded here.
The VICC Executive Committee will work in consultation with the Executive Vice Presidents for Research to conduct internal review and selection of nominees. All internal applicants will be notified of internal review decisions before the OIA Letter of Intent due date of Oct. 22.
The OIA application due date is Nov. 22. For other details, please review the OIA Program Announcement: PAR-16-411. If you have any questions, you may contact Susan Meyn in the Office of Research, or the NCI Program Office:
Christine Siemon
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-6180
Email: siemonc@mail.nih.gov