NCI Clinical and Translational Exploratory/Developmental Studies (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers a grant for Clinical and Translational Exploratory/Developmental Studies. It's also known as the R21 Clinical Trial program, and it can include a clinical trial, but it doesn't have to. This funding opportunity is designed to support the early stages of groundbreaking projects related to cancer research.

The scope of this research can have a broad spectrum. It encourages new exploratory studies particularly on cancer diagnosis, treatment, imaging, symptom/toxicity management, and cancer prevention. It also supports studies associated with clinical trials and the development of innovative cancer treatments, symptom or toxicity management strategies, and preventive measures.

Moreover, it welcomes advancements in radiotherapy and projects that create mechanism-driven combinations. The NCI is especially interested in innovative preclinical experiments that use new clinically-relevant models and imaging technologies that could potentially result in the first human clinical trials.

This grant mechanism aims to stimulate research projects that are in their early and conceptual stages. Although these projects might carry a high level of risk, they potentially hold the promise of significant breakthroughs in cancer research. Whether it's a novel technique, agent, methodology, model, or application, it should have the potential to dramatically impact the realm of cancer research and treatment, whether it is pre-clinical or clinical.