Upcoming Science Writer's Seminar On June 11, NCI and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will co-host a science writer's seminar entitled "The Science of Breast Cancer: From Data to Discovery." This seminar is being held the day after the release of the IOM's report, "Saving Women's Lives: Strategies for Improving Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis," and will feature a panel of renowned researchers and experts in the field. Please consult future issues of the NCI Cancer Bulletin and cancer.gov for information on registration and online viewing.

PA-04-099
Application Receipt Date: April 30, 2006

NCI invites applications that are focused on research leading to the elucidation of mechanism(s) by which dietary factors influence epigenetic processes as well as increasing the understanding of these processes in cancer prevention. The objective is to encourage collaboration between nutrition and epigenetic experts to study bioactive food components with cancer preventive properties and to examine key epigenetic events in cancer processes so that investigators can begin to establish linkages between epigenetics, methylation pattern, and tumor incidence/behavior.

The PA will use the NIH Investigator-Initiated Research Project Grant (R01), the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21), and the NIH Small Grants Program (R03) as award mechanisms.

For more information see http://cri.nci.nih.gov/4abst.cfm?initiativeparfa_id=2063

Inquiries: Dr. Sharon A. Ross, rosssha@mail.nih.gov

Characterization, Behavior, and Plasticity of Pluripotent Stem Cells

PA-04-101
Application Receipt Dates: July 1, 2004; Nov. 1, 2004; March 1, 2005; July 1, 2005; Nov.1, 2005; March 1, 2006; July 1, 2006; Nov. 1, 2006; March 1, 2007; July 1, 2007

NCI, along with other branches of NIH, invites applications for studies on the characterization, behavior, and plasticity of human and nonhuman stem cells; regulation of their replication, differentiation, integration, and function in the nervous system; and identification and characterization of normal and tumor stem cells.

The PA will use the Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) mechanism and the Research Project (R01) grant mechanism.

For more information see http://cri.nci.nih.gov/4abst.cfm?initiativeparfa_id=2062

Inquiries: Dr. Neeraja Sathyamoorthy, ns61r@nih.gov

Phased Application Awards in Cancer Prognosis and Prediction

PA-04-102
Application Receipt Dates: July 1, 2004; Nov. 1, 2004; March 1, 2005; July 1, 2005

This PA replaces PAR-03-098. NCI's Cancer Diagnosis Program invites applications for research projects to evaluate the utility and pilot the application of new strategies for determining prognosis or predicting response to therapy, thus providing tools to improve clinical decision-making in the care of cancer patients. This PA provides support for a first phase (R21) for technical development and a second phase (R33) for application and evaluation of clinical utility.

The PA will use the Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Phase 2 (R33) and the combined R21/R33 Phased-Innovation Award mechanisms.

For more information see http://cri.nci.nih.gov/4abst.cfm?initiativeparfa_id=2060

Inquiries: Dr. Tracy G. Lugo, lugot@mail.nih.gov; Dr. Magdalena Thurin, thurinm@mail.nih.gov; Dr. James V. Tricoli, tricolij@mail.nih.gov

Testing Tobacco Products Promoted To Reduce Harm

PA-04-103
Application Receipt Dates: July 1, 2004; Nov. 1, 2004; March 1, 2005; July 1, 2005; Nov. 1, 2005; March 1, 2006

The purpose of this PA is to stimulate multidisciplinary research on potential reduced-exposure tobacco products, both smoked and smokeless, through the interplay of basic, biological, and behavioral research, surveillance, and epidemiology.

The PA will use the NIH Investigator-Initiated Research Project Grant (R01) and the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) award mechanisms.

For more information see http://cri.nci.nih.gov/4abst.cfm?initiativeparfa_id=2061

Inquiries: Dr. Mirjana V. Djordjevic, djordjev@mail.nih.gov

Upcoming Science Writer's Seminar On June 11, NCI and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) will co-host a science writer's seminar entitled "The Science of Breast Cancer: From Data to Discovery." This seminar is being held the day after the release of the IOM's report, "Saving Women's Lives: Strategies for Improving Breast Cancer Detection and Diagnosis," and will feature a panel of renowned researchers and experts in the field. Please consult future issues of the NCI Cancer Bulletin and cancer.gov for information on registration and online viewing.