DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer Idea Award with Special Focus

The Idea Award with Special Focus supports innovative, untested, high-risk/potentially high-reward concepts, theories, paradigms, and/or methods in cancer research that are relevant to active duty service members, their families, and other military beneficiaries. The “Special Focus” of this award mechanism is on the cancers associated with exposures, conditions, or circumstances that are unique to the military or disproportionately represented within the military beneficiary population. The advancement of knowledge in cancer research, patient care, and/or treatment options in the military health system is critical to active duty service members, their families, other military beneficiaries, and the American public. Military relevance should be articulated with respect to the overall military health system and the mission of the DHP and the FY14 PRCRP. For more information, please review the following websites: Military Health System (http://www.health.mil), the PRCRP (http://cdmrp.army.mil/prcrp/default.shtml), and PRCRP Report to Congress (http://cdmrp.army.mil/prcrp/reports/reports.shtml).The Idea Award with Special Focus is not intended to support a logical progression of an already established research project. The proposed research project should be novel and innovative. Innovative research may introduce a new paradigm, challenge existing paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other highly creative qualities. Research that is an incremental advance upon published data is not considered innovative. The proposed research project should include a well-formulated, testable hypothesis based on strong scientific rationale and study design.Inclusion of preliminary data is discouraged. The outcome of research supported by this award should be the generation of robust preliminary data that can be used as a foundation for future research projects to understand the mechanisms of initiation, or progression of cancer. This award is not intended to support ongoing research in the applicant’s laboratory; therefore, inclusion of preliminary data other than serendipitous findings or in very small amounts is not consistent with the exploratory nature of this award.