The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Early-Stage Innovative Technology Development for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research R61 Grant supports high-risk, high-impact projects developing novel technologies for the molecular or cellular characterization of cancer or for improved handling and quality control of cancer-relevant biospecimens.
The program focuses on early proof-of-concept and pilot development of new methods, tools, assays, platforms, devices, and instruments with potential to advance basic, clinical, or epidemiological cancer research. Awards provide up to $150,000 in direct costs per year for up to three years, with the next deadline on November 10, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education.
- Nonprofit organizations, with or without 501(c)(3) status, may apply.
- Foreign/non-U.S. organizations are eligible to apply.
- Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations and eligible foreign components are permitted.
- Applications involving foreign subawards or subcontracts are not permitted under the current NIH policy applicable to this NOFO.
- Applicant organizations may submit multiple applications if each proposal is scientifically distinct.
Funding Details
- Maximum funding: $150,000 in direct costs per year.
- Maximum project duration: 3 years.
- Maximum potential direct costs: $450,000 over three years.
- NCI FY2027 program funding: Approximately $5.1 million.
Deadline
- Applications opened: June 10, 2026.
- Application deadline: November 10, 2026.
- Earliest project start: July 2027.
- NOFO expiration: November 11, 2026.
Further Information
- Projects simply applying an existing technology to a new biological or clinical question are not eligible.
- Biomarker discovery or validation, drug or therapy development, whole-body/in vivo imaging instrumentation, and software/informatics-only projects are outside the scope of this call.
- Awardees must participate in the annual NCI IMAT investigator meeting, and relevant travel costs may be included in the project budget.
- Official program page: View the official opportunity
- Full announcement: View RFA-CA-27-001
- Grants.gov listing: View on Grants.gov