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US Department of Defense – Breast Cancer Research Program – Anticipated Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19)
Sponsor: US Department of Defense 		Closing Date: 22-Jan-2019
The FY19 Defense Appropriation provides USD $130 million (M) to the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) to support innovative, high-impact research with clinical relevance that will accelerate progress to end breast cancer for Service members, Veterans, and the general public. The BCRP is providing pre-announcement information to allow investigators time to plan and develop applications. FY19 BCRP Program Announcements and General Application Instructions are anticipated to be posted in January 2019. Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released. This pre-announcement should not be construed as an obligation by the government.

Applications submitted to the FY19 BCRP must address one or more of the following overarching challenges:
• Prevent breast cancer (primary prevention)
• Identify determinants of breast cancer initiation, risk, or susceptibility
• Distinguish deadly from non-deadly breast cancers
• Conquer the problems of overdiagnosis and overtreatment
• Identify what drives breast cancer growth; determine how to stop it
• Identify why some breast cancers become metastatic
• Determine why/how breast cancer cells lie dormant for years and then re-emerge; determine how to prevent lethal recurrence
• Revolutionize treatment regimens by replacing them with ones that are more effective, less toxic, and impact survival
• Eliminate the mortality associated with metastatic breast cancer

The following mechanisms are planned for release:

Breakthrough Award
• Funding Level 1: Innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that is in the earliest stages of idea development. In order to foster research with clearly defined potential to yield new avenues of investigation, preliminary data are not required. Proof-of-concept is the anticipated outcome.
- Maximum funding of USD $450,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
- Maximum funding of USD $750,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option
- Maximum period of performance is 3 years
• Funding Level 2: Preclinical research that is already supported by substantial preliminary or published data and strongly validates clinical translation in a well-defined context within the breast cancer landscape.
- Maximum funding of USD $1 million (M) for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
- Maximum funding of USD $1.5M for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option
- Maximum period of performance is 3 years
• Funding Level 2 – Population Science and Prevention Studies: With compelling justification, population science and prevention studies may request higher levels of funding and an additional year in the period of performance. Such studies may require additional resources due to the participation of human subjects and/or use of human biospecimens.
- Maximum funding of USD $1.5M for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
- Maximum funding of USD $2M for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option
- Maximum period of performance is 4 years
• Funding Level 3: Advanced translational studies with a high degree of project readiness. Where relevant, proof of availability of and access to necessary data, human samples, cohort(s), and/or critical reagents must be provided. If the proposed research would ultimately require US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) involvement, applications must demonstrate availability of and access to clinical reagents (e.g. therapeutic molecules) and subject population(s). Applications must state a realistic timeline for near-term clinical investigation. Small-scale clinical trials (e.g. first in human; Phase I/Ib) may be appropriate.
- Maximum funding of USD $3M in direct costs (plus indirect costs)
- Maximum funding of USD $4M for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option
- Maximum period of performance is 4 years
• Funding Level 4: Large-scale projects that will transform and revolutionize the clinical management and/or prevention of breast cancer. Human clinical trials are required. PIs are expected to have experience in successfully leading large-scale projects and demonstrated ability (through personal experience or via a commitment from a collaborating clinical investigator) to implement a clinical project successfully. Where relevant, applications must demonstrate availability of and access to necessary data, human samples, cohort(s), and/or critical reagents. For proposed research that will require FDA involvement, project readiness requirements at the time of application submission include: proof of availability of and access to clinical reagents (e.g. therapeutics) that meet regulatory compliance guidelines; proof of availability of and access to appropriate subject population(s); validated projections for patient recruitment; and submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application to the FDA, if applicable.
- Maximum funding of USD $10M for direct costs (plus indirect costs) for Partnering PI Option
- Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Breakthrough Fellowship Award
• As of the application submission deadline, all eligible PIs must have:
- Successfully completed the requirements for a doctoral or medical degree, and
- Been in the laboratory or clinical research setting in which the proposed research is to be performed for no more than 2 years, and
- A total of less than 4 years’ experience in a postdoctoral fellowship or mentored clinical research training program (excludes any clinical residency or fellowship training)
• The PI is not required to have previous experience in breast cancer research
• Maximum funding of USD $300,000 for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 3 years

Era of Hope Scholar Award
• Independent, non-mentored investigators within 6 years of their last training position (e.g., postdoctoral fellowship, medical residency, clinical fellowship) as of the application submission deadline
• Supports exceptionally talented, early-career scientists who have demonstrated that they are the “best and brightest” in their fields through extraordinary creativity, vision, innovation, and productivity.
• Maximum funding of USD $3M for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Innovator Award
• Associate Professor or above (or equivalent)
• Provides opportunity to pursue novel, visionary, high-risk ideas that will accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer.
• Maximum funding of USD $5M for direct costs (plus indirect costs).
• Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Distinguished Investigator Award
• Assistant Professor or above (or equivalent) and more than 6 years beyond the PI’s last training position as of the application submission deadline
• Seeks new paradigms in breast cancer research by supporting investigators who are established and recognized leaders with a renowned reputation as a researcher who has made groundbreaking contributions to advancing their field and who propose a fundamental shift from their track record of research.
• Maximum funding of USD $3M for direct costs (plus indirect costs)
• Maximum period of performance is 4 years

Key Dates
Pre-application and application deadlines will be available when the Program Announcements are released, which is anticipated in January 2019.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to make contact with the UQR&I international team (via internationalgrants@research.uq.edu.au) to discuss possible applications
Website: https://cdmrp.army.mil/pubs/press/2019/19bcrppreann

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