Title:
Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancer

Contact:

Ivan Ding, M.D.
Organ System Branch
Office of Centers, Training, and Resources
ODDES, NCI
Telephone: (301) 451-3864
E-mail: DingI@mail.nih.gov

Objective of Project:

A Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) must provide focal points for sustaining and maintaining state-of-the-art research that will contribute to improved detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of an organ-specific cancer (or related groups of cancers). SPOREs are expected not only to conduct a wide spectrum of research activities, but should also contribute significantly to the development of specialized research resources (or cores), improved research model systems, and collaborative research projects with other institutions. The research supported through this program must be translational in nature. Translational research uses knowledge of human biology to develop and test the feasibility of cancer-relevant interventions in humans and/or determines the biological basis for observations made in individuals with cancer or in populations at risk for cancer. Inherently, this process involves interdependence between basic and applied investigators. It should be noted that clinical/ epidemiological research that does not include a laboratory component or capitalize upon a biological discovery relevant to human cancer is not considered translational for the purposes of this program.

Description of Project:

The Organ Systems Branch of the Office of the Deputy Director for Extramural Science at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites grant applications (P50) for Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in cancers of the lung, the genitourinary tract, the prostate, and the skin . Applicant institutions must be able to conduct the highest quality, balanced, translational research on the prevention, etiology, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of a specific organ-site cancer. SPORE applicants are judged on their current and potential ability to move basic research findings into a clinical or population setting or, conversely, to take a finding from the clinic/population and expand upon it in the laboratory. A SPORE must develop and maintain human cancer tissue resources (for the particular organ-site) that will benefit translational research; foster extended collaborations in critical areas of research need with laboratory and clinical scientists within the institution, as well as in other institutions; and participate with other SPOREs on a regular basis in sharing positive and negative findings, assessing scientific progress in the field, identifying new research opportunities, and promoting inter-SPORE collaborations. Each SPORE and the "network" of SPOREs are expected to conduct research that will have the most immediate impact possible on reducing incidence and mortality of human cancer. A SPORE should support a mix of basic and clinical researchers whose formal interactive and collaborative research efforts will result in new approaches for early detection, diagnosis, therapy, prevention and control of human cancer. The SPORE mechanism is not intended to support basic research to the exclusion of clinical research or vice versa. Only one SPORE application can be submitted by each applicant. Application materials can be obtained from Organ System Branch, NCI.

This Program Announcement (PAR) addresses only SPORE applications for organ sites specified to be received in the year 2005.