Contact:
Mary K. Wolpert, Ph.D.
Grants and Contracts Operations Branch
DTP, DCTD, NCI
Telephone: 301-496-8783
Email: wolpertm@exchange.nih.gov

Objective of Project:
The objective of the Request for Applications (RFA) is to identify, characterize, and validate molecular targets for their potential as cancer drug discovery and/or prevention targets. Research may focus on any aspect of cancer cell biology. For example, targets may include any point of vulnerability in a cancer cell, such as molecules or pathways involved in cell cycle control, DNA repair or cell death. The long-term goal is to exploit the most promising targets as the focus of drug design programs and high-throughput screening efforts.

Description of Project:
Research projects solicited by this RFA will identify, characterize and validate novel molecular targets (i.e., targets that are not attacked by agents already approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration). Projects will be supported by the cooperative agreement mechanism. NCI will facilitate efforts by providing compounds for assay validations, coordinating a database on molecular target data, and providing NCI-directed contract resources where feasible and appropriate. The cooperative agreement mechanism will facilitate interactions of the awardees through a steering committee. The steering committee will develop criteria for targets suitable for drug discovery efforts and for scale-up to high-throughput screens. Investigators are encouraged to define a target's potential value for a drug discovery effort, which will involve more risk taking than is common in traditional R01 grants. Additional support may be available to awardees and may include but will not be limited to production of larger quantities of a protein for structural analyses by relevant techniques, such as x-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); development of assays; screening activities; or creation of compound libraries. Although drug development activities are beyond the scope of this RFA, compound leads identified through efforts of these grantees may be developed to clinical trial with the assistance of NCI-directed contract resources upon advice of an NCI organized Compound Decision Group or by other means, such as collaborations with industry.