Research Coding FAQs

NCI Research Coding and Reporting FAQs

Provides an overview of the scientific coding process and how this process contributes to NCI's mission.

How do I search?

The NCI Funded Research Portfolo's search function allows you to search the database using a number of criteria. On the search form, some of these criteria are designated by fields that already have preset values. Fields that are not relevant to your search can be left blank. The search function is not case sensitive.

When you have finished entering values for each of your search criteria, click the Search button and your request will be processed. If you would like to erase all of your entries and start over, click the Reset link.

How do I search for grants/contracts in Maryland for brain cancer?

1. Select Maryland from the State, Territory, or Province drop-down menu
2. Select Brain from the Cancer Site/Type drop-down menu.
3. Click the Search button.

How do I search for breast cancer funding from NCI's DCEG?

1. Select Breast Cancer from the Cancer Site/Type drop-down menu.
2. Select DCEG from the Division drop-down menu.
3. Click the Search button.

What criteria do I use to search?

Cancer Activity

The NCI Cancer Activity is a categorization of a cancer specialty used to identify the major cancer emphasis of a grant.

Common Scientific Outline (CSO)

The Common Scientific Outline (CSO) is a coding system used by public and private organizations in the US, UK, and Canada to describe research projects. The development of the CSO provides a framework to improve coordination among research organizations, making it possible to compare the research portfolios of public, non-profit, and governmental research agencies.

The CSO is organized around seven broad areas of scientific interest in cancer research, including:

• Biology
• Etiology
• Prevention
• Early detection, Diagnosis, and Prognosis
• Treatment
• Cancer Control, Survivorship, and Outcomes Research
• Scientific Model Systems

Fiscal Year

The Federal budget year runs from October 1 to September 30. Selecting a fiscal year from the search form will search for projects funded during that fiscal year. The NCI Funded Research Portfolio database includes awards for the current fiscal year and the previous nine fiscal years.

NIH Funding Mechanisms

A code used by NIH to identify the subcategory of an extramural or intramural activity. Also referred to as an "activity code." Click here to view a comprehensive list of NIH funding mechanisms.

Keywords

The keywords box allows you to enter other words or phrases you'd like to search for, such as scientific terms and names. Separate each keyword with a space. If you would like to search for a specific phrase, use quotation marks around the phrase.

For example: "breast cancer"

You may also search using multiple words or phrases. To do this, combine words or phrases with "and" or "or" and use parentheses for grouping.

For example: (clinical and prostate) or (clinical and "breast cancer")

You may use keywords to search any of the following criteria:

• The text and title of the project's abstract
• Cancer activity
• Division (abbreviations only, i.e. DCP)
• Project number
• Awarded institution
• Awarded institution city
• Awarded institution state (abbreviations only, i.e. MD)
• Funding mechanism (by code only, i.e. R01)
• Principal investigator name
• Program director name
• Project title
• Any of the project's listed Special Interest Categories (SICs)
• Any of the project's listed disease sites
• Common Scientific Outline (CSO)

NCI Division

The NCI Division that manages the programmatic aspects of a project.

Acronym	Division
CCR	Center for Cancer Research
DCB	Division of Cancer Biology
DCCPS	Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
DCEG	Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
DCP	Division of Cancer Prevention
DCS	Division of Clinical Sciences
DCTD	Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
DDES	Office of Deputy Director - Extramural Science
DEA	Division of Extramural Activities
OD	Office of the Director

Project Number

This field represents the grant or contract's project number. Punctuation is ignored.

Research Institution

This field represents the awarded institution. Whole or partial names are accepted.

Cancer Type (Disease site)

Cancer types as defined by NCI-designated cancer organ sites, such as Breast or Liver; or related cancers, such as Hodgkins Lymphoma, are reporting categories for NCI research projects.

Research Topic (Special Interest Category [SIC])

Special Interest Categories describe the major scientific disciplines that are of stated or growing interest to the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, Congress, and the public. Examples of SICs are Nanotechnology and Drug Development. SICs are reporting categories for NCI research projects.

What is percent relevance?

NCI research projects are coded to a variety of research categories and organ sites. In many cases a portion of a research project, and not the entire project, focuses on a category or organ site. When this is the case, that portion is assigned to a category as a percentage. This is considered the "percent relevance" of that category of the total research project. How the percentages are assigned depends on the type of project.

How can I view a report?

The NCI Funded Research Portfolio returns search results in one of two views: (1) the Project Details View and (2) the Budget Category View.

Report Views Comparison

	Project Details View	Budget Category View
Availability	All searches	Must select at least one SIC or Site and select a fiscal year equal to or greater than 2007
Title
Institution
Principal investigator
Program director
Cancer activity
Division
Funded amount
Project dates
Fiscal year
Project type
Total funding per Page
All coded research topics (SICs)
All coded disease sites
Selected research topics (SICs)
Selected disease sites
Common Scientific Outline (CSO)
Relevant funding for selected categories
Total relevant funding per page