The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI), with potential participation from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, is accepting applications under PAR-23-284, Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Human Cancers for Years 2024, 2025, and 2026 (P50 Clinical Trial Required).
SPOREs are P50 translational research centers focused on an organ-specific cancer, a highly related group of cancers, a common biologic mechanism, or an approved cross-cutting cancer theme. Research must be grounded in human biology and designed to reach translational human endpoints within the project period.
Deadline: The final new, renewal, resubmission, and revision due date under this NOFO is September 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. A letter of intent is requested 30 days before the application due date. The NOFO expires September 26, 2026.
Funding: Approximately six to ten SPORE awards per year are anticipated, subject to appropriations and meritorious applications. Applicants may request up to $1.4 million in direct costs per year, excluding third-party indirect costs, with limited additional amounts available for qualified Early Detection, Prevention, or Population Science projects and Cancer Health Disparities/Minority Health projects. The maximum project period is five years. Cost sharing is not required.
Eligibility: Eligible U.S. organizations include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, small businesses and other for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Tribal governments, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories. Foreign institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, although foreign components are allowed subject to current NIH policy.
Critical program requirements: A new SPORE application requires at least three translational Research Projects, each with a human endpoint, and at least one investigator-initiated clinical trial. Applications must meet NCI’s Minimum Research Base requirement, including at least four independent investigators who are current PDs/PIs or project leaders on qualifying peer-reviewed research grants or active NCI-sponsored clinical trials directly relevant to the SPORE theme. Required multi-project components include an Administrative Core, Shared Resources including a Biospecimen/Pathology Core, a Developmental Research Program, and a Career Enhancement Program. Applications lacking translational focus, human endpoints, the required clinical trial, or the minimum research base are nonresponsive.
Atlas fit: This is a premier oncology, translational research, clinical-trial, biomarker, prevention, early-detection, and cancer-health-disparities opportunity. Although for-profit organizations are structurally eligible and no match is required, a credible direct Dr. Miltie prime pursuit would require a mature cancer-research enterprise, the required funded investigator research base, multiple integrated translational projects, an investigator-initiated clinical trial, biospecimen/pathology and other shared cores, developmental and career-enhancement programs, and substantial institutional commitments. Preferred posture: Partner-Led / Established Cancer Translational Research Center.