The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI), is accepting applications under RFA-CA-27-012, Metastasis Research Network (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
NCI will support U54 Specialized Research Centers that form the hub of the Metastasis Research Network. Each center must pursue an overarching metastasis-research theme through two or three integrated, interdisciplinary basic-research projects using systems-level approaches to understand dynamic and emergent metastatic processes across molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and whole-body scales.
Deadline: New applications are due September 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The NOFO opened August 25, 2026 and expires September 26, 2026.
Funding: NCI intends to commit $6.8 million in FY2027 to fund four awards. Application budgets may not exceed $1.3 million per year in direct costs. The maximum project period is five years. Cost sharing is not required.
Eligibility: Eligible organizations include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, small businesses and other for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Tribal governments and organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories, independent school districts, housing authorities, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible foreign organizations. Current NIH restrictions on foreign subawards and subcontracts apply. Applicant organizations may submit more than one scientifically distinct application.
Program requirements: This is a U54 multi-project cooperative agreement. Each MetNet Center requires an Administrative Core and two or three integrated Research Projects; up to two Shared Resource Cores are optional. Centers must assemble complementary metastasis-research expertise and use integrative systems approaches. Applications focused on only one step in metastasis, population-level epidemiology, or clinical trials are nonresponsive. A Data Management and Sharing Plan and designated data-management capability are required.
Atlas fit: This is a high-value oncology, cancer biology, systems biology, bioengineering, computational science, imaging, data integration, and translational-research opportunity. Although for-profit organizations are structurally eligible and no match is required, a credible direct Dr. Miltie prime pursuit would require an established NCI-caliber metastasis research program, multi-investigator scientific leadership, two or three integrated projects, research cores and facilities, data-management infrastructure, and institutional commitments. Preferred posture: Partner-Led / Metastasis Systems Research Center.