DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer, Career Development Award – Fellow and Resident Option | HT942525PRCRPCDAFRO

Opportunity Information: Apply for HT942525PRCRPCDAFRO

The FY25 DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) Clinical Development Award - Fellow and Resident Option (CDA-FRO) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the Department of the Army through USAMRAA (CFDA 12.420) that is designed to build the next generation of cancer researchers. The central goal is career development: the early-career investigator is the Principal Investigator, and the application is expected to be shaped around that PI's research direction, training needs, and trajectory toward becoming an independent cancer investigator. The research itself still needs to be substantive and impactful, with a clear line of sight to advancing cancer research and/or improving patient care.

A core requirement is that the proposed project must tackle an important, clearly defined cancer problem that fits within at least one of the FY25 PRCRP topic areas and also aligns with at least one of the FY25 PRCRP strategic goals. In practical terms, the program is looking for proposals that are not just academically interesting, but also strategically relevant to the PRCRP priorities for the year and capable of moving the field forward in a meaningful way, whether through better understanding of cancer biology, translational advances, or clinically relevant improvements.

This mechanism has two separate entry paths based on the applicant's career stage. The Fellow Option is for an early-career researcher or physician-scientist who is within seven years of completing a terminal degree at the time of the application deadline. Importantly, the clock can be paused for certain circumstances: time spent in residency, other clinical training, or family medical leave does not count toward the seven-year window. The Resident Option is aimed at physicians currently in residency who want to develop into physician-scientists; it is built to support clinicians early enough that they can start laying a structured foundation in cancer research while still in formal clinical training.

Both options require a Career Guide, and this is not a light-touch role. The Career Guide must be an established cancer researcher with a strong track record of funding and publications, and the application needs to show real commitment from this person to support the PI's development. That typically implies active mentorship, deliberate career planning, and credible access to the research environment, expertise, and professional network needed to help the PI grow into an independent investigator.

For FY25, a notable administrative change is how the funding limits are expressed: caps are now provided as total costs, meaning the limit includes both direct and indirect costs together. The opportunity listing indicates an expected 12 awards, with the posted closing date of July 3, 2025. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, but applicants still need to meet the specific PI status requirements for either the Fellow or Resident track, and the proposal must be built around the program's topic and strategic-goal alignment.

• The Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer, Career Development Award – Fellow and Resident Option" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-05-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-07-03. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for HT942525PRCRPCDAFRO

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