Key Dates

None

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), with other NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications from National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Cancer Centers with existing community outreach and collaborations with American Indian and Alaska Native populations for research on improving cancer outcomes.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. 

The NOFO is expected to be published in Summer 2024 with an expected application due date in Summer 2024.

This NOFO will utilize the U01 activity code. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.

This Notice encourages investigators at NCI-designated Cancer Centers with expertise and insights in the area of cancer in American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.

The FY 2024 Federal appropriations provided funding to NIMHD for the development and implementation of an initiative for improving cancer outcomes in AI/AN. AI/ANs experience overall cancer incidence and mortality rates that are strikingly higher than non-AI/AN populations. While there is considerable variation in certain types of cancers by region, compared with non-Hispanic whites, AI/ANs have higher incidence rates of liver, stomach, kidney, lung, colorectal and female breast cancers across most regions of the United States. NCI-designated Cancer Centers are uniquely positioned to collaborate with Tribal Nations, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to lead innovative and impactful efforts to improve the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers. NIMHD is working with the NIH Tribal Health Research Office (THRO) to conduct a Tribal Consultation to foster ongoing collaboration and seek input from Tribal Nations and organizations in the creation of a funding opportunity that supports the research priorities important to AI/AN communities, with the goal of making sure that findings may help improve outcomes for individuals with cancer and their families.

Initiative for Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Outcomes

The Initiative for Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Outcomes will support efforts including research, education, outreach, and clinical access to improve the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers among (AI/AN), particularly those living in rural communities. Potential areas of focus may include, but not be limited to:

• Interventions with outreach strategies for cancer survivors related to challenges with treatment or adherence such as financial hardships, caregiver availability, or access to treatment facilities.
• Testing health care delivery approaches that are culturally appropriate but strengthen self-management of clinical outcomes, appropriate surveillance of any concerns or that improve comorbidities such as anxiety and depression.
• Impact of behavior change, survivorship and quality of life, resilience, positive assets, long term side effects and pain management among cancer survivors.
• Interventions including innovative approaches to cancer screening and early detection.
• Cancers related to carcinogens including environmental exposures across various regions (e.g., radioactive areas, arsenic levels in water on the Great Plains, uranium mines in the Southwest).
• Research on treatments grounded in Indigenous Knowledges (e.g., including traditional medicines or other holistic healing approaches for mind, body and spirit).
• Cancer control plans driven by Tribal Nations including surveillance, screening, navigation, survivorship, workforce, policy, research and evaluation.

NIMHD will work with the NCI to locate this initiative at an NCI-designated Cancer Center demonstrating partnerships with Tribal Nations, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations. 

Funding Information

Applications are not being solicited at this time. 

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Angela R. Fernandez, PhD, MPH, LCSW

National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Telephone: 240-687-3039 

Email: angela.fernandez@nih.gov