Notice Number: NOT-CA-10-032

Key Dates
Release Date:  July 15, 2010

Issued by
National Cancer Institute (NCI) (http://www.cancer.gov/)

PURPOSE OF THE NOTICE:

The Division of Cancer Biology at the National Cancer Institute announces the intent to publish a new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to promote interactive research under a Tumor Microenvironment Network (TMEN) Program (http://tmen.nci.nih.gov).  The intended FOA is designed to foster multi-institutional and transdisciplinary groups that are capable of addressing complex issues involving the tumor microenvironment. The main goal of TMEN is to generate novel information about the dynamic complexity of tumor-host interactions in different organ systems. The emphasis is on using human tissues, albeit supplemented by experimental models.  Prospective applicant teams are encouraged to consider broad areas of expertise. In addition to cancer biology, desirable areas of expertise might include, for example, bioengineering, biological imaging, immunology, pathology clinical oncology and systems biology. NCI plans to fund up to nine TMEN groups
 
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the TMEN is expected to be published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts in summer of 2010.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME. However, this Notice is to encourage investigators with appropriate backgrounds and capabilities to pro-actively plan to submit applications in response to this forthcoming FOA.

OVERVIEW OF THE INITIATIVE

The upcoming TMEN FOA is designed to: (a) encourage multidisciplinary research on the tumor microenvironment through support of individual TMEN Research Programs; (b) promote development of new resources within TMEN; and (c) promote collaborations with other investigators not supported directly by TMEN.

Specifically, the FOA will solicit applications for research programs that:

• Use multidisciplinary approaches aimed at understanding the interactions between tumor and stromal cells; delineating their function(s) as they relate to cancer development, progression and metastasis; and understanding the role of tumor stroma in conferring therapeutic resistance;
• Involve collaborations with other TMEN members to generate novel resources (such as reagents, technologies, and models) for the broader cancer research community; and
• Emphasize the use of human tumor specimens, which can be supplemented by experimental models as appropriate (but sole reliance on animal models is discouraged). 

It is expected that the proposed TMEN programs will center on emerging scientific themes in tumor microenvironment. Examples of emerging areas that will be highlighted in the forthcoming FOA include (but are not limited to) the following areas: stem cell and metastatic niches; tumor dormancy; extracellular matrix; gradients and soluble factors; in the tumor microenvironment; Microbiome –tumor-stroma interactions; cell fusion and exosome secretion; stromal metabolism; bone marrow derived cell lineages.

Inquiries

Complete information on TMEN will be provided in the forthcoming FOA.

For any additional inquiries, please contact:

Suresh Mohla, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Chief, Tumor Biology & Metastasis Branch
Program Director, TMEN
Division of Cancer Biology
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard, EPN 5038
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 435-1878
FAX: 301-480-0864
Email: mohlas@mail.nih.gov

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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