Cancer Biomarkers

Award program information

Funding for this RFA will be allocated from the IUSCCC, using the ITRAC mechanism/process. Project budgets will be developed with the TRC personnel and based on the specific needs of the project.

Applicants must be IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center full, associate or affiliate members. IUSCCC Program Leaders and members of the IUSCCC Executive Committee are not eligible for this pilot funding announcement. The duration of this pilot funding is one year.

It is expected that funds will lead to submission of proposals to externally peer-reviewed sources, such as the National Cancer Institute or American Cancer Society. Funds should not be used for fellowship or training purposes.

Applicants may have received prior or current extramural research funding, but the proposed project should be independent from previous/current funded projects. Proposals previously reviewed by a federal funding agency, scored favorably, and now under revision will be given additional consideration (a copy of the summary statement should be enclosed).

A one-page letter of intent specifying the project hypothesis, significance, how the TRC will aid the project and aims should be submitted to Kaitlin Condron (kcondron@iu.edu) or Crystal Baker (crybanks@iupui.eduand will be reviewed by the TRC Advisory Board/IUSCCC Executive Committee on a rolling submission basis.

Upon approval of the LOI, teams are required to complete a project map to be submitted with the full proposal for funding consideration.

The body of the proposal should not exceed three pages plus one page for Aims and should follow NIH guidelines and formatting (total of four pages in length). The detailed budget will be included on the strategy map (to be completed with Crystal Baker or Kaitlin Condron) and can include personnel, supplies and equipment.


Proposals should not include percent effort (salary) for the Principal Investigator. An electronic copy in PDF format must be submitted for review and should include:

  • Abstract (NIH format; 30 lines; not included in page limit)
  • Aims (1 page)
  • Significance
  • Innovation
  • Approach
  • ITRAC Map (to be completed by Kaitlin Condron or Crystal Baker with the project team)
  • NIH biosketch of all team members

NOTE: The Significance, Innovation, and Approach sections should not exceed three pages and follow NIH guidelines and formatting.

Aims page can be up to one page. Abstract should be standard NIH format length (30 lines). Total of four pages in length plus 30-line abstract.

An expert review committee of IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center members with experience serving on study sections at the NCI and evaluating pilot proposals will be selected. Previous pilot funding received by the PI and results (e.g., papers, grant submissions) of that pilot funding will be taken into consideration during the review process. Final funding decisions will be made based on the review evaluations and rankings.

Criteria for review are:

  • Scientific merit
  • Multidisciplinary and translational nature
  • Cancer relatedness
  • Potential for subsequent peer reviewed funding

NOTE: If you have received previous pilot funding, your outcomes from that funding will be evaluated and considered in this review. It is expected that all funding will lead to submission of externally reviewed research grants.

  • Letter of Intent: Rolling submission
  • Completed Application: Following LOI approval

Recent awardees

  • Daniel Runco: Anthropometric and Biochemical Markers of Nutrition in Children with Cancer: A Pilot Investigation of GDF15
  • Sheri Robb: Active Music Engagement to Manage Acute Distress and Improve Positive Health Outcomes in Young Children undergoing HSCT and Parent

Kaitlin Condron
kcondron@iu.edu
Phone: 317-278-3722

Crystal Baker
crybanks@iupui.edu
Phone: 317-278-3312

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