Forecast to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Early-Stage Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced a forecast for a funding opportunity entitled "Early-Stage Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)". This anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), listed under opportunity number FOR-CA-25-073, is a forecasted cooperative agreement aimed at fostering innovative informatics technologies to advance cancer research. As a key initiative under the Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) Program, this effort targets the development of new tools that can assist in managing and analyzing complex data across multiple domains of cancer science, including cancer biology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control. The grant is intended to support early-stage tool development or the substantial modification of existing technologies for new cancer-related applications. Early-stage development in this context refers to initial prototyping through to early dissemination stages. The primary goal is to improve the usability, accessibility, and utility of informatics tools in cancer research. To ensure maximum relevance, all proposed tools must clearly articulate their necessity and outline how they will advance cancer research. Proposals must also include mechanisms for soliciting ongoing user feedback throughout the development cycle. Applications responding to this NOFO should focus on creating user-friendly and novel informatics tools that offer clear benefits to a broad spectrum of cancer research activities. These may include basic biological research, population studies, translational science, or clinical investigation. Each proposed project must demonstrate a compelling rationale, offer innovative informatics features, and provide detailed plans for engaging potential end users. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals with achievable development timelines and clearly defined milestones for assessing progress. This funding opportunity does not have a listed award ceiling, floor, or total program funding at this time. These values may be specified when the formal NOFO is released. As a forecasted opportunity, applications are not being accepted yet. However, the estimated application open date is August 29, 2025, with submissions due by November 21, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be announced on July 1, 2026, with funded projects beginning on the same date. The activity code to be used is U01, which denotes a cooperative agreement where significant NIH involvement is expected. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entities, such as federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations not federally recognized, state and local governments, school districts, public housing authorities, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions), small and large for-profit organizations, and both public and private institutions of higher education. This wide eligibility scope underscores the NIH’s intent to foster collaborative, multidisciplinary innovation. For potential applicants seeking to prepare, Juli Klemm, PhD, serves as the primary contact for this opportunity. She can be reached via phone at 202-853-7889 or by email at juli.klemm@nih.gov. This advance notice aims to allow ample time for interested parties to form collaborations and develop responsive, impactful projects that align with the mission of ITCR and the broader goals of NCI in advancing cancer research and care.