Early-Stage Innovative Technology Development for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

About this funding opportunity

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) solicits grant applications proposing to develop innovative technologies offering new capabilities for the molecular or cellular characterization of cancer or for improved handling and quality control of biospecimens for basic, clinical, or epidemiological cancer research. The NOFO solicits R61 applications for early-stage projects proposing proof-of-concept/pilot studies to test the technical feasibility of the proposed method, tool, assay, platform, or instrument. Technologies proposed for development may have potential for widespread applicability but must be focused for this program on cancer-relevant use cases. Projects proposing to apply or use existing technologies for hypothesis-driven research where the novelty resides in the biological or clinical target/question being pursued are not responsive to this solicitation and will not be reviewed. This funding opportunity is part of a broader NCI-sponsored Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program.

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health.

Funding amount

This grant provides Up to $150K in funding, up to $150K per award.

Deadline

Applications are due Nov 10, 2026. Confirm the exact closing time on the official program page before applying.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Public Authorities
• NGOs
• Large Company
• SME
• University
• Other

Eligibility

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility. Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations:Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

Agency

Early-Stage Innovative Technology Development for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is administered by National Institutes of Health (NIH), listed via Grants.gov.