Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN) (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 284

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 284

The Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN) funding opportunity (PAR-20-284) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant program designed to support transformative, mechanistic research at the intersection of nanotechnology and cancer biology/oncology. The central aim is to fund projects that use nanomaterials or nanodevices to tackle major barriers in cancer research and care, not by jumping directly to clinical testing, but by generating fundamental scientific knowledge that can guide smarter, more effective nanotechnology-based cancer interventions down the line. As stated in the announcement, clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA, which signals a strong emphasis on foundational and preclinical work rather than testing interventions in patients.

A key feature of this opportunity is its focus on mechanistic understanding. Proposed studies are expected to dig into how nanomaterials and nanodevices interact with biological systems at a fundamental level, including the biological and physical principles that govern behavior in complex environments. That includes, for example, how nanoparticles travel through the body, how they distribute into tissues, what drives their uptake by tumor cells or immune cells, what biological barriers limit delivery to tumors, how the tumor microenvironment affects performance, and what unintended interactions may occur. The goal is not only to show that a nanotechnology approach works, but to explain why it works (or why it fails) in a way that advances the field and informs future design choices.

The FOA also frames the research context in two main directions. First, it highlights in vivo work related to delivery, meaning studies that examine how nanoparticles or nano-enabled devices reach their intended cancer targets in living systems. This can involve investigating delivery efficiency, targeting specificity, biodistribution, clearance, stability, and interactions with blood components, tissues, or immune surveillance. Second, it includes in vitro characterization of detection and diagnostic devices, emphasizing studies that rigorously define performance and biological interactions for nano-enabled diagnostic or sensing technologies. In both cases, the expectation is that applicants will address significant obstacles in oncology with nanotechnology and produce broadly useful insights rather than narrow, one-off demonstrations.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program using the R01 mechanism, and it is categorized under education and health activities. The CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 93.394 and 93.395, reflecting NIH programmatic areas tied to cancer-related research funding. The FOA was created on 2020-08-13, and the source data lists an original closing date of 2023-05-04. The opportunity description does not provide a specific award ceiling or expected number of awards in the excerpt provided, so applicants typically need to consult the full FOA details and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, project period norms, and any institute-specific considerations.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types commonly allowed under NIH R01 announcements. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where relevant); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This breadth reflects an intent to attract diverse teams and institutional settings capable of contributing innovative nanotechnology-driven cancer research.

Overall, the IRCN program is positioned to fund high-impact, discovery-oriented nanotechnology research that addresses fundamental scientific bottlenecks in cancer biology and oncology. Competitive applications under this FOA are likely to be those that clearly identify a major cancer-relevant barrier, propose a nanotechnology-based strategy to interrogate or overcome it, and place strong emphasis on mechanistic experiments that yield generalizable knowledge about nano-bio interactions, delivery behavior in vivo, and/or diagnostic device performance in vitro, all while staying firmly on the non-clinical-trial side of the research spectrum.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN) (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394, 93.395.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-08-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 20 284

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