Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Stromal Reprogramming Consortium (PSRC) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 21 041

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 21 041

The Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Stromal Reprogramming Consortium (PSRC) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-21-041) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant solicitation that supports coordinated, consortium-style research focused on the tumor stroma in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. It uses the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means NIH program staff will have substantial scientific involvement in the project beyond standard grant stewardship, often including coordination across awardees, shared milestones, and collaborative participation in consortium governance. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so the supported work is intended to be preclinical, translational, mechanistic, or otherwise non-trial human research aimed at enabling future therapeutic strategies rather than testing interventions in a clinical trial framework.

The scientific emphasis signaled by the title is stromal reprogramming in PDAC, meaning the opportunity is aimed at understanding and therapeutically leveraging the non-cancerous cellular and extracellular components surrounding pancreatic tumors. In PDAC, the stroma can be unusually dense and biologically active, affecting immune infiltration, drug delivery, tumor metabolism, and signaling interactions that drive progression and treatment resistance. A consortium structured around "stromal reprogramming" generally implies projects that investigate how to alter stromal states or functions to make tumors more vulnerable to treatment, less immunosuppressive, or otherwise less supportive of malignant growth. Because the vehicle is a consortium, applicants are usually expected to contribute complementary expertise, standardized approaches, and data or resource sharing that advance the field more efficiently than isolated projects.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized under Education and Health as the activity category and is tied to CFDA numbers 93.394 and 93.395, which correspond to NIH/NCI assistance programs. The funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, and the agency listed is NIH. The original closing date for applications was 2021-11-01, and the opportunity record shows an award ceiling of $600,000. The listing also includes an "ExpectedAwards" field, but no number is provided in the source data you shared, so the total number of anticipated awards is not specified here.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types across government, academia, nonprofit, and industry. 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; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education); nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and an "Others" category that is further expanded in the description. The description explicitly adds additional eligible applicant groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); eligible agencies of the federal government; faith-based or community-based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized; non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations); regional organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); and applicants located in a U.S. territory or possession. Taken together, this indicates the program is open to a wide range of organizational structures, including domestic and international entities, and explicitly includes multiple institution types that serve historically underrepresented communities.

In practical terms, a strong-fit applicant would be an organization (or a lead organization coordinating collaborators) that can contribute rigorously to a multi-site, coordinated research effort aimed at deciphering and manipulating PDAC stromal biology, while operating within the constraints of a non-clinical-trial U01 cooperative framework. Applicants would typically need the infrastructure to participate in consortium activities, align with shared standards where required, and deliver well-defined research outputs that collectively support the overarching goal of stromal reprogramming approaches for pancreatic cancer.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) Stromal Reprogramming Consortium (PSRC) (U01 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 2021-07-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-11-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
• 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 RFA CA 21 041

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