DoD Prostate Cancer Dr. Barbara Terry-Koroma Health Disparity Research Award
The PCRP Health Disparity Research Award (HDRA) mechanism was introduced in FY01. Since then, 308 applications have been received, and 62 have been recommended for funding. The HDRA supports new ideas based on innovative concepts or methodologies for prostate cancer health disparity research with the potential to make an important contribution toward eliminating death from prostate cancer and enhancing the well-being of men impacted by the disease. Studies proposed for this award mechanism are expected to improve the understanding of, and ultimately contribute to eliminating, disparities in prostate cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Applicants for this award must explicitly state how the proposed research is related to an area of prostate cancer health disparity. Appropriate health disparity areas include, but are not limited to, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, access to or differing standards of health care, insurance status, age, geography, and cultural beliefs. The PCRP seeks HDRA applications from the wide spectrum of basic, population science, translational, and clinical research, provided they are appropriately focused on an issue of prostate cancer health disparity. In addition, all applications are expected to be relevant to one or more of the PCRP focus areas and are encouraged to be responsive to one of the PCRP overarching challenges. If the proposed project does not address one of the overarching challenges, the application must provide a description to justify how the project will nevertheless address a critical disparity-related need in the field of prostate cancer research and/or patient care. Research involving human subject use is permitted under this funding opportunity, but is restricted to studies without clinical trials; however, correlative studies, including studies with populations from existing clinical trials, are allowed. For definitions and other information on clinical trials and clinical research overall, a Human Subject Resource Document is provided on the CDMRP eReceipt System at https://cdmrp.org/Program_Announcements_and_Forms/. The Health Disparity Research Award offers three additional options for PI consideration: 1. Qualified Collaborator Option: The HDRA strongly supports collaborative research involving basic, population science, and clinical researchers, researchers with prostate cancer expertise and those with health disparity expertise, and/or researchers and community organizations that may be critical to the study of populations disproportionately affected by prostate cancer. Although these and other types of collaborations are, in general, strongly encouraged, collaborations that meet specific criteria will qualify for a higher level of funding as described in Section I.D., Funding. For the application to qualify for a higher level of funding, the PI must submit a Qualified Collaboration Statement that clearly describes the proposed collaborator and collaboration and addresses how each of the criteria below are met. In addition, the collaborator must provide a letter of collaboration describing his/her involvement in the proposed work. It should be clear from both documents that the successful completion of the project depends on the unique skills and contributions of both the PI and the qualified collaborator. The following criteria must be met to use the Qualified Collaborator Option: • The collaborator must significantly contribute to the project such that the proposed work could not be accomplished without his/her involvement. This is expected to include both intellectual input and research resources (e.g., supplies, reagents, equipment, personnel, services, tissue samples, or access to patients or populations). • The collaborator must contribute at least a 10% level of effort to the project. Contribution of the collaborator should be reflected in the application budget. • If the PI does not have experience in prostate cancer research or working with disproportionately affected populations, the collaborator must possess such experience. 2. New Investigator Option: The HDRA mechanism encourages applications from investigators in the early stages of their careers. The New Investigator Option is designed to allow PIs, early in their faculty appointments or in the process of developing independent research careers, to compete for funding separately from established investigators. Applications from New Investigators and Established Investigators will be peer and programmatically reviewed separately. PIs using the New Investigator Option are strongly encouraged to strengthen their applications by including investigators experienced in prostate cancer research and/or possessing other relevant expertise as demonstrated by a record of funding and publications. It is the responsibility of the PI to describe how additional investigators will augment his/her expertise and better address the research question. PIs may choose to employ both the New Investigator Option and the Qualified Collaborator Option in a single application. All applicants for the New Investigator Option must meet specific eligibility criteria as described in Section I.C., Eligibility Information. 3. Nested Health Disparity Traineeship Option: The HDRA offers opportunities for training highly motivated graduate students and postdoctoral fellows interested in pursuing a career in resolving disparities in prostate cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality. The trainee is not required to have previous health disparity or prostate cancer research experience. This option primarily provides salary support for the trainee. An individualized training program in prostate cancer disparities must be described, and may include coursework, laboratory techniques, conferences, seminars, journal clubs, teaching responsibilities, clinical responsibilities, grant writing and/or other activities that will provide the trainee with experience in key areas relevant to the proposed work and foster the trainee’s development as a prostate cancer health disparity researcher. An environment appropriate to the proposed training must be clearly described. Only one traineeship (predoctoral or postdoctoral) may be requested per application. Plans for training and mentorship must be well developed and clearly described by the PI for the HDRA application.
Office: U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity
301-682-5507
