DoD Prostate Cancer Population Science Impact Award
The PCRP Population Science Impact Award mechanism was first offered as the Population-Based Idea Development Award in FY09 and the Population-Based Research Award in FY10 and FY11. Since then, 62 applications have been received, and 4 have been recommended for funding. The Population Science Impact Award mechanism supports high-impact, population science approaches to prostate cancer research. Applications should clearly demonstrate the potential of the study to contribute significantly to the elimination of death from prostate cancer and/or enhancing the well-being of men experiencing the impact of the disease. As such, studies should address one of the PCRP overarching challenges, or, alternatively, justify the study as addressing another critical area in prostate cancer research. In addition, studies are expected to address one or more of the PCRP focus areas; for the Population Science Impact Award, projects focused on the following are particularly encouraged: genetics/genomics and biomarkers, especially those relevant to the early detection of aggressive disease, prognosis, and treatment response; survivorship and palliative care; and health disparity. The overall goal of this award is to generate data and/or tools that can only be achieved from the perspective of systematic studies focused on specific populations of individuals, rather than specific individuals. Such studies will be built upon the logic, concepts, and methods of one or more population sciences including but not limited to: • Epidemiology • Surveillance • Health services research • Outcomes research • Behavioral science • Social science • Dissemination research The outcomes for research supported through this award mechanism will have the potential for substantial impact for men with or at risk for prostate cancer within, for example, epidemiologic cohorts, defined communities, or health systems. Applications may propose retrospective, prospective, case control, cohort, or other population science study designs (including the use of biospecimens and data from established retrospective databases), provided that the study population is of sufficient size to provide appropriate statistical power. The study should address a well-developed hypothesis that is conceptually sound and specific for prostate cancer. The epidemiologic and/or biostatistical expertise of the study team should be clearly described and evident in the study plan. Applicants are expected to provide documentation demonstrating access to, and ability to recruit, the appropriate population(s), patient samples, and/or datasets in numbers sufficient to achieve robust statistical significance. Research involving human subject use is permitted under this funding opportunity; however, clinical trials will be supported only if they are determined to be no greater than minimal risk by the local Institutional Review Board (IRB) of record and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) Office of Research Protections (ORP), Human Research Protection Office (HRPO). For example, a behavioral clinical trial with a prospective accrual of patients where a behavioral intervention (i.e., cohort or case-controlled study) has been designed to determine the outcome (testing instrument, study tool, hazard, etc.) with respect to exploratory information, safety, or effectiveness may be allowed if it is no greater than minimal risk as determined by the local IRB of record and HRPO. Clinical trials involving prospective accrual of patients to test a device, drug, biologic, or surgical procedure for a measurable outcome with respect to exploratory information, safety, effectiveness, and/or efficacy will not be supported by this award mechanism. Correlative studies associated with a clinical trial testing a device, drug, biologic, or surgical procedure are permitted if it is determined to be no greater than minimal risk by the local IRB of record and HRPO. A correlative study is defined as a prospective or retrospective collection of human anatomical substances (e.g., tissue, blood, nail clippings, bone marrow, behavioral documentation, other) to be used in research to answer a question regarding the disease, injury or condition, and/or intervention. It does not include the direct assessment of the outcome of any intervention for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or evaluation of the quality of life of the patient. Human subject research qualifying as greater than minimal risk will not be supported by this award mechanism.
Office: U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity
301-682-5507
