Human Tumor Atlases (HTA) Research Centers (U2C) | RFA CA 17 034

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 17 034

The Human Tumor Atlases (HTA) Research Centers (U2C) opportunity (RFA-CA-17-034) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement released under the Beau Biden Cancer MoonshotSM Initiative, a major federal push to speed up progress in cancer research. The core aim of this program is to support research centers that can build a comprehensive, data-rich understanding of tumors as living, evolving ecosystems rather than static lumps of cells. In practical terms, the FOA is trying to fund teams capable of producing "human tumor atlases" that capture how cancer changes over time and space, how it interacts with surrounding tissues and immune cells, and how many different biological layers (for example, molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental features) combine to shape disease behavior and treatment response. This topic was flagged as a scientific priority by the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) under the heading "Generation of Human Tumor Atlases," and the FOA is designed to directly advance that agenda.

The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U2C), which signals that these awards are not simple, hands-off research grants. Instead, NIH typically expects more active programmatic involvement and coordination, which fits the idea of building shared atlases, common standards, and interoperable datasets that can be used broadly by the cancer research community. The activity category listed is Education and Health, and the associated CFDA numbers include 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, and 93.399, reflecting NIH cancer-related assistance programs that can support this kind of large, coordinated effort. While the public excerpt does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the overall framing as "Research Centers" implies sizable, multi-investigator, infrastructure-plus-science projects rather than small, single-lab studies.

A wide range of applicant types are eligible, which is consistent with NIH's intent to attract strong consortia and specialized capabilities wherever they exist. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (outside higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights categories of organizations that NIH wants to ensure are included in the applicant pool, such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander 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, tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

The eligibility language around international participation is specific and a bit nuanced. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations and foreign institutions, are not eligible to apply as the main applicant, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, the FOA allows "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In NIH terms, that generally means a U.S.-based applicant can include certain well-justified international elements within the project (for example, a specific analytical capability, unique samples, or expertise located abroad), as long as it aligns with NIH policy and is appropriately reviewed and approved. So the program is fundamentally anchored in U.S. applicants and U.S.-based project leadership, while still leaving room for carefully structured international collaboration when it materially improves the science.

Timing details in the source indicate the FOA was created on 2017-10-20 and had an original closing date of 2018-01-18, placing it within the early wave of Cancer Moonshot implementation efforts. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NIH backing for coordinated research centers that can generate multidimensional, dynamic maps of human tumors and their surrounding ecosystems, producing resources and insights that help the field better understand cancer development, progression, heterogeneity, and potential vulnerabilities for prevention, diagnosis, and therapy.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Human Tumor Atlases (HTA) Research Centers (U2C)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-10-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-18. (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 RFA CA 17 034

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