Overview
Melanoma is a leading cause of new cancer diagnoses. More effective options for
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are therefore urgently needed. From a basic
and clinical research perspective, melanoma occupies the crossroads of molecular
biology and immunology. An externally visible tumor, it offers a unique opportunity
to query lesions at the earliest stages of carcinogenesis for molecular events or
signatures portending progression, invasion, and dissemination. And, as one of the
most highly immunogenic human neoplasms, it provides an ideal context for understanding
interactions between the human immune system and cancer. Despite emerging knowledge
about the basic immunology and molecular biology of cancer, these new insights have
yet to translate into significant clinical benefits for patients with melanoma.
The Melanoma Research Alliance, a new organization formed under the auspices of
the Milken Institute, with the generous support of Debra and Leon Black, now intends
to support ambitious, innovative, individual, or team-oriented scientific
projects to bring forth novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues relevant to molecular
biological and immunological pathways governing the behavior and clinical outcome
of melanoma. Successful proposals will offer the potential for translational development
leading to clinical application in the areas of melanoma prevention, diagnosis,
staging, and treatment.
Objectives
The objective of this RFP is to solicit both individual investigator and collaborative
team scientific proposals with the potential to make transforming advances in the
biology and treatment of melanoma. Particular emphasis will be in the following
areas:
- Prevention. Areas of interest include environmental,
epidemiological and biological causative factors in melanoma carcinogenesis.
- Diagnosis and Staging. Emphasis includes identification
of serological tumor markers, association of molecular tumor biomarkers with prognosis,
and development of novel clinical methods for melanoma detection and imaging.
- Treatment. Identification of molecular pathways or immunological
events which can serve as therapeutic targets is encouraged. Projects integrating
molecular and immunological studies are solicited. Special emphasis will be given
to the development of novel adjuvant therapies. In addition, studies to define biomarkers
and pathways relevant to melanoma stem cells, which might provide therapeutic targets,
are of particular interest.
Key Criteria for Individual Investigator Awards
- Innovative and transforming research. Novel approaches
with clear capacity to revolutionize treatment avenues for patients with melanoma.
High-risk ideas with strong scientific rationale are encouraged.
- Scientific merit. Outstanding and rigorous proposals
as determined by peer review.
- Potential for rapid progression to clinical testing.
Proposals that articulate a clear path to clinical applicability will be strongly
favored; however, basic science approaches with exceptional potential to enhance
understanding melanoma biology will also be considered.
Additional Key Criterion for Team Science Awards
Collaborative and multidisciplinary emphasis. Meaningful
collaboration between 2 or more investigators/groups with complementary expertise
that offers the possibility for synergistic advances. Research groups may be within
the same institution, or inter-institutional.
Eligibility
Principal Investigators must hold a tenure-track faculty appointment at a major
academic research institution within or outside the United States (Assistant Professor
or above). Applications from individuals employed by for-profit organizations or
government agencies will not be considered. Multiple applications will be accepted
from a single institution, provided that each application has a different Principal
Investigator.
Melanoma Research Alliance Awards
For all proposals, the level and duration of funding will be adjusted as appropriate
for the scope of the proposal. Full-term funding will be contingent upon committee
review of annual progress reports. Partial funding will also be considered to obtain
proof-of-principle data in support of an innovative idea of transformative potential.
Individual Investigator Awards
- Young Investigator Award. Tenure-track investigators
within 4 years of their first academic appointment will be provided with up to $100,000/year
for 2 years to accomplish innovative, early concept scientific projects with clear
translational (clinical) goals.
- Established Investigator Award. Principal Investigators
with an established record of scientific productivity will receive up to $200,000/year
for 2-3 years to conduct projects supported by preliminary data, with near-term
clinical impact.
Team Science Award
- Multidisciplinary teams of 2-3 Principal Investigators will receive up to $500,000/year
for 2-3 years, to support projects with the potential to lead to transforming advances
in the clinical management of patients with melanoma.
Application Formats and Due Dates
- Individual Investigator Awards: complete applications due 1/31/08
- Project title
- Principal Investigator name, position, affiliations, and contact information
- Biosketches of Principal Investigator and key personnel, in NIH format
- Abstract (250 words maximum)
- Project description: 5 pages maximum, inclusive of the following:
- Project background/specific aims
- Preliminary data
- Experimental design and methods
- Figures/legends
- Rationale/fit with key criteria, including description of potential for clinical
impact
- References
- No appendices
- Budget and justification, including listing of all current and pending support.
The MRA will not support indirect costs or other institutional levies.
- Team Science Awards: Letter of Intent due 1/31/08
Applicants must submit a one-page letter of intent (LOI) prior to submission of
a full proposal. The LOI must include the information listed below.
- Project title
- Principal Investigators names, positions, affiliations, and contact information.
Team science applications must identify one Principal Investigator for administrative
purposes.
- Abstract describing topic and approach
- Nature of and rationale for the proposed collaboration, including the specific
role of each participant, description of synergistic opportunities, and mention
of how data will be shared/exchanged.
- Level and duration of funding requested
Full-length applications will be requested from meritorious LOIs. They must be prepared
according to the guidelines for individual applications, and will be due on April 15, 2008.
Review Mechanism
Full proposals will be reviewed by the
Grant Review Committee
of the Melanoma Research Alliance, comprised of peers with diverse expertise in
translational cancer research. Applications will be reviewed within 60 days and
scored according to the Key Criteria listed above. The MRA will not provide reviewer
critiques or evaluations to applicants.
Award Administration
Upon acceptance of the award, the Principal Investigator will be required to sign
an Award Letter indicating acceptance of the MRA’s funding guidelines. A signed
disclosure of Human Subjects/Animal Care Assurance must be submitted if applicable.
For multi-institutional projects, the Principal Investigator and all Co-Investigators
must verify, in advance, that funds can be transferred from the institution of the
Principal Investigator to the institutions of the Co-Investigators.
Award recipients will be notified 60 days after receipt of proposals and funds will
be distributed 30 days after notification.
Full-term funding will be contingent upon committee review of annual progress reports.
Additional Information
Email questions to: applications@melanomaresearchalliance.org
State of Melanoma Research Call to Action Meeting Whitepaper
On November 15 – 16, 2007, FasterCures, The Milken Institute and the Prostate
Cancer Foundation hosted the State of Melanoma Research Call to Action Meeting in
Washington, DC. The mission of this meeting was to convene a world-class, cross-disciplinary
group of expert biomedical researchers possessing clinical and scientific expertise
to develop a research agenda that will provide innovative solutions to critical
research issues leading to better treatments and a cure for melanoma.
Review the Whitepaper from the meeting.
If you have comments on the Whitepaper, please email Lisa Simms at
Lsimms@fastercures.org.