DoD Melanoma, Mid-Career Accelerator Award | W81XWH 20 MRP MCAA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 20 MRP MCAA

The Department of Defense Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Mid-Career Accelerator Award (MCAA) is a competitive research funding opportunity designed to support independent investigators who are at a mid-career stage and working in melanoma research. The main goal is to back studies that are likely to make a meaningful impact on melanoma understanding, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment, while also helping the applicant take a clear step toward becoming a recognized leader in the melanoma research community. In other words, the program is set up not only to fund strong science, but to accelerate the trajectory of investigators who have already established independence and are positioned to expand their influence and productivity in this field.

The award mechanism is offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA). It is listed as a discretionary opportunity under the federal assistance listing CFDA 12.420 and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category. The funding instrument types include both grants and cooperative agreements, which generally means that awards may range from traditional grant-style support to arrangements where the sponsoring agency has a more active role in project oversight or coordination, depending on the specific terms of the award.

A key feature of this opportunity is that preliminary data are required. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that the core ideas are already supported by early results or a credible proof-of-concept foundation, rather than proposing purely speculative work. Beyond having initial data, the application must show logical reasoning and a sound scientific rationale. This points to a strong emphasis on rigor: reviewers are looking for a clearly articulated problem, a well-justified hypothesis or objective, and a research plan in which the proposed methods and analyses match the questions being asked and are likely to produce interpretable, meaningful outcomes.

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the program is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement. That typically indicates universities, nonprofit research organizations, for-profit entities, and other institutions may be able to apply, as long as they meet the program requirements and any conditions specified in the detailed funding notice. The opportunity was originally posted on April 21, 2020, with an original closing date of September 24, 2020. The program anticipated making about four awards under this cycle. The listed award ceiling is shown as 0 in the source data, which usually indicates that the maximum funding level was not captured in that field and would need to be confirmed in the full solicitation documents and budget guidance.

Overall, this opportunity targets melanoma-focused projects led by established mid-career investigators, with an emphasis on research that can credibly deliver impact and help move the investigator into a more prominent leadership role in the melanoma research landscape. The requirement for preliminary data and for a strong scientific rationale signals that the program is oriented toward well-supported, executable research plans rather than early exploratory concepts.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Melanoma, Mid-Career Accelerator Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 21, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 24, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 20 MRP MCAA

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