DCCPS Topics of Interest for Administrative Supplements in FY26

RFA to be followed once a topic of interest is identified: https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/bd113473-bd20-4739-95e0-51131671558a/attachments/fad88583-05c7-4b0b-a1b1-8a289438e3ce/PA-26-001-Full-Announcement.html

NIH policy allows for administrative supplements within the scope of the peer-reviewed and approved project to support costs and activities unforeseen at the time of the parent grant award. Supplements must be within scope of the parent award and must comply with all limitations on administrative supplements.

Here we provide topics of interest to DCCPS research programs. Administrative supplements to one or more of these topics would be of interest to DCCPS.

Instructions are below and on the NIH Administrative Supplements website. Please contact your program director or the topic lead as you have ideas. We look forward to connecting with you.

1. Data availability and re-usability for cancer control datasets (Charlisse Caga-anan): supports activities to submit data to the NCI Cancer Research Data Commons - Population Science Data Commons. During the submission process, investigators are expected to work with CRDC staff to help refine processes for data submission, facilitate future submissions, and improve both data submitter and data requestor experiences. Consider various challenges (scientific, regulatory, logistic, etc.), and clearly document the process so it can be used as a model for future data sharing. In their applications, investigators should incorporate plans to communicate progress and final outcomes to CRDC staff and DCCPS program staff.
2. Place-based factors in cancer disparities (Heather D’Angelo): supports projects that use geographic information systems (GIS), geographically linked datasets, and/or spatial analysis methods to understand the broader context in which current cancer prevention and control interventions are being implemented. Projects should integrate geospatial data into analyses that would elucidate the role of place-based factors in contributing to cancer health disparities.
3. Informatics tools for cancer surveillance (Natasha Stout): facilitates broader adoption, understanding, dissemination, accessibility, and usability of informatics tools for cancer surveillance that are currently under development or already in use. Proposed activities may include refining existing tools; enhancing their generalizability across data sources, populations, or settings; improving documentation and user support materials; and developing open-source software packages or deployable products.
4. NCCR data platform for AYA and early-onset cancers (Denise Lewis): leverages existing data on the NCCR data platform to further understanding of diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, health disparities, survivorship, risk, and outcomes of cancers diagnosed among adolescent and young adult and early-onset cancers.
5. Standardized methods for EHR and RWD harmonization (Pam Marcus, Betsy Hsu): fosters the adaption or development of standardized protocols or methods to enable the extraction and/or harmonization of data from diverse sources of electronic health records (EHRs) and other real-world data (RWD) in the cancer research domain. These efforts will support the systematic capture of treatment exposures, comorbidities, clinical outcomes, and other key variables to enhance data quality, comparability, and reproducibility across studies.
6. Gene discovery and methods development in family-based studies (Melissa Rotunno): enables processing of existing samples and to analyze and manage whole-genome sequencing data from ongoing high-risk cancer families studies. The sequencing data would be obtained through a companion application to PAR-23-184 for germline whole-genome sequencing services offered by the NIH Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR) program. Data are expected to be broadly shared with the extramural research community.
7. Genomic information in clinical care (Sarah Kalia): supports studies on the impact of genomic information on clinical outcomes and encourages research on the most effective methods for implementation of evidence-based genomic medicine interventions into health care.
8. Epigenomic approaches to cancer control (Mukesh Verma): enhances cancer control by integration of emerging technologies in the epigenome, particularly in methylation profiling. Additional technologies to characterize the epigenome include histone profiling to detect cancer-associated post-translational modifications, miRNA profiling, epitranscriptomics profiling (to detect post-transcriptional marks on non-coding RNAs), and DNase 1 mapping for accessibility of chromatin to identify enhancers, insulators, and silencers of cancer-associated genes. We encourage epigenome analysis on existing cohorts and data.
9. Contemporary modifiable exposures and cancer (Somdat Mahabir): advances understanding of how increasingly prevalent exposures influence cancer etiology, progression, and survivorship across the life course. Contemporary modifiable exposures, behaviors, and other risk factors include, but are not limited to, micro[nano]plastics, forever chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemical hair relaxers, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) anti-obesity medications, cannabis/cannabinoid use, e-cigarette use, chemical mixtures from wildfires and chemical spills, contaminants in drinking water, ultra-processed foods, light and noise pollution, sleep insufficiency and circadian rhythm disruptions, and emerging health-related impacts of modern lifestyle factors, including prolonged screen time usage.
10. Recruitment strategies to improve representation of geographically diverse populations in population science and cancer control studies (Behnoosh Momin): identifies barriers to recruitment and pilot-test innovative recruitment strategies aimed at increasing representation of rural and other geographically diverse populations in epidemiologic and cancer control studies, including cancer epidemiology cohorts. The program also seeks to identify scalable best practices that can be implemented across geographical settings to strengthen representation of populations in cancer control research and cohorts.
11. Return of results in cancer prevention and control studies (Leah Mechanic): supports ongoing cancer prevention and control studies that need funding for responsible return of results to participants in research. Results need to be returned appropriately and ethically, along with information about implications and interpretation, consideration of the uncertainty of findings, and access to support by appropriate clinical practitioners (e.g., genetic counselors in the case of genetic results).
12. Rare cancer research across the cancer control continuum (Lisa Gallicchio): supports research that fills knowledge gaps in the understanding of rare cancer etiology and survivorship. For many rare cancer types, progress toward identifying causes, reducing risks, and improving post-diagnosis outcomes has been limited. Examples of rare cancers include, but are not limited to, stomach, esophageal, liver, multiple myeloma, and sarcomas.
13. Modeling to project the impact of tumor molecular testing (Andrea Burnett-Hartman): promotes research that uses modeling (e.g., microsimulation, Markov modeling, mediation analyses) to project the impact of tumor molecular test utilization and downstream completion of guidelines-concordant treatment decision-making on patient outcomes (e.g., survival or adverse events rates), health care costs, population-level cancer mortality estimates, and cancer-related disparities.
14. Polysubstance use: the intersection of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis co-use for cancer control (Carolyn Reyes-Guzman): Current evidence suggests that polysubstance use (concurrent use of >2 substances) is associated with more serious consequences than single-substance use, and more research is needed to determine the determinants, treatments, risk perceptions, and cancer risks of poly-substance use.
15. Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy in cancer prevention and control research (Nicole Everson, Irina Iles): In the context of cancer prevention and control, measures of AI literacy may include domains such as awareness, knowledge, skills, and ability to critically evaluate and apply AI technologies to improve health and manage health care. Qualitative methods will lay the groundwork for the development of AI literacy measures and to facilitate their interpretation.
16. Interoception in cancer control research (Amanda Acevedo): supports incorporating interoceptive self-report, behavioral, or physiological measures into existing NCI-funded human subjects research. These additions will allow examination of interoceptive processes in relation to symptom burden, behavioral regulation, stress responsivity, treatment tolerance, and survivorship outcomes, including pain management, without altering the scientific aims of the parent awards.
17. Nicotine analogs and replacements (Maggie Sutherland): supports research on nicotine analogs and replacements (e.g., 6-methyl nicotine, nicotinamide), including, but not limited to, product composition and pharmacological/toxicological effects, marketplace surveillance, impact of marketing exposure on harm perceptions and/or use behavior, and patterns of use among youth and young adults.
18. Cancer diagnostic pathways outside screening (Pam Marcus): supports exploration of cancer diagnostic pathways not triggered by screening using data obtained as part of the parent grant. Grantees may propose obtaining complementary data if needed. Awardees should develop data elements that capture clinical activities and outcomes that occur at each step in the pathway, as well as the associated timeline. Applicants also should propose research questions that explore reasons for variation in pathways. Any cancer(s) may be chosen. The diagnostic pathway should be defined from the clinical event that first triggered cancer suspicion through and including the one that confirmed cancer.
19. Economic analyses for cancer control interventions (Aubrey Villalobos): Understanding costs of interventions and their implementation is critical for broad adoption and sustainment in practice, yet costs are often not assessed or reported in evaluations of interventions. Economic evaluations also help to understand the benefits of implementing evidence-based interventions in practice (e.g., return on investment) and to inform potential financing strategies. This supplemental funding is intended to enable economic analyses related to ongoing studies of intervention effectiveness as well as intervention implementation.
20. De-implementation of cancer-related interventions and programs (Wynne Norton): supports research on multi-level factors and predictors of de-implementation, proximal and distal de-implementation outcomes, how de-implementation occurs, unintended consequences, and/or the relationship between de-implementation and intervention or program efficiency and effectiveness. Supplements will support research utilizing a range of study designs (e.g., natural experiments, interrupted time series) and methods (e.g., surveys, interviews) that address various cancer-related interventions and programs (e.g., prevention, treatment).
21. Long-term cancer survivors research (Michelle Doose): supports research that fills gaps in knowledge pertaining to long-term or late-occurring adverse effects or unmet needs of long-term cancer survivors. Long-term cancer survivors include those at least 5 years from cancer diagnosis, diagnosed at any age or cancer stage, and those living with cancer or free of cancer.
22. Patient-reported measures to support optimal child, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer care (Ashley Wilder Smith): research is needed to effectively capture and utilize patient-reported care-experience measures (PREMs) and patient-reported health outcome measures (PROMs) for cancer patients as they move from childhood through young adulthood. Supplemental funding would support research such as (1) creation or refinement of age-appropriate cancer-focused PREMs for use in epidemiologic, behavioral, and health care delivery research; (2) integration and testing of PROMs and PREMs that “grow with the patient” to accurately capture and use during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood; and (3) evaluation of the use and interpretation of PROMs and PREMs together to understand and improve the care and health outcomes of pediatric and AYA cancer patients.
23. Early-onset cancer survivorship (Lisa Gallicchio): supports research aimed at better understanding the survivorship needs (i.e., the physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial effects of cancer that begin at diagnosis and continue through treatment and beyond) among early-onset cancer survivors and their caregivers. Applications must have a quantitative component.
24. Health-related outcomes among cancer survivors with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorders (Amanda Acevedo): supports research that considers the influence of behavioral health conditions on cancer treatment and survivorship outcomes. Behavioral health conditions that are the focus of this research include individuals with substance use disorder and/or serious mental illness (SMI; diagnosable psychological disorders that substantially interfere with one’s life, e.g., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder).
25. Transdisciplinary and large-scale population science and cancer control research program projects (P01 building) (April Oh): supports planning and capacity of transdisciplinary teams to pursue interrelated and synergistic program projects that go beyond a single institution or discipline. This support is aimed at enhancing the potential for cancer control research questions to expand into a larger, thematic research project.
26. The transdisciplinary research capacity program (Tram Kim Lam): supports junior (early-career) investigators through structured mentorship, interdisciplinary training, and pilot project funding within an NCI-supported U-mechanism consortia or network. The goal is to advance scientific capacity and long-term impact of consortium-based cancer research. Scholars will participate in experiential learning, build core competencies across disciplines—including population sciences—and generate preliminary data to support competitive NIH grant applications. This opportunity is open to all funded U awards under NCI-supported initiatives (1 award per consortia or network).