Novel Technology Tools to Facilitate Research Using Next Generation Patient-derived Cancer Models (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will support the development of technology, tools that will facilitate, accelerate, and/or enhance research using advanced human-derived next generation cancer models, such as organoids, conditionally reprogrammed cells, and others. The studies proposed under this FOA must focus entirely on the next generation cancer models developed under the auspices of an international consortium with NCI participation, Human Cancer Models Initiative. "Technology tools" to be developed under this FOA may include new and/or optimized laboratory methods, reagents/reference materials, agents for NGCMs perturbation or screening read-outs, and/or software/bioinformatics tools for data processing and/or facilitated/enhanced interpretations. (The development of new hardware/equipment will not be supported). The proposed technology tools are expected to a) facilitate the utilization of the cancer models, e.g., in terms of increasing robustness, rigor, and/or reproducibility, b) enable advanced interpretations of experiments in which these model are used, c) design and test CRISPR reagents for all cancer and NGCM types, and d) develop robust approaches to method standardization, quality assurance/control, etc., that could serve as routine workflows/best practices for use in wide range of laboratories. The collective outcomes of projects under this FOA should facilitate the adoption of NGCMs by the research community and expedite sharing and validating of NGCMs-derived results. The new tools and broader use of NCGMs are expected to contribute to the progress in such areas as the identification of novel therapeutic targets, mechanisms of resistance, development of diagnostic and/or predictive biomarkers, and other aspects relevant to precision oncology. This FOA is associated with the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot SM Initiative that is intended to accelerate cancer research. Specifically, this F

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