RFA-CA-21-021: Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, Research Grants: a Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2021.
National Institutes of Health offered grants of up to $850,000 to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on October 6, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed July 6, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$850,000
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeU01
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNCI
- Median yearly award$1.1 million
- Typical project length5 years
- U01, Research Project Cooperative Agreement. Like an R01, but NIH staff are substantially involved in the work. Other open U01 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-CA-21-021 were run by National Cancer Institute (NCI, 5 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-CA-21-021 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | July 6, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | October 6, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 11, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- 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 (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Projects NIH funded under this notice had a median yearly award of $1.1 million; it allows up to $850,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (66% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites research grant proposals for transdisciplinary studies that will enhance our knowledge of the dynamics and underlying mechanisms that link obesity, metabolic dysregulation and increased cancer risk. Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program will focus on metabolic dysregulation as the key process linking obesity with cancer risk. For the purpose of this FOA, metabolic dysregulation is defined as alterations in glucose utilization and storage, insulin sensitivity, and/or lipid metabolism. Proposals should specifically seek to advance our understanding of how metabolic dysregulation in individuals affects cancer risk and identify mechanisms that will enhance (i) cancer risk prediction, (ii) screening for high-risk individuals in clinical settings, and (iii) identification of potential targets for preventive and therapeutic interventions. This FOA is published in parallel with RFA-CA-21-022 Coordinating Center for the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program: a Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-associated Research (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). The individual research grants and the Coordinating Center funded under these FOAs together will constitute the Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program.
Funded under RFA-CA-21-021 so far
NIH funded 5 projects under RFA-CA-21-021 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 5 institutions. The median yearly award was $1.1 million.
| Project | Institution | Fiscal year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramides as novel drivers of metabolic dysfunction and colorectal cancer | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah | 2026 | $723,725 |
| Determine the molecular and metabolic mechanisms by which A-FABP links dysregulated lipid metabolism-induced obesity/breast cancer risk | University of Iowa | 2026 | $1.2 million |
| Determining the contribution of microbial-derived metabolites to protective immunity in obesity-driven cancer risk. | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr | 2026 | $1.1 million |
| A Transdisciplinary Approach to Investigating Metabolic Dysregulation in Obese Parent and Child Dyads and Risk of Colorectal Cancer | University of South Carolina at Columbia | 2026 | $1.2 million |
| Decoding mechanisms underlying metabolic dysregulation in obesity and digestive cancer risk | Brigham and Women's Hospital | 2025 | $2.6 million |
Who has won Cancer Cause and Prevention Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Cause and Prevention Research (93.393) awarded $3.6 billion across 2,517 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 81 | $107 million |
| Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research | New York | 65 | $99.1 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 48 | $85.3 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 51 | $83.1 million |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | 49 | $76.1 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is RFA-CA-21-021 still open?
No. It closed on October 6, 2021.
Who can apply for Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, Research Grants: a Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, Research Grants: a Transdisciplinary Approach to Obesity-Associated Research (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed October 6, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $850,000 each.
Who has been funded under RFA-CA-21-021?
NIH RePORTER lists 5 projects funded under RFA-CA-21-021 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 5 institutions. The most were at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah, University of Iowa, University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr.
Who has won Cancer Cause and Prevention Research grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. The program made 2,517 awards worth $3.6 billion in that time.
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