RFA-CA-27-012: Metastasis Research Network (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
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 2026.
National Institutes of Health offered grants of up to $1.3 million to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It expected to make about 4 awards worth $6.8 million in total. Applications closed on September 25, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 4, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$1.3 million
- Total funding$6.8 million
- Expected awards4
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeU54
- Clinical trialsNot allowed
- U54, Specialized Center Cooperative Agreement. A research center with several projects and shared cores, with substantial NIH involvement. Other open U54 notices.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-CA-27-012 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | June 4, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | September 25, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 24, 2026 |
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)
Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility. Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations:Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Cancer Biology Research awards averaged $1.4 million; this notice allows up to $1.3 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) solicits applications for research on developing a comprehensive and cohesive understanding of cancer metastasis. Towards this goal, the NCI will support U54 Specialized Centers that together will continue to serve as the hub of the Metastasis Research Network (MetNet). Each MetNet Center should propose an overarching scientific theme that will be pursued through two or three scientific inter- and multidisciplinary basic research projects. The projects should use integrative system level approaches to elucidate and integrate a mechanistic understanding of the non-linear, dynamic, and emergent processes in metastasis. Overarching themes should encompass the interplay between at least two central elements in the metastatic process such as early dissemination, cellular, soluble and/or physical microenvironment crosstalk, dormancy, or mechanisms of responses by metastatic cells to therapies. Studies on all types of cancer are welcome, including rare and pediatric metastatic cancers. Research proposed by MetNet Centers is expected to advance our understanding towards a more comprehensive appreciation of metastasis as a whole body, systems-level problem.
Who has won Cancer Biology Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Biology Research (93.396) awarded $4.3 billion across 3,142 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 70 | $151 million |
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 109 | $144 million |
| Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research | New York | 66 | $136 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 47 | $107 million |
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 64 | $95.5 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-27-012 still open?
No. It closed on September 25, 2026.
Who can apply for Metastasis Research Network (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
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 Metastasis Research Network (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
Closed September 25, 2026. 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 $1.3 million each. About $6.8 million in total across about 4 awards.
Who has won Cancer Biology Research grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research. The program made 3,142 awards worth $4.3 billion in that time.
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