Collaborative Research Network for Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (U54) | RFA CA 17 049

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 17 049

The Collaborative Research Network for Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (U54) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-17-049) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement created under the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative, a federal push meant to speed up progress in cancer research. The core aim is to substantially expand and coordinate research on fusion oncoproteins in pediatric cancers, an area viewed as both highly important and historically underdeveloped. Fusion oncoproteins are abnormal proteins formed when parts of two different genes become joined through chromosomal rearrangements; in many childhood cancers these fusions are not just markers of disease but direct drivers of tumor formation and maintenance. Because these fusions can act as central engines of cancer biology, they represent attractive targets for therapies that could be more effective and less toxic than many conventional treatments used in children.

This FOA aligns with the Cancer Moonshot Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) Recommendation E, which calls for intensifying research on the major biological drivers of childhood cancers. In practical terms, the announcement is designed to build a consortium, referred to as the Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (FusOnC2) Consortium, made up of multiple collaborating research teams. Rather than funding disconnected projects, the U54 mechanism emphasizes coordinated, network-style science where groups share resources, align research goals, and collectively tackle problems that would be difficult for a single lab or institution to solve alone. As a cooperative agreement, NIH is expected to have substantial involvement, meaning there is typically closer scientific and programmatic coordination with NIH staff than in standard investigator-initiated grants.

Scientifically, the program focuses on two tightly linked needs: first, improving fundamental understanding of how fusion oncoproteins work in pediatric cancers (their biology, their downstream mechanisms, how they rewire gene regulation and cell behavior, and why they are so potent in developing tissues), and second, using that knowledge to enable therapy development. A major emphasis is placed on new or improved preclinical models that better capture the realities of fusion-driven childhood tumors. Better models are intended to support the discovery and testing of inhibitors that can directly or indirectly target fusion oncoproteins, including approaches that may not be feasible with older model systems. The broader promise is that a clearer map of fusion oncoprotein mechanisms, paired with more predictive preclinical testing platforms, will make it easier to identify actionable vulnerabilities and translate them into targeted therapeutic strategies.

From an applicant and eligibility standpoint, the opportunity is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes many types of institutions that commonly participate in NIH funding: public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as independent school districts and public housing/Indian housing authorities. It also explicitly encourages participation from diverse institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories and possessions are included as eligible applicants. At the same time, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. However, foreign components as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means U.S.-led projects can include certain well-justified international collaborations or activities when they are integral to the research.

Administratively, the FOA is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the U54 cooperative agreement mechanism under the health-related activity category (CFDA 93.396). The posted award ceiling is $2,500,000, indicating support at a scale suitable for multi-project, consortium-driven work rather than a single-lab effort. The original closing date listed is November 15, 2017, and the FOA was created on August 4, 2017. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an NIH effort to organize and accelerate a field: bringing together a coordinated network to decode fusion oncoprotein biology in pediatric cancers and to convert those insights into realistic, model-supported paths toward targeted treatments that could ultimately improve outcomes while reducing long-term side effects for children.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Research Network for Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (U54)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-04.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-11-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

Apply for RFA CA 17 049

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: