Inter-organelle Communication in Cancer (R01) | PAR 17 203

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 203

The Inter-organelle Communication in Cancer (R01) funding opportunity (PAR-17-203) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to support research that focuses on how different organelles inside cells communicate with each other in the context of cancer. The central idea behind the announcement is that cancer is not only driven by gene mutations and signaling pathways at the cell surface, but also by internal cellular organization and coordination. Organelles such as mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, peroxisomes, the Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus constantly exchange signals, metabolites, lipids, ions, and stress responses. The FOA emphasizes studying how these inter-organelle interactions influence what cancer cells do and how they change over time, including how they maintain survival under stress, rewire metabolism, resist therapy, invade surrounding tissue, and shift between different cellular states.

A key feature of this opportunity is its focus on both cancer cells and tumor-associated cells within the tumor microenvironment. That means applicants can propose projects that look at communication between organelles inside malignant cells themselves, or within supportive and interacting cell populations such as immune cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and other stromal components that contribute to tumor growth and treatment resistance. The research scope includes understanding how inter-organelle communication affects cellular function, adaptation, and phenotypic plasticity. In practical terms, that can include investigating how organelle contact sites form and function, how stress in one organelle triggers compensatory changes in another, how organelle dynamics (like fission/fusion, trafficking, and turnover) shape cancer behavior, and how these processes might create vulnerabilities that could be targeted therapeutically.

The mechanism is an R01, meaning it supports investigator-initiated research projects that are typically hypothesis-driven and substantial in scope, often involving multi-year plans and a well-developed experimental strategy. The FOA sits within NIH research areas aligned with education and health, and it is associated with CFDA number 93.396. The opportunity was created on March 7, 2017, and the original closing date listed for this particular announcement is January 15, 2020. An explicit award ceiling is not provided in the source details you supplied, and the number of expected awards is also not specified in those fields, which generally implies that applicants would need to consult the full NIH posting and institute-specific budget guidance for precise limits and expectations.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. applicants commonly allowed under NIH grant policies. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) IRS status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those particular categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. In addition, the FOA explicitly highlights other eligible applicant groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This framing signals an intent to encourage participation from a wide range of institutions and communities, including organizations that may bring unique perspectives, patient populations, research environments, or collaborations to cancer biology.

Overall, this grant opportunity supports rigorous cancer research that treats organelles not as isolated compartments but as a coordinated network whose internal communication can shape tumor development, survival strategies, and treatment outcomes. Projects responsive to this FOA would typically be expected to clarify mechanisms of organelle-to-organelle signaling in cancer-relevant settings and, where appropriate, point toward how disrupting or exploiting these communication pathways could inform prevention, diagnosis, or therapy.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Inter-organelle Communication in Cancer (R01)" 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 2017-03-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 PAR 17 203

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