Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP DIA
The DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Distinguished Investigator Award is a highly selective funding opportunity designed for established, widely recognized scientific leaders who want to take on bold, unconventional ideas that could meaningfully speed up progress toward ending breast cancer. The program is not limited to traditional breast cancer researchers; it is intentionally built to attract exceptional investigators from any discipline, as long as the proposed work is clearly centered on breast cancer and has the potential to produce major advances. The Principal Investigator is expected to be a proven visionary with a strong record of groundbreaking contributions in their field, along with demonstrated ability to build and lead productive collaborations and partnerships. In other words, this mechanism is meant for researchers whose influence, creativity, and leadership are already well established, and who are positioned to tackle breast cancer with fresh, powerful approaches.
A defining requirement of the Distinguished Investigator Award is that the proposed research must represent a fundamental conceptual shift from the PI's existing body of work. The intent is to push investigators to move beyond incremental extensions of what they have already published and to pursue a new direction that reframes assumptions, introduces an original framework, or applies a distinctly different conceptual model to breast cancer. Simply switching focus from another cancer type to breast cancer, by itself, may not count as the kind of transformative shift the program is seeking. Projects that look like a continuation of the PI's prior research trajectory, or only modestly adjust existing methods and questions, are considered misaligned with the purpose of the award. At the same time, the program is open to high-risk, high-reward concepts and does not require extensive preliminary data, although proposals must still be scientifically rigorous and must include a clear, testable hypothesis supported by strong rationale.
Team composition is a major element of this award. The PI is expected to assemble a research team with the expertise needed to execute the vision and to ensure the project has credible breast cancer grounding. Investigators who do not already have breast cancer research experience are still eligible, but in those cases the application is expected to include at least one collaborator with breast cancer expertise to strengthen disease-specific relevance and feasibility. Beyond scientific collaborators, the award requires meaningful involvement of the breast cancer community: the research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates. These advocates must be individuals diagnosed with breast cancer who are actively involved in a breast cancer advocacy organization, and they must serve as lay representatives whose participation is independent of their employment. They cannot be employees of any organization participating in the application. The opportunity emphasizes that these advocates should be knowledgeable about current breast cancer issues and have sufficient background or training in breast cancer research to contribute effectively. Their role is not symbolic; it is meant to provide objective, patient-centered input on the research direction, practicality, and potential real-world impact for people who have breast cancer or who are at risk.
The opportunity also carries a clear relevance requirement tied to military health. Proposed work must be pertinent to the healthcare needs of military Service members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the broader American public. In practice, this means the application should make a convincing case for why the research matters to these populations, whether through disease burden, unique exposures or risk factors, care delivery contexts, survivorship concerns, or other concrete connections to military and public health priorities.
Administratively, this is a Department of Defense funding opportunity managed by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) under the BCRP. The opportunity number is W81XWH 19 BCRP DIA and it is listed under CFDA 12.420, within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category. The funding instrument type can be a grant or a cooperative agreement, and eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement. The posting lists an expected number of awards of one, underscoring the prestige and competitiveness of the mechanism. The original timeline for the specific posting provided shows a creation date of January 22, 2019 and an original closing date of June 13, 2019.Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP DIA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Breast Cancer, Distinguished Investigator Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 22, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 13, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Distinguished Investigator Award (DIA)
What is the BCRP Distinguished Investigator Award?
The DoD Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Distinguished Investigator Award (DIA) is a highly selective funding opportunity intended for established, widely recognized scientific leaders who want to pursue bold, unconventional ideas that could significantly accelerate progress toward ending breast cancer.
Who is this award designed for?
This mechanism is designed for Principal Investigators (PIs) who are proven visionaries with a strong record of groundbreaking contributions in their field, and who have demonstrated the ability to build and lead effective collaborations and partnerships.
Does the PI need to be a traditional breast cancer researcher?
No. The opportunity is intentionally designed to attract exceptional investigators from any discipline, as long as the proposed research is clearly centered on breast cancer and has the potential to produce major advances.
What is the core scientific expectation of the Distinguished Investigator Award?
A defining requirement is that the proposed research must represent a fundamental conceptual shift from the PI's existing body of work. The program aims to move investigators beyond incremental extensions of prior publications toward a new direction that reframes assumptions, introduces an original framework, or applies a distinctly different conceptual model to breast cancer.
What does "fundamental conceptual shift" mean in practice?
Based on the opportunity description, the proposed work should not look like a continuation of the PI's prior research trajectory or a modest adjustment of existing methods and questions. The intent is to see a new direction that departs meaningfully from what the PI is already known for, while still being rigorous and breast cancer-focused.
Is switching from another cancer type to breast cancer enough to meet the "conceptual shift" requirement?
Not necessarily. The opportunity states that simply switching focus from another cancer type to breast cancer, by itself, may not count as the transformative shift the program is seeking.
Are high-risk, high-reward projects allowed?
Yes. The opportunity is open to high-risk, high-reward concepts, as long as the proposal remains scientifically rigorous and includes a clear, testable hypothesis supported by strong rationale.
Is preliminary data required?
Extensive preliminary data are not required. However, proposals must still be scientifically rigorous and include a clear, testable hypothesis with strong rationale.
What are the expectations for the research team?
Team composition is a major element of the award. The PI is expected to assemble a team with the expertise needed to execute the vision and to ensure the project has credible breast cancer grounding.
Can a PI apply without prior breast cancer research experience?
Yes. Investigators who do not already have breast cancer research experience are still eligible. In those cases, the application is expected to include at least one collaborator with breast cancer expertise to strengthen disease-specific relevance and feasibility.
Are breast cancer consumer advocates required to be part of the team?
Yes. The research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates.
Who qualifies as a breast cancer consumer advocate for this award?
Consumer advocates must be individuals diagnosed with breast cancer who are actively involved in a breast cancer advocacy organization. They must serve as lay representatives whose participation is independent of their employment.
Can consumer advocates be employees of the organizations participating in the application?
No. The opportunity specifies that consumer advocates cannot be employees of any organization participating in the application.
What level of expertise should consumer advocates have?
The opportunity emphasizes that advocates should be knowledgeable about current breast cancer issues and have sufficient background or training in breast cancer research to contribute effectively.
Are consumer advocates included only for compliance, or do they have a substantive role?
Their role is meant to be meaningful, not symbolic. The opportunity describes their purpose as providing objective, patient-centered input on the research direction, practicality, and potential real-world impact for people who have breast cancer or who are at risk.
Does the project need to show relevance to military health?
Yes. Proposed work must be pertinent to the healthcare needs of military Service members, Veterans, military beneficiaries, and/or the broader American public.
How can an application demonstrate military or public health relevance?
The opportunity indicates the application should make a convincing case for why the research matters to these populations. Examples of connections mentioned include disease burden, unique exposures or risk factors, care delivery contexts, survivorship concerns, or other concrete ties to military and public health priorities.
Which agency manages this funding opportunity?
This is a Department of Defense opportunity managed by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) under the Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP).
What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?
The opportunity number is W81XWH 19 BCRP DIA. It is listed under CFDA 12.420 within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument type can be either a grant or a cooperative agreement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement.
How many awards are expected?
The posting lists an expected number of awards of one, highlighting the prestige and competitiveness of the Distinguished Investigator Award mechanism.
What were the key dates listed for this posting?
The timeline shown for the specific posting provided includes a creation date of January 22, 2019 and an original closing date of June 13, 2019.
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| DoD Breast Cancer, Innovator Award Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP INNOV Funding Number: W81XWH 19 BCRP INNOV Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Fellowship Award Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP BFA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 BCRP BFA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Breast Cancer, Era of Hope Scholar Award Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP EOHS Funding Number: W81XWH 19 BCRP EOHS Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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