Call for Entries: ROS1+ Cancer Innovation Award

Goal

• To provide seed grants for high-risk, high-reward projects focused on ROS1+ cancers

Focus Areas

• Projects focused on pre-clinical, translational, clinical, or real-world data research for ROS1+ cancers will be considered under this Request for Applications. Research topics might include but are not limited to those listed below (which have been prioritized by The ROS1ders):
  • Understanding the biology of the ROS1 gene (normal gene expression, gene rearrangements, fusion partners, co-occurring mutations).
  • Tumor microenvironment and immune system interactions.
  • Novel applications of liquid and tissue biopsies (and/or other methodologies) to improve understanding of ROS1 TKI resistance and/or tailor therapy.
  • Validating new mechanisms of intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to ROS1+ cancer in lung cancer and other adult or pediatric solid tumors.
  • Novel drugs, drug combinations, or drug repurposing to prevent and/or overcome intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to ROS1 TKIs, including best TKI and treatment sequencing strategies for brain metastases and extracranial ROS1+ tumors.
  • Role, timing, and toxicity management of neoadjuvant, adjuvant and consolidation immune checkpoint inhibitors and TKIs in early-stage ROS1+ cancer.
  • Improving effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments for ROS1+ cancers at various stages of disease, including utility of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR T), tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, or vaccines.
  • Interrogation of the tumor biology and effective clinical management strategies in long-term responders to ROS1 TKIS.

Award Information

• The award amount is a maximum of $75,000 regardless of the number of PIs.
• The award period is one year.

Uses of the Funds

• Salary and fringe benefits: No more than 25% of the requested budget may be used for an awardee’s salary and/or fringe benefits. Award funds may also be used for the salary and fringe benefit costs of personnel other than the applicant.
• Publication costs: The ROSlders strongly encourage open access publications of all findings from the project. All publication costs must directly relate to The ROSlders project.
• Travel: A maximum of $2,000 per year per investigator may be spent on travel to attend one conference at which findings from the funded project will be presented.

Ineligible Expenses

• Overhead or indirect costs
• Purchase of furniture or computers
• Repair or service contract costs for institutional equipment
• Construction or renovation of facilities
• Honoraria
• Membership dues
• Tuition for either the awardee or other project personnel
• Textbooks or periodicals
• Secretarial support
• Duplication of work that is supported by other funding agencies is strictly prohibited

Eligibility Criteria

• The ROS1ders makes awards to individuals only; awards are not made to institutions.
• At the start of and throughout the award period, the applicant must be a principal investigator (PI) for the proposed research and must hold a doctorate degree as well as faculty appointment (or equivalent) with an academic institution, including research institutions that are not formally associated with a university. The applicant must be an independent, self-directed researcher for whom his/her institution must provide space and other resources customary for independent investigators. The application must convey the commitment of the institution to the applicant and the proposed research activities. The RFA is open to investigators affiliated with an academic or non-profit research institution anywhere in the world, regardless of citizenship.

Selection Criteria

• Final selection of project(s) receiving award will be contingent on scientific review and availability of funds. Some criteria considered when reviewing applications include:
  • Project’s relevance to the diagnosis and treatment of ROS1+ cancers
  • Scientific and technical merit, innovation, and feasibility of the research plan
  • Research environment
  • Qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and team
  • Appropriateness of the requested budget and timeline to complete the proposed research project within the award timeline (1 year) and budget ($75k)

For more information, visit The ROS1ders.