Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS): Research Centers (U2C Clinical Trial Optional)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is associated with the Beau Biden Cancer MoonshotSMInitiative that is intended to accelerate cancer research. Specifically, this FOA falls under a scientific priority designated by the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) as Recommendation A "Establish a Network for Direct Patient Engagement". The National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to support the Participant Engagement and Cancer Genome Sequencing (PE-CGS) Network. The PE-CGS Network will include: Several U2C Research Centers (to be supported under this FOA); and One U24 Coordinating Center (to be supported under companion RFA-CA-19-046). The overall purpose of the PE-CGS Network is twofold: To promote and support research on direct participant* engagement approaches; and Use such approaches for rigorous cancer genome sequencing projects addressing important knowledge gaps in the genomic characterizations of tumors in areas such as, but not limited to: Rare cancers or rare cancer subsets; Highly lethal cancers; Cancers with an early age of onset; Cancers with high disparities in incidence and/or mortality; or Cancers in understudied populations. *Note: For this FOA, study participant denotes cancer patients and/or post-treatment cancer survivors. Each PE-CGS U2C Research Center to be proposed in response to this FOA must consist of the following components: Administrative Core Participant Engagement Unit; Genome Characterization Unit; and Engagement Optimization Unit. In addition to conducting individual projects, PE-CGS U2C Research Centers will be expected to operate as a collaborative network. Various trans-network activities will be facilitated by the PE-CGS Network Coordinating Center (U24).