Pediatric Immunotherapy Translational Science Network (PI-TSN)(U01)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is associated with the Beau Biden Cancer MoonshotSM Initiative that is intended to accelerate cancer research. The overall goal of this FOA and the companion FOA, RFA-CA-17-050, is to establish a network of collaborating investigators to identify and advance research opportunities for translating immunotherapy concepts for children and adolescents with cancer toward clinical applications. Specifically, this FOA targets the following area(s) designated as a scientific priority(ies) by the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP): Recommendation (B) that calls for the establishment of a pediatric immunotherapy translation science network. The network was envisioned by the BRP as focusing on identifying new targets for immunotherapies, developing new pediatric immunotherapy treatment approaches (e.g., cancer vaccines, cellular therapy, combinations of immunotherapy agents, and others), and defining the biological mechanisms by which pediatric tumors evade the immune system. This FOA solicits U01 applications for discrete research projects that address relevant research opportunities (e.g., mechanisms of immune evasion, model development, validation of a single target, etc.), while the companion FOA, RFA-CA-17-050, solicits multi-component U54 Center applications. Successful applicants from both FOAs will become members of the Pediatric Immunotherapy Discovery and Development Network (PI-DDN), which will address and implement the BRP recommendations.