The National Cancer Institute (NCI), under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has released a funding opportunity titled *“Advanced Development and Validation of Emerging Molecular and Cellular Analysis Technologies for Basic and Clinical Cancer Research (R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-CA-25-002). This opportunity is part of the Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program and seeks applications for advanced development and rigorous validation of emerging technologies designed to target, probe, or assess molecular and cellular features of cancer biology. The proposed technologies must address unmet needs in cancer research and show significant potential to accelerate or enhance research in areas such as cancer biology, detection, screening, diagnosis, treatment, control, epidemiology, or health disparities.

The goal of this funding opportunity is to further develop and validate technologies that have already overcome initial feasibility gaps, as demonstrated by supportive preliminary data. The technologies should offer novel capabilities or substantial improvements over current approaches, focusing on molecular and cellular characterization. Applications must prioritize technological innovation, robust validation strategies, and potential widespread adoption by the research community. Projects that simply apply existing technologies to address biological or clinical questions will not be considered responsive.

The IMAT program encourages submissions in several areas, including novel tools for cancer stage and progression assessment, technologies that address basic cancer mechanisms, tools for early detection and screening, drug discovery facilitation, and technologies for low-resource settings or that address health disparities. Projects must include **quantitative performance measures** to evaluate success. These measures should be clearly defined, scientifically justified, and demonstrate the capabilities of the technology in cancer-relevant biological contexts.

The NCI anticipates funding approximately **10 awards**, with a total budget of **$4.3 million** for fiscal year 2026. The maximum budget is **$300,000 per year** in direct costs, and projects may not exceed **3 years**. Applications must demonstrate clear technical feasibility and include a plan for rigorous validation. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, local and state governments, tribal entities, and foreign organizations. Foreign components of U.S. organizations are also allowed.

Applications must include a **“Statement of Potential Impact”** describing the anticipated transformative nature of the technology for cancer research and its advantages over existing methods. A dedicated “Performance Measures” section is required within the Research Strategy to define quantifiable targets and evaluation methods for validating the technology’s success. Applications must also address considerations of health disparities and describe how the technology may mitigate or avoid exacerbating disparities.

The application submission deadline is **April 4, 2025**, for the first review cycle, with a second deadline on **October 3, 2025**. Letters of intent are encouraged but not required and are due **30 days prior** to the application deadline. Submissions must be made electronically through Grants.gov, following the guidelines outlined in the NIH Application Guide.

Proposals will be evaluated on their **significance**, **innovation**, **approach**, and the expertise of the investigative team, along with the technology’s potential for broad adoption and transformative impact. Applicants are also required to attend an annual meeting hosted by the NCI to share progress and foster collaboration. Questions can be directed to **Dr. Kelly Crotty** at *kelly.crotty@nih.gov* for scientific inquiries and **Sean Hine** at *hines@mail.nih.gov* for financial or grants management questions.