The "Systematic Testing of Radionuclides in Preclinical Experiments (STRIPE)" R01 funding opportunity (PA-25-174) is a research grant issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to support innovative preclinical studies on radionuclide-based therapeutics (RPT). These projects should focus on understanding the biological effects of different types of radiation used in RPT, including effects on normal tissue, tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment. The R01 mechanism supports larger, more established research efforts compared to its companion R21 program (PA-25-173), targeting comprehensive projects with greater funding and duration.

The program emphasizes investigating RPT's mechanisms of action, identifying new therapeutic targets, and developing advanced strategies such as synthetic lethality, theranostics, and polypharmacy approaches. Specific research priorities include exploring RPT combinations with other therapies, optimizing treatment regimens for resistant cancers, and improving therapeutic indices by studying biological effects on normal tissues. Collaboration between experts in cancer biology and radiopharmaceuticals is encouraged, with a preference for multiple Principal Investigator (PI) proposals.

Funding provides up to $500,000 per year in direct costs for a maximum of five years. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profits, local and state governments, and foreign organizations. Applicants must register with the necessary federal systems, including SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, before submission. Nonresponsive applications, such as those not involving RPT, proposing clinical trials, or focusing exclusively on computational models without experimental validation, will not be reviewed.

Applicants must submit proposals electronically and adhere strictly to NIH’s instructions and updated application forms (FORMS-I). Key submission dates begin on February 5, 2025, with standard NIH deadlines applicable thereafter. A Data Management and Sharing Plan is mandatory, and all projects must comply with NIH policies on human subjects and animal research.

Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, and the expertise of the research team. Review criteria include the potential for the project to address critical gaps in knowledge, produce reproducible results, and leverage the research environment's resources effectively. The review process includes NIH peer review and subsequent advisory council evaluation, with awards contingent on funding availability and program priorities.

Administrative contacts are provided for application and program inquiries. Applicants are advised to contact program officers to ensure responsiveness to the funding announcement's priorities. Further details on submission guidelines and NIH grant policies are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.