DOD Melanoma Mid-Career Accelerator Award | W81XWH 21 MRP MCAA

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 21 MRP MCAA

The Department of Defense Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Mid-Career Accelerator Award (MCAA) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) under CFDA 12.420. It is designed specifically to support independent investigators who are already established in their careers but are still in the mid-career stage, with the goal of helping them produce high-impact melanoma research and accelerate their trajectory into recognized leadership roles within the melanoma research community. In other words, this mechanism is not framed as entry-level or early-stage support; it is meant for investigators who have demonstrated independence and are positioned to make a meaningful leap in influence and research output.

The core purpose of the award is to fund melanoma-focused research that is impactful, scientifically well-reasoned, and capable of advancing the field in a noticeable way. Applications are expected to present a clear and compelling scientific rationale, with logical reasoning that connects the underlying problem to the proposed approach and anticipated impact. A key requirement is that applicants include preliminary data relevant to melanoma, signaling that proposed projects should not be purely speculative. Instead, the program is looking for efforts that have already generated promising evidence and are ready to be expanded, validated, or translated into a more substantial research direction.

Funding may be provided through either a grant or a cooperative agreement, which implies that awards could vary in the level of government involvement during the project. The opportunity was open to an unrestricted range of applicant entity types (as broadly stated in the eligibility field), subject to any additional eligibility details that would have been provided in the full announcement text. The opportunity number is W81XWH 21 MRP MCAA. The posting date was May 7, 2021, and the original application deadline was August 26, 2021. The notice indicated an expectation of approximately four awards. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the summary data, which typically means the maximum funding limit was not captured in that particular synopsis field and would normally be defined in the full funding announcement or program guidelines.

Overall, the MCAA is best understood as a career-acceleration mechanism for mid-career melanoma researchers: it prioritizes strong scientific justification, requires melanoma-relevant preliminary data, and aims to produce research outcomes substantial enough to elevate the investigator toward a leadership position in the melanoma research landscape.

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOD Melanoma Mid-Career Accelerator Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 07, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 26, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for W81XWH 21 MRP MCAA

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