Apply & Reports
Call for Applications — Cycle X — 2004
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Table of Contents
- Overview and New for this Grant Cycle
- Application Deadlines
- How to Obtain Full Application Instructions and Forms
- CBCRP Mission Statement
- CBCRP Priority Issues and Award Types
- Research Priority Issues
- Award Type Descriptions
- Primary vs. Complementary Funding
- General Information
- Fundraising
- Summary of CBCRP Funding for Cycle IX in 2003
Overview
The California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) is pleased to present our 2004 Cycle X Call for Applications. We expect to have available approximately $14 million to award new grants beginning July 1, 2004. In this booklet you will find the application submission deadlines, our mission, our research topics of interest (Priority Issues), and our Award Types.
We hope this information will encourage you to apply and to direct your research interests to match the priorities of the CBCRP. Our overall commitment is to fund research that will result in rapid advances in breast cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and cure. We welcome current CBCRP grant recipients to apply with new projects, and we invite researchers new to our Program to bring your expertise to our cause. The CBCRP supports research only in California from funds obtained through:
- a portion of a 2 cents/pack State cigarette tax
- a State income tax check-off
- the generous contributions from concerned community members dedicated to defeating breast cancer
All grant applications will be first evaluated and rated for scientific merit in a peer review process. Applications having ‘acceptable merit’ are then reviewed for programmatic interest by our advisory Council. It is a combination of both scientific merit and programmatic interest that determines funding. All applicants will receive a detailed written critique.
NEW for this Grant Cycle
- We have raised the total award amount for Postdoctoral Fellowships to $90,000.
- Indirect costs (non-UC institutions only) are capped at 8% for New Investigator awards, and no indirect costs will be allowed for Postdoctoral Fellowships.
- The research topics listed under the Earlier Detection priority issue now includes molecular imaging and biomarkers.
- We have changed the Career Enrichment award description to include disciplines other than basic or clinical sciences research.
Application Deadlines
The CBCRP has only one funding cycle per year.
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Deadlines for Community Research Collaboration (CRC) and Conference Awards:
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Special exception: Recipients of Cycle IX TRC Pilot Awards and SPRC Exploratory Awards may submit a full TRC Research Award or full SPRC Research Award application up until February 26, 2004, if a Letter of Request is submitted by January 8, 2004. Call for instructions.
How to Obtain Full Application Instructions and Forms
Complete Application Packets with full instructions and application forms will be available after October 6, 2003, through these channels:
- Web: Download from www.cbcrp.org
- E-mail: We can e-mail you the Application Packet and forms. Contact us at: cbcrp@ucop.edu
- Print: Copies will be sent to major California institutions' Contracts and Grants Offices
The Program contact information is:
California Breast Cancer Research Program
University of California, Office of the President
300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612-3550
Web: www.cbcrp.org
E-mail: cbcrp@ucop.edu
Fax: (510) 587-6325
Phone: (510) 987-9884
Phone (toll free): 1-888-313-BCRP (2277)
The CBCRP will offer "in person" application information meetings on an as-requested basis. Please contact us to inquire about arranging such a meeting. If these are scheduled, then the dates and locatioins will be posted on our Web site.
CBCRP Mission Statement
The mission of the CBCRP is to eliminate breast cancer by leading innovation in research, communication, and collaboration in the California scientific and lay communities.
CBCRP Priority Issues and Award Types
The first step in applying to the CBCRP for grant funding is to examine our Priority Issues and Award Types. Answer the question, "How do my research interests, project type, and career level match the CBCRP priority issues and award types?"
Priority Issues
Your application must incorporate a main research topic that corresponds to one of the CBCRP’s Priority Issues. There are nine Priority Issues and they are grouped into four broad categories as covered later in this booklet. It is not a problem if your planned research includes more than one of our Priority Issues, but you must select one to emphasize when preparing the application. However, also briefly discuss on the appropriate form the other priority issues your research includes.
- "Primary" Priority Issues. Six of our priority issues are primary and these will be given first consideration for funding. The reason is to: (1) encourage applications on topics that the Council has identified as important health problems or scientific issues that are critical to advancing breast cancer and (2) support under-researched topics. This will fulfill the interests of the Program and advisory Council to make our funding complement and reduce overlap with other agencies.
- "Complementary" Priority Issues. The remaining three complementary Priority Issues are well represented in the CBCRP grant portfolio and include topics commonly funded by other agencies. We will continue to award applications submitted in these Priority Issues, especially those having high impact and innovation qualities.
Priority Issues |
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Primary Priority Issues |
Complementary Priority Issues |
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. Biology of the Normal Breast . Etiology . Health Policy and Health Services . Prevention and Risk Reduction . Racial/Ethnic Differences in Breast Cancer . Sociocultural, Behavioral, and Psychological Issues Relevant to Breast Cancer |
. Earlier Detection . Innovative Treatment Modalities . Pathogenesis |
Award Types
The CBCRP award types fall into four broad categories: (1) multi-PI collaboration research, (2) topic-targeted research (RFAs), (3) innovative research, and (4) career development. The award types are also grouped into primary and complementary categories.
- "Primary" Award Types. These will be given first consideration for funding and include the three types of collaboration awards: Community Research Collaboration (CRC) (see note, below), Translational Research Collaboration (TRC), Scientific Perspectives Research Collaboration (SPRC), and Joining Forces Conference Awards (JFCA). The Requests for Applications (RFAs), also Primary Awards, are available only in the Primary Priority Issues. Therefore, please note that RFAs are not available in the three Complementary Priority Issues: Earlier Detection, Innovative Treatment Modalities, or Pathogenesis.
- "Complementary" Award Types. These include the investigator-initiated innovative award types, IDEA and STEP, and the career development award types (postdoctoral fellowships, dissertation, new investigator, and career enrichment awards). Fostering innovation and careers in breast cancer research are the focus in this category.
Note: The CBCRP's Community Research Collaboration (CRC) awards are described in a separate Call for Applications. The CRCs have a different application deadline schedule, use different application forms, and require the applicants to submit a pre-application "concept paper" by a November 6, 2003 deadline. The other CBCRP award types do not require a concept paper. Please contact Dr. Walter Price (510-987-9886 or walter.price@ucop.edu) if you are interested in applying for a CRC grant or would like more information.
Award Types |
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Primary Award Types |
Complementary Award Types |
Collaboration Awards . Scientific Perspectives Research Collaboration (SPRC) . Translational Research Collaboration (TRC) . Community Research Collaboration (CRC) . Joining Forces Conference Topic-targeted Requests for Applications (RFAs)
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Innovative Awards . Innovative, Developmental, and Exploratory (IDEA) . STEP Career Development Awards . Dissertation . Postdoctoral Fellowship . Mentored Scholar . New Investigator . Training Program . Career Enrichment |
After application submission, and during the review and funding process, the CBCRP will examine applications for their appropriate match to the selected priority issue and award type. We reserve the right to switch applications to a different priority issue or award type. In general, this inspection occurs during the peer review, and committees have the option of changing award type and priority issue by majority vote. In addition, the Program staff and/or advisory Council can make these changes during the programmatic review. If you submit an RFA application and the scientific review committee considers the research more relevant to one of the complementary priority issues, then your application may be disqualified.
We encourage applicants to contact the CBCRP Research Administrators directly to discuss any questions they have with the selection of priority issue and award type. If the proposed research includes more than one priority issue, then it is the responsibility of the PI(s) to select the one that best matches the research and submit the application appropriately.
Finally, we encourage applicants to inspect the CBCRP funded portfolio displayed on our Web site, www.cbcrp.org/research/, to see how your proposed project compares to previously-funded grants. Our funded research is organized by priority issue, principal investigator, institution, and the titles and abstracts can be searched. The grant abstracts, including the initial award, annual/final progress reports, and publications are posted.
Research Priority Issues
The nine CBCRP Priority Issues are arranged into four broad groups.
I. The Community Impact of Breast Cancer: The Social Context
Overview: Beyond access to medical treatment, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer needs: (1) an effective healthcare system that meets the special needs of breast cancer patients, (2) an individualized social support framework, and (3) the recognition that key differences in various racial and ethnic groups that can serve to create disparities. The CBCRP supports research and formulation of public policy alternatives that would contribute to breast cancer prevention and improve outcome. The CBCRP recognizes the need for reducing inequities in access to prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship services for underserved populations. Finally, we encourage sociocultural, psychological, and behavioral research to reduce the impact of breast cancer on each woman.
1. Health Policy and Health Services: Better Serving Women's Needs
A. Health Policy
Exploring either public policy change or health outcomes
with regard to breast cancer treatment, prevention, earlier detection, and racial/ethnic
differences in breast cancer. Topics of special interest include:
- Research and formulation of public policy alternatives contributing to breast cancer prevention, e.g., precautionary principle strategies, biomonitoring, and phase-out of persistent bioaccumulative toxins
- Methods to improve health care outcomes, especially through public health policy initiatives
- Economic aspects of breast cancer care, including increased efficiency and cost-benefit ratios
- Studies of public (i.e., the lay public and policy-makers) perceptions of breast cancer, the burden of breast cancer in California, and priorities for research
- Impact of direct consumer marketing of genetic testing, imaging techniques, and therapies
- Quality of care, including adherence to state-of-the-art and standard of care guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
B. Health Services
The development of public policy strategies to most effectively deliver services
to women, including preventing breast cancer and eliminating
the barriers to service delivery. Topics of special interest include:
- Reducing inequities in access to prevention, detection (excluding screening mammography), treatment, and survivorship services for underserved populations
- Outcomes, quality of care, costs, and quality of life in health service delivery systems, including organizational models of service, networking, supportive care, support groups, feminist models of health care, and/or multi-specialty access
- Methods to reduce costs and/or increase patient-physician cooperation, and develop, implement, and evaluate new practices/policies
- Development of better self-reporting patient satisfaction and quality assessment tools covering the entire process of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation
2. Sociocultural, Behavioral, and Psychological Issues Relevant to Breast
Cancer: The Human Side
Qualitative or quantitative research into sociocultural, behavioral, and psychological
issues of women affected by breast cancer or at high risk for the disease. Topics
of special interest include:
- Enhancing quality of life at diagnosis, during treatment, and afterwards
- Survivorship and end-of-life issues
- Patient and health care practitioner interactions and decision-making
- Participation in clinical trials/scientific research, especially to increase the participation of underserved populations
3. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Breast Cancer: Eliminating Disparity
Research addresses the underlying differences in breast cancer biology, incidence, morbidity
and mortality, or treatment. Topics of special interest include:
- Provider and organizational factors related to delivery and practice of screening, diagnoses, and treatment that contribute to differences in racial/ethnic groups
- Social determinants of health (i.e., environmental exposures, socioeconomic factors and modifiable behavioral risk factors) that contribute to disparities in breast cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality
- Identification of protective factors related to incidence and mortality by race and ethnicity, including smaller racial and ethnic groups found in California
- Exploration of elevated mortality rates among African Americans and Native Americans
- Racial/ethnic differences in histologic, cytologic, and molecular parameters of breast cancer and disease progression
Note: The Racial/Ethnic Differences priority issue overlaps other CBCRP topics. The first bullet listed above is linked to the Health Policy and Health Services priority issue. The second bullet is linked to the Sociocultural, Behavioral and Psychological Issues priority issue. The third and fourth bullets are linked to Etiology and Prevention. Finally, the last bullet is linked to Pathogenesis.
II. Prevention and Risk Reduction: The Environment of the Disease
Overview: What are environmental and biological factors that interact to increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer? The disease seemingly strikes women at random despite the efforts to identify causative genes and risk factors. We especially encourage new California-based studies to understand the environmental causes of breast cancer, and how these increase risk and impact different communities of women in California.
4. Etiology: Finding the Causes
Research investigating breast cancer initiation that may be due to environmental
exposures that subject women to agents that they, as individuals, cannot control.
To date, there has been intensive study into the contributions of behavior
and lifestyle to breast cancer. We wish instead to focus on the external physical
factors that contribute to the disease. Our goal is to understand the underlying
cancer-initiating biology that may result from exposures, which include pesticides
and other known or suspected carcinogens found in air, food, water, medications,
etc. Topics of special interest include:
- Investigations of the causal role of environmental factors in terms of site of exposure (e.g., neighborhood, home, workplace) and stage of breast development at time of exposure (particularly adolescence, childhood, or the prenatal period)
- Studies of occupational exposures and breast cancer risk
- Consequences of exposures from breast milk, second hand smoke, EMF, and other exposures difficult to ameliorate by changing personal behavior
- Creating new tools to better monitor external initiators of breast cancer, e.g., body burden of suspected carcinogens, including developmental toxicants and identification of surrogate markers of exposure
- Investigation of the human effects of exposure to chemicals currently in use that have been shown to induce mammary tumors in animals
- Identifying gene/environment interactions and biomarkers using new tools such as proteomics or genomics
- Identification of carcinogenic agents with elevated exposures in specific populations or geographic areas
Note: Cell and tumor model-based studies of the role of specific genes, gene combinations, and cellular pathways initiating breast cancer should be submitted under the CBCRP priority issue of Pathogenesis.
5. Prevention and Risk Reduction: Ending the Danger of Breast Cancer
Methods to prevent breast cancer or reduce risk, including elimination of external
causative factors and the identification of surrogate markers for use in prevention
trials. Topics of special interest include:
- Nutritional pathways, possible preventative foods, and new animal models to test diet components
- Identification of causal behaviors that can be modified to reduce risk
- Developing new intervention strategies
- Risk reduction and identification
- Identification of surrogate markers/outcomes for breast cancer prevention
- Molecular epidemiology studies on the risk of disease associated with the presence of newly identified or suspected susceptibility genes
Note: By "Prevention," we refer only to the primary prevention of breast cancer (prevention of the occurrence of the disease).
III. Biology of the Breast Cell: The Basic Science of the Disease
Overview: There is a need to move beyond that "static picture" of breast cancer in tumor cell lines and current animal models. New research is needed to understand the pre-neoplastic, causative events of the disease at the tissue level, including the stroma. The genetic changes in disease progression and the heterogeneity seen in the clinic need clarification at the basic science level. Lab researchers and clinicians are encouraged to engage in more "cross-disciplinary" research projects to link discovery efforts with the clinical issues important to breast cancer. We must understand the genetic and molecular signatures of the disease to treat it effectively.
6. Biology of the Normal Breast: The Starting Point
Aspects of normal breast biology that could provide insights into new approaches to prevent, detect,
or treat breast cancer. Topics of special interest include:
- Development and structure of the normal breast
- Cell-cell interactions and the extracellular environment in the normal breast
- Patterns of transition from normal to atypical to pre-malignant breast tissue and factors influencing these transitions
- The development of cell lines and animal models that more closely reflect human breast development
Note: Studies that develop tumor models, analyze tumor biology, or use cell lines derived from tumors should be submitted under the Pathogenesis priority issue.
7. Pathogenesis: Understanding the Disease
Focus on breast cancer tumor biology, including (1) relevant proteins and genes
and (2) key cell signaling, growth control, cell cycle, apoptosis, and regulatory
pathways. Topics of special interest include:
- How cancer spreads: angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis
- Breast cancer specific events in molecular genetics, DNA repair, and tumor suppressor function
- Studies using emerging gene array and proteomic technologies
- Establishing potential biomarkers for earlier detection, stage of disease, tumor progression, and prognosis
- Biological factors associated with shortened or lengthened survival
- Basic science studies on disease progression, especially starting at DCIS
- Racial/ethnic differences in histologic, cytologic, and molecular parameters of breast cancer and disease progression (should be submitted under the CBCRP's Racial/Ethnic Differences priority issue)
IV. Diagnosis and Treatment: Delivering Clinical Solutions
Overview: Early detection does not guarantee a cure, and the limitations of mammography require women to undergo unnecessary biopsies and emotional strain. Ultimately patients and physicians have too few options for treatment. New breast cancer specific and individualized therapies require investigation. Lab researchers and clinicians are encouraged to engage in more cross-disciplinary research projects to link discovery efforts with the clinical issues important to breast cancer.
8. Earlier Detection: Improving the Chances for a Cure
Finding new, cost-effective technological and biological approaches to early
detection, molecular imaging, and tumor analysis of breast cancer
at the individual and population level. Topics
of special interest include:
- Developing new imaging technologies to reveal key physiological and biological properties for breast tumors, associated stroma, or pre-malignant lesions to better characterize stage, and to provide clinically useful information
- Improving existing imaging technologies to improve specificity and sensitivity of tumor detection, especially in high-risk women
- Detection of biological markers of pre-cancerous or early cancerous lesions
- Research into potential surrogate markers for the identification of high risk women for clinical surveillance
9. Innovative Treatment Modalities: Search for a Cure
Developing new, more effective therapies for breast cancer. Topics of special
interest include:
- Complementary and alternative medicine and nutritional factors
- The final stages of establishing a breast cancer protein or gene target as a potential new therapy target
- Alternative approaches for staging and treating DCIS, primary breast cancer and local recurrences
- Rational drug design focused on breast cancer
- Immunological approaches for treatment and vaccine development
- Preclinical and early clinical studies of promising new treatment strategies and/or agents
- Improved management of sequelae of breast cancer treatment
Note: Studies of new combinations of standard chemotherapeutic agents will not be considered responsive.
Award Type Descriptions
Note: The budget cap amounts shown are for direct costs only and they are for the entire project period. Only non-UC institutions can request indirect costs. Some award types either have caps on indirect costs or do not allow this item as part of the budget request.
Primary Award Types
Scientific Perspectives Research Collaboration Awards (SPRCs)
Purpose/Requirements: To support a "new perspectives" project
performed by a cross-disciplinary team. One team member must be an experienced
breast cancer researcher. The other team member must from a discipline
not currently integrated into breast cancer research (e.g., economics,
mathematics,
computer modeling). The project should illuminate intractable problems
in breast cancer with insights, tools and ideas from the non-breast cancer
discipline.
There are two levels of SPRC support:
- Exploratory Award: For new, highly speculative concepts to solidify the collaborative partnership and to collect pilot data. The maximum duration is 18 months and the direct costs budget cap is $100,000.
- Full Research Award: To pursue more developed projects that have pilot data and an established team. The maximum duration is 3 years, and there is no budget cap.
Community Research Collaboration Awards (CRCs)
Purpose/Requirements: To support a research partnership between community
organizations/members and experienced, traditional researchers. The breast
cancer-related research issues should be:
(1) Important to specific communities in CaliforniaThere are two levels of CRC support:
(2) Use methods that are relevant, acceptable, culturally sensitive and appropriate to the community
(3) Likely to produce results that are meaningful to the community
- Pilot Award: For developmental and pilot work necessary to lead to an application for a full award. The maximum duration is 18 months, and the direct costs budget cap is $100,000.
- Full Research Award: A scientifically rigorous research project performed in partnership. The maximum duration is 3 years, and the direct costs budget cap is $500,000.
Translational Research Collaboration Awards (TRCs)
Purpose/Requirements: To support translational, innovative research employing
a "cross-disciplinary" team approach. Needs two or more co-PIs
with at least two of the following disciplines represented:
(1) EpidemiologyResearch must be translatable to the health care and lay community. There are two levels of TRC support:
(2) Social/behavioral
(3) Laboratory
(4) Clinical
- Pilot Award: For developmental and pilot work to establish the collaboration and collect pilot data. The maximum duration is 18 months, and the direct costs budget cap is $100,000.
- Full Research Award: For more developed translational research by a collaborative and cross-disciplinary team. The maximum duration is 3 years, and the direct costs budget cap is $500,000.
Joining Forces Conference Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support a conference, symposium, retreat, or other
structured meeting to link breast cancer researchers, non-breast cancer
investigators, and community members for the purpose of stimulating new
ideas and collaborations—those related to the SPRC, CRC, and TRC
award types. The budget cap is $25,000, and no indirect costs are allowed.
Request for Applications (RFAs)
Purpose/Requirements: To support a fully developed research project with
background, demonstrated expertise, preliminary data by the PI, and a solid
hypothesis. The research topic must be focused in one of the CBCRP primary
priority issues:
- Biology of the Normal Breast
- Etiology
- Health Policy and Health Services
- Prevention and Risk Reduction
- Racial/Ethnic Differences in Breast Cancer
- Sociocultural, Behavioral, and Psychological Issues Relevant to Breast Cancer
The maximum duration is 3 years and there is no direct costs budget cap (approximately $1 million will set aside for RFAs in each Priority Issue).
Complementary Award Types
Innovative, Developmental, and Exploratory Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support speculative, exploratory, high-risk projects
that have a potential for high pay-off. Applications for this award type:
(1) should be hypothesis-driven, (2) challenge existing paradigms, and (3)
encourage innovation by the incorporation of techniques and approaches not
yet well represented in "mainstream" breast cancer research.
We offer two levels of support:
- IDEA: For more focused, pilot projects that do not have preliminary data in breast cancer. The maximum duration is 18 months and the direct costs budget cap is either $75,000 or $100,000 (higher cap is for studies using animal models or human subjects).
- STEP: For highly innovative projects that have some preliminary data in breast cancer, but are not yet sufficiently mature to compete successfully for funding for a full-scale study. The maximum duration is 2 years and the direct costs budget cap is either $150,000, $200,000 (studies using animal models), or $250,000 (studies using human subjects).
Note: STEP Awards are not intended for projects that lack preliminary data in breast cancer or for scaled down R01-type projects.
Dissertation Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support the career development and dissertation
research of Masters or Doctoral graduate students who wish to pursue breast
cancer-related research. The applicant is a masters/doctoral candidate
who must prepare the application and needs to advance to the appropriate
degree candidacy level by the award start date (July 1, 2004). The mentor
must be an independent, full-time faculty (or equivalent) at the institution.
The applicant (PI) must be a masters/doctoral candidate who must prepare
the application. The maximum durations are 1 year (Masters level) or 2
years (Doctoral level). The budget cap is $30,000 per
year for stipend/fringe
benefits, tuition/fee remission, supplies, and travel. No indirect costs
are allowed for this award type.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support individuals with doctoral degrees to obtain
postdoctoral training to develop their career potential in breast cancer
research with a designated mentor. The maximum duration is 2 years and
direct costs budget cap is $90,000. No indirect costs are allowed for this
award type.
Mentored Scholar Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support researchers without postdoctoral training
who have new (within the past two years) faculty (or equivalent) appointments,
but are not yet ready to become independent investigators. The award is
to allow career development opportunities in breast cancer research under
the direction of a mentor. Applications in health policy, economics, social
sciences (anthropology, sociology, psychology, etc.), and nursing are especially
encouraged. The maximum duration is 2 years and the total budget
cap is $140,000 for PI salary and $20,000 for other costs. Indirect costs are
capped at 8% for non-UC institutions.
New Investigator Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support newly independent (within past 3 years)
investigators to enable them to initiate their own breast cancer research
programs. Available to individuals with M.D. or Ph.D. degrees, just completing
postdoctoral fellowships, or individuals who are entering research careers
from clinical practice or other related non-research activities. The maximum
duration is 3 years and the direct costs budget
cap is $300,000. Indirect
costs are capped at 8% for non-UC institutions.
Training Program Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support educational programs to train graduate or
undergraduate students for breast cancer research careers in disciplines
that are of central importance for one of our CBCRP Priority Issues. The
maximum duration is 3 years and direct costs budget
cap is $300,000. Indirect
costs are capped at 8% for non-UC institutions.
Career Enrichment Awards
Purpose/Requirements: To support established researchers or clinicians (5
or more years as a clinician or an independent investigator) to gain experience
in a new breast cancer field under the direction of a colleague/mentor
in the new discipline. Clinicians that are not currently involved in research
projects are encouraged to apply. We encourage researchers to experience
an alternate discipline to enhance their capacity to engage in new projects.
The maximum duration is 1 year and direct costs budget
cap is full salary support and up to $100,000 for travel, research supplies, and housing.
Indirect costs are capped at 8% for non-UC institutions.
"Primary" vs. "Complementary" Funding
How does an applicant’s choice of priority issue and award type ultimately impact funding success? The CBCRP's selection of applications for funding is a rigorous, two-tiered process: a scientific or "peer review" and a programmatic review. Success in both is necessary for funding.
To be eligible for the programmatic review, an application must have sufficient scientific merit as determined in the peer review committee; the Program excludes applications in the lowest tertile (1/3) of scientific merit. For 2003 we conducted peer reviews of 221 applications and eliminated 80 on the basis of low scientific merit. Of the remaining 141 applications, the CBCRP’s advisory Council in its programmatic review recommended 29 (50%) of the "primary" and 19 (23%) of the "complementary" applications for funding. An application is considered "primary" if either the award type or the priority issue meets the specifications as set forth in the earlier section, CBCRP Priority Issues and Award Types.
General Information
What is the California Breast Cancer Research Program?
In 1993, California breast cancer activists joined forces with scientists, clinicians, state legislators, and University of California officials to catapult the state into national leadership for breast cancer research. The activists, most of them women who had survived or currently had breast cancer, were impatient with the slow pace of progress against the disease. With their allies, they wrote and won passage of statewide legislation to push breast cancer research in new, creative directions. The California Breast Cancer Act, sponsored by Assemblywoman Barbara Friedman, increased the tobacco tax by two cents per pack, with 45% of the proceeds going to what was then, and still is, the largest state-funded breast cancer research effort in the nation, the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Funded primarily by the tobacco tax, and supplemented with taxpayer donations designated on state income tax returns, and private contributions, the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) has provided nearly $150 million in research funds since 1995. In 2003, the CBCRP awarded $11.5 million for 50 grants, two special conferences, and one supplement to an existing award.
The CBCRP is under the direction of the University of California, Office of the President in Oakland. Our advisory Breast Cancer Research Council includes scientists, clinicians, representatives of industry and non-profit health organizations, and breast cancer advocates. The Council provides vision, sets research priorities, and recommends how we invest our funds in research.
Who May Apply
1. Any individual or organization in California may submit an application. The research must be conducted primarily in California. We welcome investigators from community organizations, public or privately-owned corporations and other businesses, volunteer health organizations, health maintenance organizations, hospitals, laboratories, research institutions, colleges, and universities.
2. We encourage researchers new to breast cancer to apply. We recommend that applicants, who have limited experience in scientific research or in scientific grant-writing, collaborate with established researchers in order to maximize quality. Applicants are urged to consider the suitability of their research ideas under the Community Research Collaboration award type (see separate Application Packet); in some instances, the Translational Research Collaboration Award or Scientific Perspectives Research Collaboration Award may also be appropriate.
3. Re-submissions and previously funded PIs. Individuals who submitted "not funded" applications can revise them and re-submit in the current cycle. Already funded PIs may submit new applications in Cycle IX that are distinct from the previously funded research.
4. Multiple application and grant requirements for PIs. An investigator may submit more than one application, but each application must have unique specific aims. A PI can only receive one non-collaboration award type grant. In addition, however, and new for this year, a PI may also receive one grant as a co-PI for a collaboration award type (CRC, TRC, or SPRC).
Conditions of Awards
1. All grant recipients must satisfy the standard requirements for receiving an award or modified requirements, if appropriate, as determined by the University of California. These requirements include fiscal management, accounting practices, liability insurance, bonding, indemnification of the UC Regents, nondiscrimination in employment, and assurances regarding the treatment of animal or human subjects. Applicants do not have to meet these requirements at the time an application is reviewed, but no grant will be awarded until they are satisfied. Also, before an award is disbursed, a prospective grant recipient must satisfy certain stipulations (see Application Packet). The CBCRP staff will provide information to assist prospective recipients in satisfying these stipulations.
2. Grant recipients are required to attend a bi-annual CBCRP Research Symposium (next meeting is September 2003 in San Diego) and must include travel costs for this in the grant budget. In addition, grant recipients may be asked to present their work at other CBCRP-related functions.
3. Intellectual Property: Grant recipients will retain the intellectual property rights to all work completed with the support of their grants.
Fundraising
We need your support because our principal source of revenue from the State tax on tobacco decreases every year. Here's how to help:
- California Income Tax Return. Use the appropriate line to donate to the California Breast Cancer Research Fund.
- Direct donation. Send a check payable to "The Regents of the University of California" with a letter designating the funds for the California Breast Cancer Research Program to California Breast Cancer Research Program, University of California - Office of the President, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612-3550
Please bookmark our Web site, www.cbcrp.org, to follow events we sponsor. We encourage you to participate in events that designate the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) as a featured beneficiary.
The CBCRP appreciates your support!
Summary of CBCRP Funding for Cycle IX in 2003
Total applications reviewed = 223
Applications offered funding = 51
Success rate = 22.8%
Grants accepted = 50
Amount awarded for new grants = $11,548,718
Grant supplements awarded in 2003 = 1 for $10,000
Total of new grants and supplements awarded in 2003 = $11,558,718
Applications and Awards by CBCRP Priority Issues:
Priority Issue |
Applications |
Grants |
Awarded |
The Community Impact of Breast Cancer | |||
Health Policy & Health Services |
7 |
1 |
$315,198 |
Sociocultural |
20 |
6 |
$1,447,888 |
Racial/Ethnic Differences |
7 |
4 |
$1,866,302 |
Prevention and Risk Reduction | |||
Etiology |
9 |
4 |
$1,338,399 |
Prevention |
24 |
4 |
$1,348,860 |
Diagnosis and Treatment | |||
Earlier Detection |
9 |
2 |
$83,304 |
Innovative Treament |
54 |
9 |
$1,819,144 |
Biology of the Breast Cell | |||
Biology of the Normal Breast |
19 |
8 |
$1,463,162 |
Pathogenesis |
74 |
12 |
$1,866,461 |
Applications and Awards by CBCRP Award Types:
|
Award Type |
Applications |
Grants |
Awarded |
Collaboration Awards | |||
|
Community (CRC) |
6 |
2 |
$232,264 |
Translational (TRC) |
13 |
2 |
$288,800 |
Sci. Perspectives (SPRC) |
2 |
0 |
$0 |
Joining Forces Conference |
2 |
2 |
$50,000 |
Total Collaboration Awards |
23 |
6 |
$571,064 |
|
| |||
Investigator-initiated Awards | |||
RFA |
26 |
7 |
$4,125,804 |
STEP |
55 |
13 |
$3,412,762 |
IDEA |
43 |
7 |
$884,863 |
Total Investigator-initiated Awards |
124 |
26 |
$8,323,595 |
|
| |||
Career Development Awards | |||
Dissertation |
3 |
2 |
$118,304 |
Postdoctoral |
47 |
11 |
$858,024 |
New Investigator |
23 |
3 |
$1,422,488 |
Career Enrichment |
1 |
1 |
$155,409 |
Mentored Scholar |
2 |
0 |
$0 |
Total Career Development Awards |
76 |
17 |
$2,554,225 |
