Through this funding opportunity announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites multiple-PD/PI applications for collaborative research projects each with two to three independent modeling groups that will comprise a new “incubator” program within the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET). The overarching goal of this FOA is to expand comparative simulation modeling approaches developed by CISNET to new cancer organ sites beyond the sites which have been previously funded (breast, colorectal, prostate, lung, esophageal, and cervical) under CISNET. This "incubator" FOA is open to any cancer organ site beyond these sites. Specifically, this program aims to translate CISNET’s framework of success to cancer sites that are not already part of the CISNET and for which there has been nascent/limited population modeling and little to no comparative modeling. For this FOA, "incubate" refers to accelerating the development and application of CISNET-type models for new cancer sites. Accelerating the development of comparative simulation modeling approaches for new cancer organ sites beyond those already funded is expected to generate sophisticated, evidence-based decision tools that could inform decisions on the most efficient utilization of existing and emerging technologies and strategies for the control of proposed cancers.
While open to all qualified investigators, to encourage broad participation from population modelers in cancer control, this FOA will allow no more than one Principal Investigator who is funded under the CISNET FOA RFA-CA-19-054 to also be a Principal Investigator on each Incubator application.