On Thursday, the National Institutes of Health posted a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) to study the basic mechanisms of cannabis and cannabinoid action in cancer. The first two grants will be available beginning June 5, 2022.
Issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the NOSI hopes to promote research to better understand the ways cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer biology, cancer interception, cancer treatment and resistance and the management of cancer symptoms.
The use of cannabis and cannabinoids for medical and recreational purposes has increased dramatically over the past decade. A 2019 survey estimated that 48 million individuals in the U.S., aged 12 years or older, had used cannabis in the past year, an increase of 87% from a 2002 survey.
Within the U.S., many states have permitted the use of cannabis products, but state policies vary widely regarding the types of products allowed and for what purpose they may be used. At the same time, the delivery methods of cannabis have diversified and now include edibles, oils, tinctures, topicals and inhaled forms.
Cancer patients use cannabis and cannabinoids to manage symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment including anorexia, nausea, and pain. Recent survey evidence suggests that a quarter of cancer patients have used cannabis for symptom management. Despite the increase in cannabis and cannabinoid use, research about their health effects, including potential harms and benefits, remain limited.
The areas of research interest include, but are not limited to the following:
- Understanding how exogenous cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer development (preneoplasia through malignancy) and biology, including the tumor microenvironment;
- Understanding how endogenous cannabinoid pathways influence cancer development and biology;
- Defining the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on cancer treatment (particularly targeted treatments and immunotherapy) and the development of treatment resistance;
- Understanding the use of cannabis and cannabinoids in cancer interception and delineating how endocannabinoid signaling pathways may inhibit early cancers;
- Defining the mechanisms of cannabis and cannabinoid action in alleviating symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment (such as pain, nausea and neuropathy);
- Understanding the combinatorial effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in conjunction with other factors (such as tobacco constituents, alcohol, microbiome or diet) on cancer biology, treatment and symptom management;
- Identifying biological mechanisms underlying disparities in sex or ethnicity in cannabis and cannabinoid action in cancer biology, treatment or symptom management; and
- Developing or validating new and human-relevant model systems to understand cannabis and cannabinoid action in cancer biology, treatment or symptom management.
Studies that integrate expertise from multiple disciplines, incorporate state-of-the-art, human-relevant models and use advanced technologies and methods are strongly encouraged.
Applications that will be considered nonresponsive to this NOSI will include those focused on:
- Clinical trials;
- Symptoms not related to cancer or cancer treatment;
- Projects that lack cancer models, specimens or cells.
Here are a list of the available grants sorted by first available due dates.
- June 5, 2022: PA-20-184 Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
- June 5, 2022: PA-20-185 NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PAR-21-295 NCI Mentored Research Scientist Development Award to Promote Diversity (K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PAR-21-300 NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K08 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PA-20-201 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
- June 12, 2022: PA-20-203 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PAR-21-128 The NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PAR-21-301 NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 -Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PAR-21-318 The NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
- June 12, 2022: PA-20-188 NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 12, 2022: PA-20-189 NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
- June 16, 2022: PA-20-195 NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- June 21, 2022: PAR-20-292 NCI Clinical and Translational Exploratory/Developmental Studies (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
- June 24, 2022: PAR-20-052 NCI Small Grants Program for Cancer Research for Years 2020, 2021, and 2022 (NCI Omnibus R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
- September 27, 2022: PAR-21-038 Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- September 27, 2022: PAR-21-039 Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the funding opportunity announcement used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:
- For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-CA-22-085” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
Although NCI is not listed as a Participating Organization in all the FOAs listed above, applications for this initiative will be accepted.
Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will be withdrawn from consideration for this initiative.
