Education grants for Small business

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Steer a European agenda to catalyse the development of a full software defined and hardware-enabled vehicle AD stack “built in Europe”, from onboard-compute architecture up to software in-vehicle up to the cloud. Establish structured intersectoral linkages between software, AI/data, hardware and deployment actors, ensuring that architectural decisions in the European AD stack are aligned across computing platforms, AI models, validation frameworks and real-world deployment environments. Promote a European R&I roadmap establishing pathways for the accelerated development of a European AI-powered AD stack, notably in close liaison with the relevant ECAVA Working Groups and relevant OSS initiatives. Ensure the engagement of key stakeholders across the Automotive value chain (including relevant OSS initiatives) toward an open-source software autonomous driving stack, including required industrial partners (such as OEMs, suppliers, tool-providers), and innovative R&I stakeholders (RTOs, universities, start-ups. If useful, already existing OSS AD stack initiatives together with the reference stacks (as…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Increased commercialisation of academic research results, by facilitating access for industry, startups and scaleups to the intellectual assets of academic research; Strengthened collaboration between industry and academia, reflected in an increased number of technology transfer deals and joint R&D projects resulting in market-ready innovations; Introduced more startup friendly intellectual asset transfer/licensing policies in universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Increased number of spinoffs by enabling researchers to overcome the barriers to commercialising their intellectual assets; Reduced transaction costs related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) negotiations by establishing more standardised asset transfer policies across universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Optimised transfer/licensing processes by universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs based on grouping intellectual assets in portfolios that can be commercialised in package deals that are more attractive for industry and investors. Scope: Academic knowledge…

Expected Outcome: This action will support and accelerate the development and adoption of European and international standards for quantum technologies, enhancing interoperability quality/reliability assurance, and trust in quantum systems. It will strengthen Europe's leadership in the global quantum standardisation landscape and ensure that European industrial and research priorities are well represented and integrated into emerging standards. Expected outcomes include: Delivery of concrete, EU-relevant pre-normative standards and technical specifications across quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Substantial contribution of European stakeholders, notably SMEs and start-ups in international standardisation bodies (e.g., ISO/IEC, ITU-T, ETSI), with alignment to EU industrial strategies. Promotion of cross-sectoral interoperability through standardised interfaces, control protocols, reliability in operating conditions and benchmarking methodologies, reducing market fragmentation and technical barriers. Creation of practical support tools such as user guidelines, training modules, and best practices to accelerate the uptake and implementation of quantum…

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to encourage individuals who have not had substantial biomedical research experience, or who have the potential to significantly benefit from additional biomedical research experience to pursue further studies or careers in research. To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on: (1) Research Experiences, (2) Curriculum or Methods Development and (3) Outreach. The NCI’s mission is to conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs concerning cancer. This funding opportunity seeks to facilitate educational activities that encourage students to become knowledgeable about cancer and available to focus on cancer later in their careers. To promote broad interest in pursuing a career in biomedical research via early intervention strategies, the NCI Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Program will support efforts to create and maintain an institutional program to engage grades 6-12 and/or undergraduate students in cutting edge cancer research experiences. The proposed institutional programs may also provide research experiences for the grade 6-12 teachers and undergraduate faculty members. The goals are to inspire interest in biomedical sciences, help envision research as a career path, and strengthen practical research and career skills. In alignment with these goals, institutions may develop unique programs that capitalize on their research strengths and are responsive to their target populations.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite Small Research Grant (R21) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetics and genomics. Applications may propose studies using either single or mixed methods. Direct involvement of key stakeholders where appropriate is encouraged. These applications should be for small research projects, such as those that involve single investigators. Of particular interest are projects that propose normative or conceptual analyses, including focused legal, economic, philosophical, anthropological, or historical analyses of new or emerging issues. This mechanism can also be used for the collection of preliminary data and the secondary analysis of existing data.

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nations biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on: Courses for Skills Development

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Cutting-Edge Basic Research Award (CEBRA) is designed to foster highly innovative or conceptually creative research related to the etiology, pathophysiology, prevention, or treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs). It supports high-risk and potentially high-impact research that is sparse or not included in NIDA's current portfolio that has the potential to transform SUD research. The proposed research should: 1. develop, and/or adapt, revolutionary techniques or methods for addiction research or that show promising future applicability to SUD research; and /or 2. test an innovative and significant hypothesis for which there are scant precedent or preliminary data and which, if confirmed, would transform current thinking.

Awards will be made as cooperative agreements to accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) partnered with non-profit organizations in the United States that are eligible to apply for this NASA Research Announcement (NRA). The period of performance for an award is up to 2 years. Prospective proposers are requested to submit any questions in writing to NASAMUSIC@nasaprs.com no later than 10 business days before the proposal due date so that NASA will have sufficient time to respond. Proposers to this NRA are required to have the following, no later than the due date: 1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, 2) a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) [formerly known as the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)], 3) a valid Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, 4) a valid registration with NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (this also applies to any entities proposed for sub-awards or subcontracts.) Consult Appendix H Section H.3.1 for more eligibility information. Consult Appendix H Section 2.2 regarding teaming requirements and partnership guidelines. The goal of NASA MUSIC is: to provide strategic effort that will leverage research and contract relationships of MSIs and NASA through relationships developed by non-profit organizations that may include collaboration of subject matter experts and access to NASA research facilities; An effort to improve STEM education and research at MSIs; A funded activity that seeks to build institutional capacity of MSIs; An activity to support long-term sustainability of STEM research at MSIs. MUSIC seeks to address the agency goals and objectives through: Increasing the institutional awareness of NASA competitive resources that can build the capacity of MSIs to offer and conduct STEM undergraduate and graduate research with a focus on NASA opportunities. Assembling MSIs and their stakeholders with common interests, and challenges then provide common tools for MSIs to increase efficiency and optimize resources including opportunities to develop formal and informal partnerships. Connecting MSI administrators and university STEM leaders to cutting-edge initiatives at NASA that can increase interest in securing research and contracting opportunities while supporting NASA’s policy to achieve an Agency-wide goal of providing one percent of total contract value of prime and subcontracting awards to MSIs. https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/1826.htm To achieve these goals, MUSIC seeks to increase university program capacity about practical uses of research to drive institution sustainability through the following targets: Advance the understanding of MSIs on how to effectively develop institutional administrative support by competing at the university level for funding opportunities, which will result in successful application to, and management of these funding opportunities (including those at NASA). Extend MSI’s capabilities by: A. Leveraging the MSIs research capabilities with NASA research to develop Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects that develop and demonstrate innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs and have significant potential for successful commercialization. B. Increasing the preparation of undergraduate and graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty with opportunities to participate with NASA researchers and missions through grants and contracts. To achieve these goals and objectives, NASA solicits proposals from MSIs to implement the NASA MUSIC; to engage MSIs in authentic STEM experiences related to NASA missions; and to inspire and captivate learners utilizing NASA’s unique assets to develop a keen interest in STEM. Every institution that intends to submit a proposal to this NRA, including the proposed prime award or any partner whether an education institution, other non-profit institutions, and other organizations that will serve as sub-awardees or contractors, must be registered in NSPIRES. Electronic submission of proposals is required by the due date and must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. All principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of submission system. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Electronic proposals may be submitted via the NASA proposal data system NSPIRES or via Grants.gov. Organizations that intend to submit proposals via Grants.gov must be registered 1) with Grants.gov and 2) with NSPIRES. Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and posted on http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check NSPIRES for updates to this NRA.

The goal of this NOFO is to support doctoral candidates from a variety of academic disciplines for up to two years for the completion of the doctoral dissertation research project. Research projects should align with NIDA funding priorities detailed here (https://www.drugabuse.gov/funding/funding-priorities). This award will facilitate the entry of promising new investigators into the field of substance use/substance use disorder (SU(D) research, enhancing the pool of highly talented SU(D) researchers.

Through this funding opportunity announcement (FOA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for P50 Research Center Grants for Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). The program will fund P50 SPORE grants to support state-of-the-art investigator-initiated translational research that will contribute to improved prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of an organ-specific cancer or a highly related group of cancers. For the purpose of this FOA, a group of highly related cancers are those that are derived from the same organ system, such as gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine, head and neck, and other cancers. Other programmatically appropriate groups of cancers may include those centered around a common biological mechanism critical for promoting tumorigenesis and/or cancer progression in organ sites that belong to different organ systems. For example, a SPORE may focus on cancers caused by the same infectious agent or cancers promoted and sustained by dysregulation of a common signaling pathway. In addition, a SPORE may focus on cross-cutting themes such as pediatric cancers or cancer health disparities. The research supported through this program must be translational and must stem from research on human biology using cellular, molecular, structural, biochemical, and/or genetic experimental approaches. SPORE projects must have the goal of reaching a translational human endpoint within the project period of the grant.

The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require an extended period of mentored research training beyond their doctoral degrees. The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of these fellows from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees to launch competitive, independent research careers. Researchers in the scientific areas of cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences are especially encouraged to work with their institutions to apply. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is designed specifically for candidates proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary clinical trial, as part of their research and career development. Those not planning an independent clinical trial, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, must apply to the 'Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed' companion NOFO (PAR-23-286).

The purpose of this NOFO is to invite Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetics and genomics. Applications may propose studies using either single or mixed methods. Approaches may include but are not limited to empirical qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as conceptual, legal, and normative analyses. Direct involvement of key stakeholders where appropriate is encouraged. Of particular interest are studies that explore the implications of new or emerging genomic technologies or novel uses of genomic information. 

The purpose of this NOFO is to invite Research Project (R01) applications that propose to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetics and genomics. Applications may propose studies using either single or mixed methods. Approaches may include but are not limited to empirical qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as conceptual, legal, and normative analyses. Direct involvement of key stakeholders where appropriate is encouraged. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) as part of the application. Applications without a PEDP will not be reviewed.

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: For supported doctoral candidates New research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and outside academia; New knowledge allowing the conversion of ideas into products and services, where relevant; Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers, as well as with the general public that will increase and broaden the research and innovation impact. For participating organisations Improved quality, relevance and sustainability of doctoral training programmes and supervision arrangements; Enhanced cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines; Increased integration of training and research activities between participating organisations; Boosted R&I capacity; Increased internationalisation and attractiveness; Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education at participating organisations. Scope: MSCA Doctoral Networks will implement doctoral programmes, by partnerships of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other…

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to support research on interventions to improve health in Native American (NA) populations. This includes 1) etiologic research, where there is a significant gap in knowledge, that will directly inform intervention development or adaptations, 2) research that develops, adapts, or tests the efficacy or effectiveness of health promotion and disease prevention interventions, 3) research that tests culturally informed treatment or recovery interventions and 4) where a sufficient body of knowledge on intervention efficacy exists, research on dissemination and implementation that develops and tests strategies to overcome barriers to the adoption, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of effective interventions. Existing data suggest that significant acute and chronic disease inequities exist for NA populations. Concurrently, NA populations experience unique sociopolitical, historical, and environmental stressors and risks that may exacerbate health conditions and/or impact the effectiveness of existing solutions to address the conditions. They also possess unique strengths and resiliencies that can mitigate stressors or inform intervention strategies. Through this initiative, intervention and related research is sought to build upon community knowledge, resources, and resilience to test science-based, culturally appropriate solutions to reduce morbidity and mortality through identification and remediation of precursors to diseases and disorders and through culturally informed treatment. Interventions should be designed with a consideration for sustainability within the communities where they are tested, and have the flexibility to be readily adapted, disseminated, and scaled up to other communities where culturally appropriate. For the purposes of this NOFO, NA includes the following populations: Alaska Natives, American Indians (whose ancestral lands fall at least partially within the U.S. main land).

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The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and participating National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICs) are issuing this R01 to solicit applications to address barriers and facilitators that impede use or uptake of cancer screening and preventive services in populations that experience health disparities.  Interventions should include screening, preventive services, or other healthcare processes, including timely follow-up of abnormal findings, and referral to accessible care. Projects are encouraged to leverage collaborations with community partners and service providers. Interventions should address barriers and facilitators at two or more of the following levels: patient, clinician, healthcare setting, and neighborhood/community. Specific research interests of participating NIH ICs are detailed within.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to support research on interdisciplinary population approaches to increasing awareness of the relationship between alcohol and cancer risk, understanding and changing social norms related to alcohol consumption, developing and/or evaluating alcohol policy approaches, and the development, testing, and implementation of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related cancer risk. Applications that address multiple levels of consumption, such as moderate and heavy drinking, are of particular interest, as well as those focusing on alcohol use disorder (AUD) from the perspective of cancer prevention and control.

The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral (Parent F31) award is to enable promising predoctoral students will obtain individualized, mentored research training from outstanding faculty sponsors while conducting dissertation research projects in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. The proposed mentored research training must reflect the candidates dissertation research project and is expected to clearly enhance the individuals potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow candidates to propose to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow candidates to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards senior individual research training fellowships to experienced scientists who wish to make major changes in the direction of their research careers or who wish to broaden their scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities as independent investigators in research fields relevant to the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers.

The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and participating National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) are issuing this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) seeking applications to test innovative approaches to implementing SBIRT/P for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use and misuse in adult populations that experience health disparities. SBIRT/P, (a term used for purposes of this funding announcement), involves screening individuals for risk of ATOD use and misuse, briefly intervening with a conversation about harmful substance use, and referring individuals for treatment or preventive services, as needed.  Proposed research should include prospective tests of SBIRT/P and should leverage collaborations with healthcare and community partners. Specific research interests of participating NIH ICOs are detailed within.  

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grants (T32) to eligible, domestic institutions to develop and/or enhance predoctoral and postdoctoral research training, including short-term research training, to help ensure that a highly trained workforce is available to meet the needs of the Nations biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research agenda. Research training programs are expected to incorporate engaging, didactic, research, and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the Nation. Programs proposing only short-term predoctoral research training should not apply to this announcement, but rather to the Kirschstein-NRSA Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant Program (T35) exclusively reserved for predoctoral, short-term research training.This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

The purpose of this initiative is to advance the science of minority health and health disparities by supporting research on family health and well-being and resilience. The NIMHD Research Framework recognizes family health, family well-being, and family resilience as critically important areas of research to decrease disparities and promote equity.

The purpose of this announcement is to encourage investigators to pursue translational activities and clinical feasibility studies to advance the development of therapeutic, and diagnostic devices for disorders that affect the nervous or neuromuscular systems. Activities supported in this program include implementation of clinical prototype devices, non-clinical safety and efficacy testing, design verification and validation activities, obtaining an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) for a Significant Risk (SR) study or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for a Non-Significant Risk (NSR) study, as well as a subsequent clinical feasibility study. The clinical study is expected to provide information about the device function or final design that cannot be practically obtained through additional non-clinical assessments (e.g., bench top or animal studies) due to the novelty of the device or its intended use. This FOA is a milestone-driven cooperative agreement program and will involve participation of NIH program staff in negotiating the final project plan before award and monitoring of research progress. Participants in Blueprint MedTech receive funding for all activities to be conducted in their own laboratories. In addition, applicants will collaborate with NIH-funded consultants to receive assistance with specialty areas including regulatory, reimbursement, intellectual property, commercialization, and strategic partnerships. Participants can also augment their project with NIH contract research organizations that specialize in large animal testing, sterilization testing, biocompatibility assessment, manufacturing, and medical monitoring. Individuals, institutions, or businesses developing their own devices or that already have established collaborations with device manufacturers are welcome to apply directly to this NOFO or any of the companion opportunities. For more information see BP MedTech website.

The purpose of this NOFO is to facilitate well planned clinical trials across the cancer prevention and control spectrum aimed at improving prevention/ interception, cancer-related health behaviors, screening, early detection, healthcare delivery, management of treatment-related symptoms, supportive care, and the long-term outcomes of cancer survivors. Although the scientific literature or preliminary data may provide the rationale for conducting a clinical trial, investigators often lack critical information about the study population, accrual challenges, intervention, outcome/ endpoints, data/statistical challenges or operational risks necessary to finalize the trial protocol completely. These information gaps can result in multiple protocol changes before and after trial start-up, leading to the need for additional time and expenses that may prevent study completion. Further, the suitability and feasibility of new trial designs, which minimize infrastructure and reduce costs may need to be tested in the context of a particular intervention, at-risk group, symptom or venue. Preparatory studies may fill information gaps and address unknowns, improving trial design and knowledge of trial feasibility and thus saving NCI time and money.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support studies that will identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies. Conversely, there is a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce (de-implement) the use of practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. In addition, studies to advance dissemination and implementation research methods and measures are encouraged. All applications must be within the scope of the mission of one of the Institutes/Centers listed above.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will support students at institutions without NIH-funded institutional predoctoral dual-degree training programs. The purpose of the Kirschstein-NRSA, dual-doctoral degree, predoctoral fellowship (F30) is to enhance the integrated research and clinical training of promising predoctoral students, who are matriculated in a combined MD/PhD or other dual-doctoral degree training program (e.g. DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, AuD/PhD, DVM/PhD), and who intend careers as physician/clinician-scientists. Candidates must propose an integrated research and clinical training plan and a dissertation research project in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. The fellowship experience is expected to clearly enhance the individual's potential to develop into a productive, independent physician/clinician-scientist. This NOFO is designed specifically for candidates proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial, but does allow candidates to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support studies that will identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, sustainability, scale-up, and spread of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies (hereafter referred to as evidence-based interventions). Conversely, there is a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce (de-implement) the use of practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. In addition, studies to advance dissemination and implementation research methods and measures are encouraged. Applications that focus on re-implementation of evidence-based health services that may be disrupted amidst disasters (e.g., pandemics) remain relevant. All applications must be within the scope of the mission of one of the Institutes/Centers listed above.

The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) is to support research training of highly promising postdoctoral candidates who have the potential to become productive, independent investigators in scientific health-related research fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Applications are expected to incorporate exceptional mentorship.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support studies that will identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies. Conversely, there is a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce (de-implement) the use of practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. In addition, studies to advance dissemination and implementation research methods and measures are encouraged.All applications must be within the scope of the mission of one of the Institutes/Centers listed above.

The purpose of this FOA is to facilitate well planned clinical trials across the cancer prevention and control spectrum aimed at improving prevention/ interception, cancer-related health behaviors, screening, early detection, healthcare delivery, management of treatment-related symptoms, supportive care, and the long-term outcomes of cancer survivors. Although the scientific literature or preliminary data may provide the rationale for conducting a clinical trial, investigators often lack critical information about the study population, accrual challenges, intervention, outcome/ endpoints, data/statistical challenges or operational risks necessary to finalize the trial protocol completely. These information gaps can result in multiple protocol changes before and after trial start-up, leading to the need for additional time and expenses that may prevent study completion. Further, the suitability and feasibility of new trial designs, which minimize infrastructure and reduce costs may need to be tested in the context of a particular intervention, at-risk group, symptom or venue. Preparatory studies may fill information gaps and address unknowns, improving trial design and knowledge of trial feasibility and thus saving NCI time and money.