Dear Colleagues,
I hope you had a terrific summer and that fall is off to a good start.
Much of 2022 around our hallways (real and virtual) was spent facilitating a scientific planning process to identify priorities in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS). In addition to many internal discussions, the process included feedback received from our scientific community via a Request for Information. Identified priorities include health equity, data strategies, evidence-based cancer control policy research, digital health, modifiable risk factors, and climate change. These priorities and more are highlighted in the 2022 DCCPS Overview and Highlights, New Reflections on Cancer Control.
Working groups have since convened across the division, with future directions to accelerate scientific progress and increase the impact of DCCPS-sponsored research. Of note, these six priorities do not replace others in our existing portfolio, and some clearly overlap with portions of that portfolio; we simply hope to build more capacity in each of these areas.
Within BRP, I am delighted to announce that Dr. Neal Freedman has joined as branch chief of the Tobacco Control Research Branch. Dr. Freedman was previously a senior investigator in the Metabolic Epidemiology Branch of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics. We thank Dr. Michele Bloch for her outstanding work in this role over the last 10 years, and congratulate Michele on her retirement.
On a broader NCI level, Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli released the National Cancer Plan, outlining eight goals that must be achieved to prevent cancer, reduce deaths from cancer, and ensure the best possible quality of life for people living with cancer. The National Cancer Plan includes a set of strategies associated with each goal, and a call to action that is also at the center of the Cancer Moonshot: that everyone – every organization and individual – do their part to help end cancer as we know it.
We share our condolences with all who knew Dr. Martica (Tica) Hall. Dr. Hall was a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, and past president of the American Psychosomatic Society (2012-13) and the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research (2012-13). Please see Dr. Tica Hall’s in memoriam published by the University of Pittsburgh here.
In this issue, you’ll see we narrowed down our focus to sections that our statistics show have been most viewed by our readers of past issues. We include funding opportunities that have been posted since our last newsletter, awards and recognitions, career and training opportunities, and resources, such as the newly released HINTS Data, the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, updates to the NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) policy and accompanying website, and the inaugural UNITE Progress Report.
We have removed upcoming events from this issue, but you can always find them on our website.
We’d appreciate your feedback on both the new newsletter format and content. And as a reminder, feel free to manage your BRP newsletter subscription at any time, but we hope you find the information beneficial. If you’re on social media, follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @NCIBehaviors, as well as our division’s new LinkedIn page.
All the best,
Bill Klein
Associate Director
BRP-relevant Funding Opportunities
Updates to Funding Opportunity Terminology
NOT-OD-23-109
The purpose of this notice is to notify the extramural community that NIH is transitioning to updated terminology regarding funding opportunities to better align with the Uniform Administrative Requirements as outlined in 2 CFR Part 200. Effective immediately, NIH will use the term notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to refer to formal announcements of the availability of Federal funding through a financial assistance program. Previously, such announcements were referred to as funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). See the NIH Grants & Funding Glossary for the full definition. NIH is currently updating websites, documents, and other resources to reflect the new terminology.
Request for Information (RFI): Inviting Comments and Suggestions on Updating the NIH Mission Statement
NOT-OD-23-163
NIH Contact: RFIMissionStatement@nih.gov
Posted: August 25, 2023
Expires: November 24, 2023
RFI: Inviting Comments and Suggestions on Opportunities and Challenges for the Collection, Use, and Sharing of Real-World Data (RWD) including Electronic Health Records, for NIH Supported Biomedical and Behavioral Research
NOT-OD-23-180
NIH Contact: RWD-rfi@od.nih.gov
Posted: September 14, 2023
Expires: December 14, 2023
Understanding and Mitigating Health Disparities experienced by People with Disabilities caused by Ableism (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-HD-24-007
NOT-CA-23-088: Notice of Correction
NCI Contact: Wendy Nelson
Posted: August 14, 2023
Expires: November 30, 2023
Public Health Communication Messaging about the Continuum of Risk for Tobacco Products (U01 Clinical Trial Required)
RFA-OD-23-021
NCI Contact: Maria Roditis
Posted: August 02, 2023
Expires: December 07, 2023
Pre-application webinar and FAQs
Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS): Health Equity Research Hubs (UC2 Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-RM-23-012
NOT-RM-23-024: Notice of Correction to Page Limitation Instructions and Clarification for Milestones and Timeline Instructions in RFA-RM-23-012 Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS): Health Equity Research Hubs (UC2 Clinical Trial Optional)
NCI Contact: Amanda Acevedo
Posted: August 24, 2023
Expires: November 01, 2023
Technical assistance webinar
Tobacco Regulatory Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-OD-23-017
NCI Contact: Rachel Grana Mayne
Posted: May 04, 2023
Expires: May 05, 2025
Leveraging Social Networks to Promote Widespread Behavior Change
RFA-AG-24-026 (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-AG-24-025 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
NCI Contact: Jennifer Guida
Posted: June 08, 2023
Expires: November 04, 2023
Pre-application recorded webinar
Exploratory Grants for Climate Change and Health Research Center Development (P20 Clinical Trial Optional)
RFA-ES-23-007
NCI Contact: Kara Hall
Posted: March 01, 2023
Expires: November 08, 2023
Pre-application webinar
Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research
RFA-OD-22-023 (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
RFA-OD-22-024 (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
NCI Contact: Rachel Grana Mayne
Posted: November 10, 2022
Expires: March 13, 2025
Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research
RFA-OD-22-025 (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
RFA-OD-22-026 (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
NCI Contact: Rachel Grana Mayne
Posted: November 10, 2022
Expires: March 13, 2025
ADVANCE Predoctoral T32 Training Program to Promote Diversity in Health Disparities Research, Preventive Interventions, and Methodology (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
RFA-OD-23-018
NCI Contact: Susan Lim
Posted: July 06, 2023
Expires: November 01, 2023
Health and Health Care Disparities Among Persons Living with Disabilities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-309
NCI Contact: Wendy Nelson
Posted: September 26, 2023
Expires: November 06, 2026
Population Approaches to Reducing Alcohol-related Cancer Risk (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-244
NCI Contacts: David Berrigan and Heather D’Angelo
Posted: August 14, 2023
Expires: January 08, 2027
Pre-application webinar
Improving Care and Outcomes for Cancer Survivors from Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-292
NCI Contact: David Dean Jr.
Posted: September 07, 2023
Expires: January 08, 2024
Pre-application webinar
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment or Prevention (SBIRT/P) for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use and misuse in adult populations that experience health disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-23-270
NCI Contact: Joseph Ciccolo
Posted: August 16, 2023
Expires: May 08, 2027
Understanding Expectancies in Cancer Symptom Management (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-23-273
NCI Contact: Rebecca Ferrer
Posted: August 11, 2023
Expires: May 08, 2026
Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
PA-20-184
NCI Contact: Rebecca Ferrer
Posted: May 05, 2020
Expires: May 08, 2024
Brief video
Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes
PAR-23-254 (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-23-255 (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NCI Contact: Melissa Rotunno
Posted: August 01, 2023
Expires: September 08, 2026
Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-112
NCI Contact: April Oh
Posted: January 31, 2023
Expires: January 08, 2026
Pragmatic Trials across the Cancer Control Continuum (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-22-256
BRP Contact: Susan Czajkowski
Posted: November 23, 2022
Expires: November 18, 2025
NCI Small Grants Program for Cancer Research for Years 2023, 2024, and 2025 (NCI Omnibus) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-058
NCI Contact: Research Program Contacts
Posted: December 05, 2022
Expires: January 08, 2026
Impacts of Climate Change Across the Cancer Control Continuum
PAR-23-152 (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-23-153 (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
BRP Contact: Kara Hall
Posted: March 30, 2023
Expires: May 08, 2026
Notice of NIH Participation in the National Science Foundation Solicitation NSF 23-614: Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science
NOT-OD-23-165
NCI Contact: Dana Wolff-Hughes
Posted: August 28, 2023
Expires: November 09, 2023
Pre-application webinar
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) Epidemiology and Prevention in Alcohol Research
NOT-AA-23-018
NCI Contacts: David Berrigan and Tanya Agurs-Collins
Posted: August 25, 2023
Expires: September 06, 2026
NOSI: Research on Family Support and Rejection in the Health and Well-Being of SGM Populations
NOT-OD-23-166
NCI Contact: David Dean Jr.
Posted: August 28, 2023
Expires: May 08, 2026
NOSI: Assessing Real-World Effectiveness and Implementation of Telehealth-Guided Provider-to-Provider Communication among Rural Communities
NOT-HL-23-083
NCI Contact: Robin Vanderpool
Posted: May 26, 2023
Expires: October 19, 2026
NOSI: Research to Address Vaccine Uptake and Implementation among Populations Experiencing Health Disparities
NOT-MD-23-008
NCI Contact: Robin Vanderpool
Posted: March 31, 2023
Expires: June 06, 2026
Notice of Change to Application Due Dates for PAR-21-341, Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOT-CA-23-024
NCI Contacts: Mukesh Verma and Tanya Agurs-Collins
Posted: December 14, 2022
Expires: November 09, 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
NOSI: Technology Development for Cancer Control and Population Science Research
NOT-CA-23-037
NCI Contact: Kelly Crotty
Posted: January 18, 2023
Expires: December 31, 2024
NOSI: Mechanisms Driving Obesity and Prostate Cancer Risk
NOT-CA-23-089
NCI Contacts: Howard Parnes and Edward Sauter
Posted: August 31, 2023
Expires: September 08, 2024
Awards and Recognition
BRP Senior Scientist Dr. Paul Han was selected for a 2022-2023 Fulbright US Scholar Program Award. Dr. Han is conducting research in Norway to understand and improve the management of uncertainty in medical practice and education.
BRP Branch Chief Dr. Robin Vanderpool has been appointed to the editorial board of CDC’s peer-reviewed journal, Preventing Chronic Disease. Her appointment term is from 2023-2026.
BRP Branch Chief Dr. Neal Freedman was elected to the prestigious American Epidemiological Society, with the narrative citing Dr. Freedman as nationally and internationally recognized for major contributions to liver cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and tobacco epidemiology, and for conducting novel and highly collaborative studies that have substantial public health impact.
Career and Training Opportunities
Cancer Research Training Award Fellowship in Tobacco Control and Surveillance Research
Read the position description.
Cancer Research Training Award Fellowship in Tobacco Cessation Research
Read the position description.
Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Health Behaviors Research
Read the position description.
Project Management Fellowship in Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences
Read the position description.
Health Communication Fellowship in Behavioral Research
Read the position description.
Resources
Updated Classification of Laws Associated with School Students Dataset and Visualization Tools Now Available
The 2021 update to the Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (CLASS) database was recently released. CLASS uses a scoring system to code state laws in school physical education, nutrition, and sun safety policies for elementary, middle, and high school levels. Data are available from 2003-2021. Users can download comprehensive datasets or generate maps, tables, and charts to visualize specific policy areas by state and year. Access CLASS data and resources.
Updated Cancer Trends Progress Report Now Available
The August 2023 Update to the Cancer Trends Progress report was recently released. From prevention to end of life, the site offers trends by sex, age, race, ethnicity, and income and education level, and displays them in relation to Healthy People 2030 targets, where they are available. New measures this year include Cancer Survivors and UV Exposure, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, Healthy Eating Index, Tobacco Company Marketing Expenditures for E-Cigarettes, and Systemic Therapy Treatment for both Bladder and Kidney Cancers. View the Cancer Trends Progress Report.
HINTS 6 (2022) Data, HINTS SEER (2021) Restricted Use Data, and HINTS Data Linkage Project 2020 Restricted Use Data Now Available for Download
HINTS 6 (2022) data are now available for download. In addition to the traditional items on health communication, the use of digital technology, and cancer risk awareness that HINTS is known for, HINTS 6 (2022) also covers new topics, such as social media and misinformation, telehealth, and the social determinants of health. HINTS 6 (2022) was field from March through November 2022 (N=6,252). The public use dataset is available in SAS, SPSS, STATA, and R formats. View HINTS 6 (2022).
Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)-SEER (2021) Restricted-Use data are now available to download on the HINTS website. View HINTS-SEER (2021).
Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)-SEER (2021) Restricted-Use data are now available via request to download on the HINTS website. View HINTS Data Linkage Project 2020.
Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer
The American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, and the NCI released the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The report provides an update of rates for new cases and deaths as well as trends for the most common cancers in the United States. Access the report.
The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer Part 2 is also now available. This report is the largest study to date using population-based data from central cancer registries to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases in the US. View the press release. Access the report.
NIH Scientific Data Sharing website
Effective January 25, 2023, the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy replaced the 2003 NIH Data Sharing policy. View the NIH Scientific Data Sharing website.
NIH Extramural Nexus Announces the Inaugural UNITE Progress Report
Covering Fiscal Years 2021–2022, the UNITE Progress Report describes NIH’s actions to identify and address structural racism that may exist within the NIH and in the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise. The report discusses UNITE’s initial efforts to elevate health disparities and minority health research, promote equity in the NIH-supported biomedical and behavioral research ecosystem, promote equity within the internal NIH workforce, and improve accuracy and transparency of racial and ethnic equity data. Access the report.
New Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Data Files Available from Wave 6
The NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products announced the release of the Wave 6 Public-Use File from the PATH Study. These Wave 6 files contain questionnaire data collected between March 2021 and November 2021. In addition, Wave 5.5 Ever/Never Special Collection Public-Use Files are not available along with updated Master Linkage Files. Access PATH Study data.
Newly Expanded PhenX Toolkit Social Determinants of Health Collection
The NIH National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities released a newly expanded PhenX Toolkit Social Determinants of Health Collection. This expansion to the Specialty Collection adds new protocols to measure individual and structural factors that shape behaviors and health outcomes. It now includes 37 measurement protocols for use in research where information is collected from individuals about their physical/built environment, sociocultural environment or healthcare system, and factors at the societal or community level linked to a specific geographic area. These factors include elements such as discrimination in healthcare, family history of incarceration, residential concentrations of income, and race and ethnic residential segregation. Visit the PhenX SDOH Toolkit.