Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government

Technology Development

The Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technologies Branch (DBTB) of the Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP) supports the development of technologies that have the potential to be used for analysis of human tumors. The branch supports a range of activities from individual projects to large, comprehensive efforts through its involvement with targeted initiatives, broad-ranging NCI and NIH-wide opportunities, small business grants, and investigator-initiated grants.

DBTB encourages integrative research that may involve investigators from diverse fields not traditionally related to cancer or clinical biology, including engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, informatics specialists, and physicists. The branch provides support for diverse teams of investigators who can combine clinical and technical expertise to incorporate biomarkers with technologies of interest to develop, adapt, or enhance devices that will be useful to the clinical cancer research community.

Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) – R21

The EBRGs support early bioengineering concepts in basic biomedical, pre-clinical, or clinical research, clinical care delivery, or accessibility. EBRG applications may contain minimal or no preliminary data, and may propose hypothesis-driven, discovery-driven or design-directed research to demonstrate feasibility and potential utility of new capabilities or improvements in quality, speed, efficacy, operability, costs, and/or accessibility.

Most recent issuance: PAR-22-090 and PAR-22-091

NCI Clinical and Translational Exploratory/Developmental Studies – R21

This initiative supports preclinical and early phase clinical research, as well as correlative studies, directly related to advancements in cancer treatment, diagnosis, prevention, comparative oncology, symptom management, or reduction of cancer disparities. This includes (but is not limited to) cancer screening or diagnostic tools, predictive and prognostic biomarkers for patient selection or stratification, and clinically relevant in vitro tumor models.

Most recent issuance: PAR-25-139

Bioengineering Research Grants (BRG) – R01

The BRGs support multi-disciplinary biomedical research performed in in a single laboratory or by multiple organizations. BRG applications may propose hypothesis-driven, discovery-driven, developmental, or design-directed research. BRGs are appropriate for small teams applying an integrative approach to understanding and solving problems in biological, clinical or translational science.

Most recent issuance: PAR-22-242

Academic-Industrial Partnerships for Translation of Technologies for Diagnosis and Treatment – R01

Academic-Industrial Partnership (AIP) awards support translation of scientific discoveries and engineering developments into methods or tools that address problems in basic research to understand disease or to assess risk (in applied research). These discoveries aim to detect, prevent, diagnose, treat, and/or manage disease. The rationale is to deliver new capabilities to meet evolving requirements for technologies and methods relevant to the advance of research and delivery of care in pre-clinical, clinical and non-clinical settings. They are awarded to domestic and foreign organizations, for conditions and diseases within the missions of participating institutes. This Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) specifies a partnership structure that is expected to help bridge gaps in knowledge and experience by engaging the strengths of academic, industrial, and other investigators. This NOFO defines innovation as the likelihood to deliver a new capability to end users.

Most recent issuance: PAR-25-338

Bioengineering Partnerships with Industry (BPI) – U01

BPI awards support projects that create research partnerships between academic and industrial investigators to address important biomedical problems. They do this by accelerating the development and adoption of promising bioengineering tools and technologies. BPI applications should involve multidisciplinary teams that apply an integrative, quantitative bioengineering approach to developing technologies. The goal of the program is to support technological innovations that deliver new capabilities which can realize meaningful solutions within 5–10 years.

Most recent issuance: PAR-24-325

Digital Health Technology Derived Biomarkers and Outcome Assessments for Remote Monitoring and Endpoint Development – UG3/UH3

This NOFO supports rigorous development and validation of Digital Health Technology (DHT) derived biomarkers or clinical outcome assessments (COAs) for remote monitoring to fill a defined unmet clinical endpoint for interventional clinical trials.

Most recent issuance: PAR-25-170

Quantum Sensing Technologies in Biomedical Applications – Multiple activities

NCI is interested in supporting projects that develop novel quantum technology systems to improve detection, bio-sample conservation, and dynamic treatment analysis (e.g. biomarker discovery/analysis) related to both tumor and normal tissues, especially those that are relevant to NCI’s Strategic Plan.

Most recent issuance: NOT-EB-23-022

Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Initiatives – R61 & R33

The IMAT program was established to support the early-stage development, technical maturation, and dissemination of novel and potentially transformative next-generation technologies through an approach of balanced but targeted innovation.

Email