Alliance Announces Up To $1.1 Million In Available Research Funding

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance has announced available funding for up to $1.1 million for innovative, life-saving research through its Chris4Life Research Program. Research proposals are being accepted here through Monday, March 16, 2020.

Multi-year grants will be awarded in two areas of colorectal cancer research. The Alliance will fund up to three, $300,000 grants for research into young-onset colorectal cancer and one, $200,000 grant for research into colorectal cancer health disparities. Project funding announcements will occur in Summer 2020.

Proposals will undergo a rigorous two-tier review process by members of a distinguished Scientific Review Panel, similar to the process used by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers will be required to document progress throughout the lifecycles of their grants to maintain funding.

“Our research program is a critical driving force in our mission to end colorectal cancer in our lifetime,” said Dr. Ronit Yarden, Senior Director of Medical Affairs at the Alliance.
“Since 2016, the Alliance has funded nearly $3 million in cutting edge, innovative, and life-saving research.”

Young-onset colorectal cancer research grants

While colorectal cancer incidence and mortality have been declining among adults 50 and older in recent decades, scientists are now reporting a sharp rise in colorectal cancers in adults younger than 50, an ominous trend that includes adults in their 20s and 30s.

A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute states that adults born circa 1990, compared with those born circa 1950, have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer.

Given these trends, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s Chris4Life Research Program is seeking research proposals in which the focus could be, but is not limited to, one or all of the following areas: 

• The risk factors and causes associated with the rise in young-onset colorectal cancer, including, changes in the microbiome and its impact on young-onset colorectal cancer.
• Cellular, genomic, and epigenomic mechanisms in young-onset colorectal cancer for improving early detection and improving treatments.
• Better mechanisms for increasing the long-term survival rates of those with young-onset colorectal cancer.
• The psychosocial impacts of young-onset colorectal cancer and the overall social influence on daily survivorship.

Research proposals are being accepted here until March 16, 2020. 

Colorectal cancer health disparities research grant

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women combined in the United States. The distribution of both colorectal cancer incidence and mortality, however, varies among racial and ethnic groups, age, and socioeconomic status.

African Americans have the highest incidence and greatest mortality rate of any group diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Incidence and mortality are also high for American Indians/Alaskan Natives, followed by Non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and Asians/Pacific Islanders. Data indicate that the incidence disparity begins earlier than the typical age for colorectal screening, which is currently 50 years old.

Reasons for the disparity include healthcare access, but there are limited studies available on the impact of known risk factors. These factors include family history, lifestyle, obesity, environmental exposures, chronic stress, and genetic syndrome.

To increase the limited understanding about colorectal cancer health disparities, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance’s Chris4Life Research Program is seeking research proposals in which the focus could be, but is not limited to, one or all of the following areas: 

• Influence of biological risk factors (genetic, epigenetic, microbiome, metabolome) and gene/environment interactions that may contribute to higher burden or poorer outcome of colorectal cancer in different populations.
• Differences in colorectal cancer biological subtypes and underlying mechanisms that may explain differences in the age of onset and aggressiveness of the disease.
• Influence of patient (attitudes, beliefs, stigma), clinician (biases, communication and shared decision making), and system/policy-level factors (care coordination, access to specialty care, reimbursement policies) that may affect the utilization of cancer screening, diagnostic evaluation tests, and referral for treatment options.

Research proposals are being accepted here until March 16, 2020.