Systematic Testing of Radionuclides in Preclinical Experiments (STRIPE, RP1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to support research projects that employ state-of-the-art cancer biology approaches and preclinical model systems to investigate the biological effects of radiation emitted by radionuclides used in radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT). The focus of this initiative is to advance mechanistic understanding of how different forms of radionuclide-emitted radiation affect normal tissues, tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment, and how these effects can be leveraged to improve therapeutic outcomes. This NOFO will support the Systematic Testing of Radionuclides in Preclinical Experiments (STRIPE) program. The overarching goal of STRIPE is to stimulate multidisciplinary research that integrates cancer biology, radiation biology, radiochemistry, imaging, dosimetry, and preclinical modeling. Funded projects are expected to generate fundamental biological insights that can serve as the foundation for the development of new targeting strategies, optimized treatment regimens, and innovative combination approaches for RPT, ultimately leading to more effective and precise anticancer therapies. This NOFO consolidates prior exploratory/developmental and research project funding mechanisms to streamline the application process and sustain momentum in this critical research area. The applicants have the option of submitting either for exploratory/developmental research projects with a project period of up to 2 years or for research projects with a project period of 4 to 5 years. Collectively, the STRIPE program is intended to broaden the scientific base of RPT research, lower barriers to entry for cancer biology investigators, and accelerate the generation of reproducible, mechanistically informed data that will enable more effective and personalized use of radiopharmaceutical therapies in cancer care.