The Department of Defense (DOD) is seeking patients and caregivers to act as consumer grant reviewers for two large cancer research funding programs:

• The Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP), and
• The Rare Cancers Research Program (RCRP).

Consumer reviewers for these programs work alongside prominent scientists to provide input on how the DOD’s research funds should be allocated. Consumer reviewers act as subject matter experts on their disease, bringing their lived experience and perspective to the review panel.

Since 2009, the PRCRP has been charged by U.S. Congress to fund innovative cancer research to support service members, their families, and the American public. The RCRP, launched in 2020, is focused exclusively on the research of rare cancers impacting fewer than 6 of every 100,000 people in the United States. Together, the two programs offer significant sources of cancer research funding that could potentially benefit the fibrolamellar community. This year, the PRCP plans to grant $130 million to support research into cancers including liver, pediatric and adolescent and young adult cancers; the RCRP plans to allocate an additional $17.5 million into research of rare cancers, such as FLC.

Many members of the fibrolamellar community, including Jenny Carroll, Jennifer Strickland, Ben Saksa, Linda Spink and Kurt Losert, have served as consumer reviewers for these programs in prior years. The involvement of these consumer advocate’s effort has made a difference for our community. Fibrolamellar research proposals have received over $2 million in funding from these important DOD programs. 

Program information and commitment timeframe:

Consumer reviewers can be either patients or caregivers. If a participant is accepted as a reviewer, the work to read and comment on submitted proposals will start in fall 2022. Selected individuals will receive training and support from staff and, if eligible, will receive an honorarium for their participation. Specifically, the work entails reading biomedical research applications and providing a brief written evaluation of the impact of each application. Each reviewer’s work will culminate in a 1-to-2-day virtual meeting, where your attendance is required.

Below is a brochure that provides additional background information on all the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), outlines their grant review processes, and shares several consumer reviewers’ comments about their experiences.

Application process:

Individuals wishing to serve as consumer reviewers are required to submit the following materials:

• A completed nomination form (click to download) 
• A personal statement on advocacy and education (specific questions to answer are included in the downloadable form)
• A current resume
• A letter of nomination. 

If you are interested in applying, please let us know. FCF will complete the “sponsor information” part of the form, write letters of recommendation, assemble the completed application packs and forward them to the DOD.  The application deadline for participation in the FY22 peer review panels is June 17. The program may continue to accept nominations after that date, but those applicants may not be able to serve this season.

Feel free to contact Kurt Losert at klosert@fibrofoundation.org or Lynn O’Malley at lomalley@fibrofoundation.org if you have any questions about the program or are interested in applying.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help advance cancer research!