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Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Addressing the Etiology of Health Disparities and Health Advantages Among Immigrant Populations


The purpose of the immigrant health initiative is to support innovative research to understand factors uniquely associated with the immigration experience that contribute to health disparities or health advantages among U.S. immigrant populations. This includes but is not limited to risk/protective factors associated with immigration processes from influences that spur migration from the sending country, through the experience of immigration, to the experience of resettlement, short- and long-term residence in the U.S. and the process of acculturation that affects the health of U.S. immigrant populations (particularly agricultural workers, first generation immigrants, and children of immigrant families). For this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI), the term "1st generation" refers to people who were born outside of the U.S. and its territories and relocated to the U.S. The term "2nd generation" refers to the U.S. born children of 1st generation immigrants.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients. NCI’s interest in this FOA centers on research directed toward understanding the relationships between environmental or occupational exposures and cancer etiology, cancer survival, and cancer control. Exposures that occur in the home country prior to immigration to the United States as well as exposures that are the result of the unique lived experiences of immigrant populations are of specific interest. Examples of environmental and occupational exposures relevant to the mission of NCI include, but are not limited to: (i) lifestyle factors; (ii) infectious agent; (iii) physical and chemical agents, and (iv) the social and built environment. Research may include investigating the interplay between these factors exposed throughout the life span as related to cancer risk and outcomes. The NCI is also interested in research that leads to the development of prevention and intervention strategies to reduce environmentally induced cancer risk.

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after June 5, 2023 and subsequent receipt dates through June 8, 2026.

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or any reissues of these announcements through the expiration date of this notice. Applicants should verify that the target Institute/Center to which they intend to apply participates in the FOA through which they will apply.

  • PA-20-185- NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  • PAR-22-145 - Leveraging Health Information Technology (Health IT) to Address and Reduce Health Care Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
  • PAR-21-358 - Risk and Protective Factors of Family Health and Family Level Interventions (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
  • PAR-22-233 - Time-Sensitive Opportunities for Health Research (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)