Summary: Created in FY23, the Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy (OCCTA) supports the next generation of Early-Career Investigators (ECIs) in clinical trial research to produce effective treatments and cures for ovarian cancer. The OCCTA, through its Leadership, provides for professional and leadership development of the ECIs to include skills and competencies needed to execute clinical trials, providing intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for junior clinical trialists. The OCCTA will bring together established investigators (the Academy Dean and Assistant Dean), established Career Guides (mentors), and a group of ECIs/Scholars to conduct successful, highly productive clinical trials in ovarian cancer.

Distinctive Features: Research funded under this FY26 funding opportunity will support translational research and small-scale, early-phase clinical trials in ovarian cancer. Preliminary data are required, however, these data do not necessarily need to be derived from the ovarian cancer research field. The ECI must be within 12 years of their last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.), clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent at the time of full application submission deadline. The ECI must commit no less than 25% effort to this award and/or OCCTA activities for the first two years. The Designated Mentor must be a clinical trialist with a strong record of mentoring and training early-career investigators.