Specialized Center of Research Program (SCOR)

BLOOD CANCER UNITED | SCOR FY27

Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) FY27 Frequently Asked Questions

FY27 Letter of Intent and Full Application

Application deadlines are strictly enforced. Submit well before the deadline and review every page before final submission.

Prepared from the SCOR Guidelines & Instructions, effective September 18, 2026 through July 30, 2027.

1. General Program Information

What is the SCOR Program?

The Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) program supports collaborative, interdisciplinary teams pursuing integrated basic, translational, and clinical research to advance the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of hematologic malignancies and relevant premalignant conditions.

What is the funding amount?

The maximum award is $5,000,000 over five years, with a maximum of $1,000,000 per year. Annual indirect costs are capped at $150,000, or 15% of total annual costs. Applicants may request less than 15% in indirect costs and apply the difference to direct costs.

What research areas are prioritized for FY27?

Blood Cancer United anticipates awarding two SCOR grants:

• One grant focused on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), in partnership with the Edward P. Evans Foundation.
• One grant focused on T-Cell Lymphoma, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Multiple Myeloma, or Pediatric Leukemia. Other blood cancer proposals may be considered if judged highly innovative, responsive, competitive, and compelling.

2. Eligibility and Team Structure

Who can apply?

Applications are welcomed worldwide from appropriate academic institutions and investigators of any nationality. Applicants and SCOR Key Personnel must hold a PhD, MD, DVM, or equivalent degree and be affiliated with a nonprofit institution when funding begins and throughout the award.

Can multiple institutions participate?

Yes. Projects and Cores may be located at the same institution or at different institutions. Demonstrated or potential synergy among SCOR components is a critical review consideration.

How must a SCOR be structured?

Each SCOR must include:

• Three to five scientific Projects.
• One required Administrative Core.
• Up to three optional Scientific Cores.

Does the SCOR Director need to lead a Project?

Yes. The SCOR Director must be the Project Leader for one proposed Project and cannot lead more than one proposed Project within the SCOR.

Can a Project Leader lead more than one Project?

No. A Project Leader may not lead more than one Project within a single SCOR. A Project Leader may lead a maximum of two Projects on separate SCOR applications submitted in the same cycle.

Can Project Co-Leaders be included?

Yes. Each Project may have one optional Project Co-Leader in addition to the designated Project Leader.

3. Application Process and Key Dates

What are the application phases?

The process has two phases: a competitive Letter of Intent (LOI), followed by a Full Application for invited applicants only.

What are the key dates?

All submission times are Eastern Time.

Are deadlines strictly enforced?

Yes. No application materials, other than permitted regulatory approvals, will be accepted after the deadline. Applicants should submit well before the deadline because portal traffic and response times may increase near deadlines.

Can I revise my application after submission?

Clicking Submit locks the application at that stage. Information submitted in the LOI automatically populates the Full Application and may be changed only with prior approval from Blood Cancer United. Unauthorized changes may result in disqualification.

4. Letter of Intent

Is there an LOI template?

No. The LOI is completed directly in the Blood Cancer United Research Portal. The LOI abstract must be entered or pasted into the web fields.

Can figures or references be included in the LOI?

No. Images and references are not permitted. Only characters available in the standard Latin alphabet may be used.

What is evaluated during LOI review?

The LOI is reviewed for eligibility, relevance, and responsiveness, including:

• Qualifications of the SCOR Director and Project Leaders.
• Significance of the research to blood cancer.
• Quality of each Project and Core.
• Likelihood of synergy among the Projects.
• Significance of each Core to multiple Projects.
• Likelihood of near-term clinical translation.

What documents must be submitted with the LOI?

Upload one consolidated PDF containing current NIH Biosketches and NIH Other Support forms for the SCOR Director and all Project and Core Leaders. Do not submit these documents for Project or Core Co-Leaders.

Can Project Scientific Abstracts be changed after LOI submission?

No. Once the LOI is submitted, each Project Scientific Abstract cannot be changed. Other LOI information may be changed only after written approval from Blood Cancer United.

Are signatures required for the LOI?

No. Applicant and institutional official signatures are not required for LOI submission.

5. Full Application

What must be submitted during the Full Application phase?

Invited applicants must complete the Research Portal web form and upload the completed application components as one PDF in the required order. The Full Application PDF is separate from the LOI-phase PDF containing Biosketches and Other Support forms.

What formatting requirements apply?

Use black Arial 11-point font throughout the Full Application template. Do not change preset margins or line spacing. Figure legends must also use black Arial 11-point font and should be placed in text boxes separate from the figures. Noncompliance may result in administrative disqualification.

What happens if the template and Guidelines conflict?

The downloadable application template supersedes the Guidelines & Instructions.

How many figures are required?

Each Project must include at least three figures.

Is a graphical abstract required?

Yes. Provide one or two graphical abstracts that summarize the organization and key focus or themes of the proposed SCOR. The graphical abstract section is limited to one page.

May Greek symbols be used?

Greek characters and symbols are not permitted in the LOI scientific abstracts or in the public-facing Full Application sections identified in the Guidelines.

What public-facing information is required?

The Full Application requires an overall lay summary, an overall lay description, key scientific terms, a brief biography of the SCOR Director, individual Project summaries and lay descriptions, and brief biographies of Project Leaders. Applicants should avoid confidential information in material intended for public use.

6. Budget

What costs are permitted?

Permissible direct costs include personnel expenses, supplies, materials, service requests, equipment, and patient-associated costs when directly related to the proposed research and justified in the budget.

Is there an equipment limit?

Yes. Equipment purchases are limited to $20,000 per item. Each requested item must be identified and its relationship to the proposed research explained.

What costs are not permitted?

Impermissible costs include, but are not limited to, membership dues, tuition, books, journals, general operating expenses, endowment or gift payments, and lobbying or political activities.

7. Regulatory and Compliance Requirements

Can an application be submitted while IRB approval is pending?

Yes. Include the scheduled IRB review date and the required signed letter from the appropriate institutional official. An award will not be made without documented IRB approval. If the research is exempt, include the exemption certificate.

Can an application be submitted while IACUC approval is pending?

Yes. The application may be submitted while IACUC approval is pending, but an award will not be made without documented approval when approval is required.

What assurance documents may be required?

As applicable, include IRB approval or exemption documentation, IACUC approval, recombinant DNA approval, biohazard assurances, and related organizational assurances in the Full Application PDF.

What are the disclosure requirements for current and pending support?

NIH Other Support must include all current and pending support from any source. Specific aims must be listed for grants that may overlap or appear to overlap with the SCOR application. Blood Cancer United must be notified within five business days if a funding decision is received for a potentially overlapping pending grant after submission.

8. Review and Selection

How are Full Applications reviewed?

External expert reviewers evaluate Full Applications using an NIH-style 1-to-9 priority score, where 1 is most meritorious and 9 is least meritorious. The score reflects the SCOR proposal as a unit, not any Project in isolation.

What are the major review considerations?

Considerations include scientific significance, leadership qualifications, synergy among Projects and Cores, Core quality, preliminary data, feasibility, likelihood of clinical application, resources and environment, access to relevant patient populations or specimens, and clarity of presentation.

Will applicants receive written reviewer critiques?

Written critiques are not formally provided. Feedback may be provided only for applications discussed by the full review committee.

Can I request that a reviewer be excluded?

Yes. Email the exclusion request to [email protected] no later than the LOI deadline, December 8, 2026. Blood Cancer United will make every effort to accommodate the request but cannot guarantee exclusion.

9. Submission and Applicant Support

How will I know my submission was successful?

An automated confirmation email should arrive within two business days after submission. If it does not, contact [email protected] and check spam or junk folders.

What if I discover an error before the deadline?

Email [email protected] immediately. Corrections must be completed before the applicable deadline. There are no exceptions for post-deadline corrections.

Where should technical or application questions be directed?

Questions not answered by the Guidelines, program webpage, Research Portal, or FAQ should be sent to [email protected].

10. Post-Award Requirements

What reports are required?

Financial, Intellectual Property, Conflict and Other Disclosures, and Progress Reports are due annually. Publication Reports are due quarterly. Release of the next funding payment depends on approval of satisfactory reports.

Are annual site visits required?

Yes. Annual site visits occur around the grant anniversary. The SCOR Director, Project Leaders, and Core Leaders must be present and provide progress presentations that include proposed goals and milestones for the upcoming grant year.

How often should the SCOR team meet?

SCOR teams should meet by teleconference or in person at least every two months to discuss progress and planning.

Are headshots required?

Yes. Professional headshots of the SCOR Director and Project Leaders are due before funding begins and may be used with biographies and lay descriptions for publicity, fundraising, and website display.

Is attendance at the annual SCOR Progress Meeting required?

Yes. Each year, representatives from all currently funded SCOR teams must attend the mandatory in-person Progress Meeting. Related travel should be included in the annual travel budget.

Applicant Checklist

• Begin the application and registration process early.
• Confirm that the team includes 3-5 Projects, one Administrative Core, and no more than 3 Scientific Cores.
• Verify all character limits, including spaces.
• Use only permitted fonts, margins, and line spacing.
• Combine documents into the required PDF files and preserve the required order.
• Review every page and all uploaded files before clicking Submit.
• Submit well before the deadline and retain the confirmation email.
• Send questions and potential overlap concerns early to [email protected].

Source note: Prepared from “SCOR Guidelines and Instructions - FY27 Final.” This FAQ is a convenience summary. Applicants remain responsible for reviewing and following the full Guidelines, the Research Portal instructions, and the downloadable application template. If the application template conflicts with the Guidelines, the template controls.