The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) invites Expressions of Interest (EOI) for an implementation research study on the “Prevention and Screening of Oral, Breast, Cervical and Gastrointestinal Cancers in Jammu and Kashmir”. This initiative aims to enhance the coverage and quality of cancer screening and early detection within the public healthcare system under the National Program for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).

Overview

Cancer represents a significant public health challenge in India, with over 14 lakh cases reported annually nationwide. In Jammu and Kashmir, gastrointestinal cancers (stomach and esophagus) and lung cancer show high incidence, with gastric cancer particularly prevalent in the Kashmir Valley. This implementation research seeks to develop a comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and geographically adapted cancer screening and prevention programme for the region. The primary goal is to achieve high screening coverage and quality, early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment initiation for oral, breast, cervical, and gastrointestinal cancers across Jammu and Kashmir.

Research Areas and Activities

The study will address the following priority research question: How can a Jammu and Kashmir-wide implementation programme for high screening coverage and quality, early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment initiation for oral, breast, cervical, and gastrointestinal cancers be achieved using a co-developed implementation model? The research design employs a mixed-methods implementation research approach, including qualitative and quantitative methods using an implementation science framework.

Key objectives include:

• Improving coverage and quality of cancer prevention and screening through the existing healthcare system using accepted and validated methods.
• Engaging non-specialist physicians and other healthcare workers within a supportive system for screening of cancer and pre-cancerous conditions.
• Ensuring all screen-positive individuals are linked to facilities for early diagnosis and treatment.
• Involving communities to encourage the target population to undergo prevention, screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Eligibility

Target Population:

• Women aged 30 years and above for breast cancer.
• Adults aged 18 years and above for oral cancer.
• All sexually active women aged 30-60 years for cervical cancer.
• Adults aged 40 years and above for gastrointestinal cancer.

Who Can Submit: The EOI may be submitted through the EPMS portal by scientists or professionals with regular employment in Medical Institutes, Research Institutes, Universities, Colleges, Government and semi-government organizations, and NGOs. Collaborative, multi-centre, interdisciplinary research initiatives are encouraged. The Principal Investigator must not have more than five ongoing research proposals funded by ICMR or a total grant amount exceeding ₹25 crores from ongoing ICMR-funded projects. ICMR scientists and institutes are not eligible to apply as PIs, though they may be named as co-investigators (no funds will be given to ICMR institutions). Foreign collaboration is not permitted under this call.

Application Process

Interested parties must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in the specified format. The EOI should include: rationale for the study including choice of district sites, implementation strategy, feasibility and scalability considerations, research team composition, established relationships with health systems and educational institutions, a budget outline, and CVs of the principal investigator and key investigators. The EOI must address the specific research question mentioned in the call. Descriptive studies, systematic reviews, and secondary data analysis will not be considered.

How to Apply: Submissions must be made online only through the EPMS portal at https://epms.icmr.org.in. The submission portal will open from 1st June 2026. After completing the mandatory PI profile section, applicants should click on Proposal submission, then EOI, and select the blue tab for this specific call. Inclusion of at least one Co-PI from the PI’s institute is mandatory.

Deadline and Timeline

• Release of Call: 25th May 2026
• Last Date for Submission of EOI: 25th June 2026
• Shortlisting of EOI: 10th July 2026
• Proposal Development Workshop: 10th August 2026
• Submission of Full Proposal: 25th August 2026

The project duration will be up to four years, including up to six months for preparatory activities and six months for analysis and interpretation. The study should include a formative phase, implementation phase, and evaluation phase.

Contact Information

For queries related to the call, contact:
Dr. Nisha K Jose
Program Officer, Division of Development Research
Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi – 110029
Email: jose.nisha@icmr.gov.in

For technical concerns related to the application process:
Email: po.epms@icmr.gov.in