Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded a Project Grant totaling $366,662 to the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2030, under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393). This grant funds the development of novel statistical methodologies for conducting mediation analysis using epidemiologic data from multiple incomplete data sources. The research addresses a critical gap in current analytical capabilities by creating statistical frameworks that can estimate mediation effects when the three key variables (exposure, mediator, and outcome) are distributed across separate datasets rather than contained within a single unified dataset. This methodological advancement will enable epidemiologists to conduct rigorous mediation analysis in real-world research scenarios where complete joint information on all relevant variables is not available from any single source.

The project comprises three integrated research aims: Aim 1 develops a semiparametric framework for estimating regression parameters without requiring parametric distribution assumptions; Aim 2 extends this methodology to account for heterogeneity in covariate, mediator, and exposure distributions across multiple data sources; and Aim 3 introduces high-dimensional mediation analysis methods building on Aims 1 and 2. These deliverables will provide the epidemiologic research community with practical statistical tools applicable to diverse data configurations and combinations, enhancing the capacity to identify mechanisms explaining established exposure-outcome relationships in cancer research and related health domains.