American Cancer Society - Discovery Boost Grants (DBG)

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Funding: Awards are up to $135,000 per year for up to 2 years, plus 10% indirect costs.

Abstract:
Discovery Boost Grants (DBG) support high-risk, high-reward exploratory cancer research across the research continuum. Investigators may focus on developing research methodologies, establishing feasibility or leading pilot tests. It is expected that preliminary data generated from a completed DBG will have the potential to secure additional grant funding to further the research and open new and highly innovative areas for investigation.

Eligibility:

• Have an independent faculty appointment

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American Cancer Society – Research Scholar Grants

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Funding: Up to $215,000 per year (direct costs), plus 10% allowable indirect costs, with a project period up to four years.

Purpose:

• Research Scholar Grants provide support for independent, self-directed researchers.
• Applicants' institutions must provide space and other resources customary for independent investigators.
• Grant proposals are investigator-initiated and may pursue questions across the cancer research continuum, as long as they fit within an American Cancer Society priority research area.
• These grants typically contribute to the cost of salaries, consumable supplies and other miscellaneous items required in the research. 

Eligibility:

• Were first appointed as independent, full-time faculty LESS than 10 years ago
• Are the PI on NO MORE than one R01 or R01-equivalent grant at the time of application

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American Cancer Society – Postdoctoral Fellowship

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Funding:

• Awards are for up to three years with recently increased progressive stipends of $66,000, $68,000 and $70,000 a year.
• Depending on availability of special endowment funds, the American Cancer Society annually selects one or more of the top-ranked fellowships to be supplemented above the standard stipend.
• Fellowship allowances: Fellows will receive $4,000 a year to help defray costs such as health insurance, workshop costs and expenses associated with presenting at a domestic scientific meeting.
• In the last year, an additional $1,500 is added to the fellowship allowance for postdoctoral fellows to attend either the ACS Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium or a domestic scientific meeting.

Purpose:
Postdoctoral Fellowships support new investigators in research training programs to position them for independent careers in cancer research. As part of their evaluation, peer reviewers consider how well the fellowship will broaden the applicant’s research training and experience.

Eligibility:

• Are a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen holding an appropriate visa when you submit your application
• Have had your doctoral degree for LESS than four years; time spent in clinical-only training is not counted.
• Do not have a faculty appointment (e.g., instructor, research assistant professor)

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American Cancer Society – Institutional Research Grants

Deadline: June 1, 2025

Funding: Up to three one-year pilot grants at $40,000 each. IRGs may propose to budget the annual costs ($120,000) to less than three one-year pilot grants if they choose to do so.

Purpose:

• Institutional Research Grants are awarded to institutions as block grants, providing seed money for newly independent investigators to initiate cancer research projects.
• The intent is to support these junior faculty in initiating cancer research projects so they can obtain preliminary results that will enable them to compete successfully for national research grants.

Eligibility:

• Have attained the rank of associate professor or full professor
• Have a track record of mentoring junior investigators and publications
• Have administrative/leadership experience, i.e., deputy director or director of a program, center or department.

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AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award

Deadline: June 3, 2025 1 p.m. ET, letter of intent. If selected, application due on September 15, 2025 1 p.m. ET

Funding: $225,000

Purpose: The research proposed for funding must focus on cancer etiology, diagnosis, treatment or prevention and may be basic, translational or clinical in nature.

Eligibility:
At the start of the grant term on November 1, 2025, applicants must:

• Have a doctoral degree (including PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral degree.
• Hold a tenure-eligible appointment (or equivalent, if institution does not follow a tenure system) at the rank of assistant professor. Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor or instructor are not eligible. Applicants cannot be tenured or under consideration for a tenured academic position at the time of the application. Applicants that have progressed to associate professor appointments are also not eligible.
• If eligibility is based on a future position, the position must be confirmed at the time of application and CANNOT be contingent upon receiving this grant.
• If the future position is at a different institution than the applicant’s current institution, the applicant must contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration Department at [email protected] before submitting their application for information on additional verification materials/signatures that may be required.
• Have started their first independent faculty position with the title of assistant professor within the past six years from the grant start date (i.e., cannot have held an independent faculty position before November 1, 2019).
• Have independent laboratory space as confirmed by their institution.
• Work at an academic, medical or research institution anywhere in the world.
• There are no citizenship or geographic requirements.
• Applicants must be AACR Active members in good standing (dues paid for the current year).

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Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Faculty Scholars Program – LIMITED SUBMISSION

Internal competition timeline and submission process:

• Upload a PDF of the internal application to Drexel’s InfoReady Funding Portal no later than June 6, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET
• Submitted applications will be reviewed by a panel and selections will be made on or before June 20, 2025.

Funder’s deadline: August 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET

Funding:

• Up to $100,000 salary support per year for two years for 50% protected time to pursue a mentored educational project at the home institution.
• $25,000 per year for two years to subsidize the cost of professional development activities and related project expenses.

Purpose:
The 2026 Macy Faculty Scholars Program aims to identify and nurture promising early-career educators in medicine and nursing. The program will help develop the next generation of national leaders in medical and nursing education by identifying outstanding educators, physicians, nurses, and role models—individuals who represent the breadth of diversity seen in learners, patient populations and health care settings around the country.

Eligibility:

• Candidates should have approximately three to eight years of faculty experience at the time of application.
• Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school.
• Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per nursing school and one nominee per medical school.
• Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
• Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate’s educational project and career development.
• Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.

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The Helen Way Whitney Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellowship

Deadline: June 16, 2025 (5 p.m. EDT)

Funding: Around $70,000 per year for three years of funding

Purpose: To attain its goal of increasing the number of imaginative, well-trained and dedicated medical scientists, the foundation grants financial support of sufficient duration to help further the careers of young men and women engaged in biological or medical research.

Eligibility: Applicants are eligible for Helen Hay Whitney postdoctoral fellowships if:

• They have received a PhD (or DPhil or equivalent) degree no more than two years before the application deadline, or an MD (or MD/PhD) degree no more than four years before the deadline.
• They have been employed in their postdoctoral laboratory for no more than one year before the application deadline.

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Enduring Hearts

Deadline: June 17, 2025, 5 p.m. ET, letter of intent
If invited, full proposal due July 28, 2025

Funding: $25,000 to $150,000, including indirect costs less than 5%, for two years.

Purpose: The mission is to fund research to increase longevity and improve the quality of life for pediatric heart transplant recipients.

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Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation – LIMITED SUBMISSION

Deadline: Internal submissions due June 18. Funder's deadline is August 1, 2025.

Funding: $75,000 annually for a period of up to three years. The Foundation will not fund overhead.

Purpose:
The funds are designed to provide to tenure-track faculty members in their first to fourth year, at American institutions, who hold MD and/or PhD degrees, start-up support to move the project forward to the point where R01 or other independent funding can be obtained. Applicants with current R01 funding should not apply.

Institutions may submit one proposal per session. 

How to apply:
Proposals should be submitted via email as a single PDF file to the attention of Becki Blankenship at [email protected].  

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Michelson Medical Research Foundation
Next Generationi Grant

Deadline: June 22, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EDT (first round). If successful, supplementary information due October 2025 (date TBD).

Funding: $150,000, one-year grants to support research

Career Stage: Early career

Purpose: Next Generation Grants reward early-career investigators who use disruptive concepts and inventive processes to significantly advance human immunology, vaccine discovery and immunotherapy research for major global diseases. Applications are judged on innovation and potential impact.

Eligibility:

• Researchers 35 years of age and under are eligible.
• The applicant must dedicate 50% of their full-time professional effort during the award period to the research funded by this award. The applicant is expected to assemble a research team that will provide the necessary expertise and collaborative efforts to accomplish the research goals proposed in the application.
• The allocation of award funds for the conduct of the Michelson Prize-funded project is under the control of the awardee. It may be used flexibly for items such as salary, equipment, consumable supplies, travel to scientific meetings and laboratory personnel working with the awardee. Specific limitations include the following: No more than 40% of the total award can be used for salaries without approval, travel costs cannot exceed $1,500, and there is a $15,000 cap on equipment. MMRF does not pay indirect costs on the Michelson Prizes.

Margaret Q. Landenberger Research Foundation – LIMITED SUBMISSION

Internal competition timeline and submission process:

• Upload a PDF of the internal application to Drexel’s InfoReady Funding Portal no later than July 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m.
• Submitted applications will be reviewed by a panel and selections will be made on or before August 8, 2025.

Funder’s deadline: Full proposal due October 1, 2025 at 5 p.m. ET.

Funding: Grants are generally $200,000 over a two (2) year period. These funds should be fully allocated to direct costs.

Career stage: Early career

Purpose: Support is focused on promising early-stage medical researchers engaged in projects with the potential to result in understanding an important disease process or leading to a new therapeutic intervention. The foundation is open to research in all fields.

Eligibility: Early-stage investigators who have completed their terminal research degree or end of post-graduate clinical training, whichever date is later, within the past 10 years and who have not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial NIH independent research award (R01) are eligible to apply. This is not a mentored award and individuals who are currently on K awards or the equivalent are NOT eligible for funding. The ideal candidate would be an assistant or associate professor who has had a K award or equivalent and is now seeking independent funding such as an R award. K99/R00 awardees may apply during the R00 phase.

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Concern Foundation

Deadline: Letter of intent due 11:59 p.m. on July 25, 2025

Funding: $100,000 per year for a maximum of two years

Career Stage: Assistant professor level

Purpose: By specifically targeting promising early-career scientists and providing critically needed “seed” money for innovative projects, Concern Foundation for Cancer Research supports the development of the next generation of cancer researchers and thus promotes progress in understanding cancer biology and improved approaches to cancer. Proposals must be hypothesis-driven and centered on cancer genetics, cancer biology or cancer immunology. Concern Foundation for Cancer Research will not fund clinical trials, cancer epidemiology or behavioral studies.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants are independent investigators who are at the start of their scientific career (i.e., junior faculty) and are at the level of assistant professor (or equivalent, with explanation). This means you have been independent in terms of lab space, budget usage, directing your own research, publishing, etc. for between one and seven years. Due to the highly accomplished nature of the junior faculty who typically apply to Concern Foundation for Cancer Research, successful proposals are usually from investigators who have been in their independent position and directing their own research program for more than one year.

A brief letter from the applicant's department chair is required and should attest to 1) the applicant's faculty status and duration or start date, 2) the applicant's status as an independent investigator, including comment on independence in scientific and fiscal decision making and management in the PI’s group, 3) institutional support in terms of independent laboratory space and startup funds, and 4) percent protected time devoted to research as junior faculty.

Priority will be given to proposals from investigators who are well-regarded by their institution and have yet to obtain significant outside funding for their work. An applicant who is a PI with an existing R01 or equivalent is not eligible.

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Wellcome Career Development Awards 

Deadline: July 24, 2025, 5 p.m. BST

This scheme provides funding for mid-career researchers who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.

Funding amount: You should ask for the resources you need for your research programme. You will need to work with your organisation to justify your request in the context of the support they will provide. The annual expenditure for a Career Development Award is usually below £250,000 excluding the applicant’s salary. Applications above this value will be subject to additional scrutiny.

Funding duration: Usually 8 years, but may be less for some disciplines and may only be longer if held on a part-time basis.

Career stage: Mid-career researcher

Strategic programme:

• Discovery research
• Climate and health
• Infectious disease
• Mental health

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Wellcome Discovery Awards

Deadline: July 29, 2025

This scheme provides funding for established researchers and teams from any discipline who want to pursue bold and creative research ideas to deliver significant shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.

Funding amount:
You should ask for the resources you need for your research programme. You will need to justify this in your application. The average size of a Discovery Award is £3.5 million. Applications above £5 million will be subject to additional scrutiny.

Funding duration:
Awards can be up to 8 years, but may be less for some disciplines, and may be longer if held on a part-time basis. The average duration of a Discovery Award is 7 years, although we have supported awards from 3 to 8 years.

Career stage:

• Established researcher. Coapplicants are accepted.

Strategic programme:

• Discovery research
• Climate and health
• Infectious disease
• Mental health

The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation – LIMITED SUBMISSION
Macy Scholars

Deadline: August 1, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET

Funding:

• Salary support: Up to $100,000 salary support per year for two years for 50% protected time to pursue a mentored educational project at the home institution.
• Professional development and project expenses: Scholars receive $25,000 per year for two years to subsidize the cost of professional development activities and related project expenses.

Purpose:
This is a career development award; the excellence and potential of the applicant is just as important as the project. The following factors will be considered in the selection process.

• Evidence that the candidate is viewed by learners as an effective educator.
• Whether the candidate is in a position to directly influence learners in the local environment.
• Evidence of an ability to turn daily work into scholarship that has been disseminated.
• Merit of the proposed project and the likelihood that it will influence national trends in health professions education and ultimately improve the health of the public.
• Note: We have a particular interest in projects that involve the clinical learning environment. Within these environments, we are interested in projects that address one or more of our three priority areas.
• Evidence of a strong mentor and institutional support.
• Shows potential to become a national leader in health professions education.

Eligibility:

• Be a benefits-eligible faculty member in a United States accredited nursing school, allopathic medical school or osteopathic medical school. Candidates should have approximately three to eight years of faculty experience at the time of application.
• Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school.
• Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per nursing or medical school, and a nursing or medical school with a first-year Macy Faculty Scholar is precluded from nominating a candidate.
• Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
• Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate’s educational project and career development.
• Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.

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David Runyon Fellowship Award

Deadline: August 15, 2025,4PM ET

Funding: Total funding $300,000:

• Year 1 – $72,000
• Year 2 – $74,000
• Year 3 – $76,000
• Year 4 – $78,000

Career Stage: Early career

Purpose:
Damon Runyon views cancer research very broadly, including the full spectrum of basic questions important to normal human biology and carcinogenesis, as well as development of new platforms and technologies. The foundation encourages all theoretical and experimental research relevant to the study of cancer and the search for cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies and prevention including molecular approaches to cancer prevention for inherited cancers. The foundation seeks novel ideas and approaches

Eligibility: Postdoctoral fellows

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Elsa U. Pardee Foundation

Deadline: August 31, 2025

Career Stage: Postdocs, early and established career

Funding:
By design, there are no limits set on the amount that can be requested. It must be reasonably supported by the scope of the project outlined in the application. Indirect costs cannot exceed 5% of the total amount requested.

Purpose:
The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation funds research to investigators in United States nonprofit institutions proposing research directed toward identifying new treatments or cures for cancer. The foundation funds projects for a one-year period which will allow the establishment of capabilities of new cancer researchers or new cancer approaches by established cancer researchers. It is anticipated that this early-stage funding by the foundation may lead to subsequent and expanded support using government agency funding. Project relevance to cancer detection, treatment or cure should be clearly identified. The foundation particularly welcomes innovative, small-scale, short-term projects that may be difficult to fund elsewhere until some interesting results are obtained.

Eligibility:
Postdocs who are on the tenure track and have a tenured mentor are eligible. Priority is given to researchers at nonprofit institutions in the United States who are new to the field of cancer research, or to established research investigators examining new approaches to cancer cure.

American Heart Association
Postdoctoral Fellowship

Deadline: September 4, 2025, 3 p.m. CT

Funding: Annual stipends for the life of the grant over one or two years.

Purpose: Enhances the training of postdoctoral applicants who are not yet independent. The applicant must be embedded in an appropriate investigative group with the mentorship, support and relevant scientific guidance of a research mentor.

Eligibility:

• At the time of award activation, the applicant must hold a post-baccalaureate PhD degree or equivalent, or a doctoral-level clinical degree such as MD, DO, DVM, PharmD, DDS, DPh or PhD in nursing, public health or other clinical health science.
• At the time of award activation, the awardee may not be pursuing a doctoral degree.
• At the time of award activation, the applicant may have no more than five years of research training or experience since obtaining a post-baccalaureate doctoral-level degree (excluding clinical training).
• The awardee will be expected to devote at least 80% of full-time work either to research or to activities pursuant to independent research (instead of administrative, clinical duties that are not an integral part of the research training program, or teaching responsibilities).
• This award is not intended for individuals of faculty rank.
• Applicants are not required to reside in the United States for any period before applying for American Heart Association funding.

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Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation - Prevention

Deadline: September 15, 2025, letter of intent
If invited, full proposal due November 17, 2025

Funding:

• Award amount: Up to $5,000,000 for clinical trials based on stage and scope of research.
• For studies requiring additional support, co-funding from other funding agencies or investors is encouraged. Payment structure will be negotiated and based on milestone achievements and recruitment.
• Average duration: Multi-year.
• Allowable costs: Only direct costs are allowed.

Career Stage: All career stages

Purpose:
The ADDF seeks to support precision prevention studies, combination therapy studies and comparative effectiveness research that probe whether the use or choice of interventions may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Studies that are not in humans will not be considered.

Eligibility:
Industry partnerships are encouraged.
NOTE: Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones

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Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
Neuroimaging and CSF Biomarker Program

Deadline: September 15, 2025, letter of intent
If invited, full proposal due November 17, 2025

Funding: Up to $600,000. Only direct costs are allowed.

Career Stage: All career stages

Purpose:
The aim of this RFP is to further develop and validate established biomarkers for which there is a clear clinical need in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This RFP prioritizes biomarkers with a defined context of use, a clear advantage over other relevant biomarkers, and a path to commercialization and/or clinical use.

Specifically, this RFP focuses on:

• Developing novel PET ligands for clinical trials
• Supporting novel CSF biomarkers
• Validating innovative MRI approaches in larger cohorts
• Developing novel measures of functional activity such as EEG

Eligibility:

• Industry partnerships are encouraged.
• NOTE: Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones

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Bright Focus
Alzheimer's Disease Research Standard Awards

Deadline: September 29, 2025, 5 p.m. ET

Award Amount: $300,000, duration is three years

Eligibility: This research grant program is restricted to new and early investigators who have obtained their MD, PhD or equivalent degree within the past 12 years at the time of application. The applicant must serve as the principal investigator on the project, have institutional permission to manage the award and the key personnel associated with the proposal.

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Bright Focus
Alzheimer’s Disease Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards

Deadline: September 29, 2025, 5 p.m. ET

Award Amount: $200,000, duration is two years

Eligibility: Postdoctoral fellowship awards are intended for young researchers in their final stages of mentored training. These awards fund projects in an established laboratory that will serve as the basis for the applicant’s independent research career. Must be within five years of degree conferral.

Cardiovascular Medical Research and Education Fund
Improving the Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

Deadline: Rolling

Funding:
Preference will be given to proposals that have budgets below $100,000 and timelines less than two years.

Purpose:
The CMREF mission of the fund is to support educational activities that will enhance the knowledge of pulmonary hypertension and research projects that may help uncover the causes and pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in pursuit of the ultimate goal of its treatment and cure. The CMREF does not have a formal application process to fund clinical research or educational projects but is always interested in potentially providing full or partial support to initiatives that are novel, innovative or address the spectrum of unmet medical needs related to pulmonary vascular diseases.

Interested parties should submit a letter of intent (maximum of two pages) that describes the project sufficiently so that the Research Advisory Committee can understand the proposed goals and methods. In addition, the letter should mention the length of time of the project and an estimated overall budget.

How to Apply:
To submit your letter, please use the form on this page. Please be sure to fill out all fields and upload your letter before submitting. You can also email your letter directly to Patt Wolfe (executive director) at [email protected].

After you submit your letter, the CMREF will respond within four weeks to inform you if a full application will be requested.

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American Federation for Aging Research
Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program

Deadline:
Interested students should be in touch directly with the National Training Centers to for the program deadline and application materials.

Funding:
The stipend level is approximately $1,980 per month; actual amounts will vary based on the specific appointment period of individual students. Award period: Eight to 12 weeks.

Purpose:
The MSTAR Program provides medical students with an enriching experience in aging-related research and geriatrics, with the mentorship of top experts in the field. This program introduces students to research and academic experiences early in their training that they might not otherwise have during medical school. Positive experiences in the MSTAR program have led many physicians-in-training to pursue academic careers in aging, ranging from basic science to clinical research to health services research. They have joined the growing cadre of physicians and scientists whose specialized knowledge and skills are in great demand as our population ages.

Students participate in an eight- to twelve-week (or two- to three-month, depending on the training site) structured research, clinical and didactic program in geriatrics, appropriate to their level of training and interests. Research projects are offered in basic, translational, clinical or health services research relevant to older people. Most scholars will do their training and research during the summer months. They will also be invited to submit an abstract to present a poster at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.

Eligibility

• Any allopathic or osteopathic medical student in good standing, who will have successfully completed one year of medical school at a U.S. institution by June 2024. Evidence of good standing must be provided by the medical school registrar or dean when the student is notified of receiving the award.
• Applicants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or some other legal verification of such status). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible. Due to NIA restrictions, individuals holding PhD, MD, DVM or equivalent doctoral degrees in the health sciences are not eligible to apply to do the MSTAR Program.
• Additionally, applicants receiving a stipend or salary support from a federal source are not eligible for this program. Applicants may not hold another award or participate in another program concurrently with the MSTAR program, and must participate in the program full-time for a minimum of eight weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks.

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Infectious Diseases Society of America
Grants for Emerging Researchers/Clinicians Mentorship Program

Career Stage: Medical Students

Amount: Not specified

Deadline: Ongoing

Description
The G.E.R.M. Program was developed to provide grants to medical students to support a longitudinal, mentored clinical learning and/or research project for up to a year on infectious diseases-related topics, including HIV, under the mentorship of an IDSA or HIVMA member. This program replaced the IDSA Medical Scholars and HIVMA Medical Students Programs.

Eligibility

• Graduate students
• Applicants must be medical students (first-, second- or third-year and those in combined degree programs, including MD/MPH and MD/PhD) from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school in the U.S.