Jul 2, 2025, 19:36

Discovery Programme Foundation Awards

Cancer Research UK’s Programme Foundation Awards empower outstanding mid-career researchers—clinicians and non-clinical scientists—to establish independent research groups across cancer biology, biomarker and imaging research, radiotherapy, preclinical studies, and the application of engineering and physical sciences to cancer.

Eligibility Criteria:

Sole Lead Applicant (PI) holding a full-time post at a UK university committed to fund your salary for the award duration.
Recognized as at the “transition to scientific leadership” career stage per the CRUK Fellowships Competency Framework.
May not concurrently hold a CRUK Fellowship, Career Establishment Award, or Group Leader position at a CRUK core-funded institute.
Career breaks, flexible working, and discipline changes are considered in assessing outputs and progression.

Funding Details:

Amount: Up to £1.5 million (direct costs)
Period: Up to 6 years (or part-time equivalent ≥0.5 FTE)
Use of Funds: Salaries for postdoctoral researchers and technicians; PhD students (stipend, fees, running costs); equipment; running expenses; networking and training support; EPSRC co-funding potential for engineering/physical-sciences components.

Deadline:

Preliminary Submission: 26 September 2024
Final Submission: 9 January 2025
Committee Review: June 2025

Where to Go for Further Information & Application:

Discuss your proposal with your regional CRUK Research Grants Manager before applying:

South of England, Wales & London (excl. UCL): Divneet Kaur, [email protected], +44 20 3469 8655
Cambridge, Oxford & UCL: Aleksandra Dabrowska, [email protected], +44 20 3469 5278
Scotland, N. Ireland, North & Midlands: Sowmiya Palani, [email protected], +44 20 3469 5231

Full scheme guidelines and online application.

biomarker research cancer cancer biology CRUK Engineering EPSRC imaging research independent-research mid-career OncoDaily Oncology physical-sciences Preclinical Research Programme-Foundation-Award radiotherapy UK research

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