This Lustgarten Foundation–AACR Career Development Award supports early-career pancreatic cancer researchers, with a focus on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field. The John R. Lewis award emphasizes investigators from historically underrepresented groups and/or projects addressing pancreatic cancer disparities and access gaps. It provides multi-year support to build an independent research program in pancreatic cancer biology, therapeutics, or translational science.
Eligibility Criteria:
-
Early-career independent investigator (assistant professor or equivalent) at an academic or research institution
-
Primary research focus on pancreatic cancer (basic, translational, clinical, or population science)
-
Commitment to a career in pancreatic cancer research with at least 75% research effort strongly preferred (see AACR guidelines)
-
Alignment with the award’s goals around equity and/or disparities (e.g., applicant from underrepresented background and/or project with a strong health equity focus)
-
AACR member in good standing (or membership application submitted by deadline)
Funding Details:
-
Total award: 300,000 USD
-
Grant term: 3 years (100,000 USD per year)
-
Supports PI salary, personnel, consumables, small equipment, and other research costs directly related to the pancreatic cancer project
-
Indirect cost policy follows AACR standard (usually not allowed or tightly capped)
-
Mentorship and visibility through AACR/Lustgarten networks
Deadline:
-
Application deadline (2026 cycle): January 6, 2026 (1:00 PM US Eastern Time)
-
Decision date: March 2026
-
Start of grant term: July 1, 2026
Where to go for further information: