This Lustgarten Foundation–AACR Career Development Award in Honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg supports early-career female investigators leading pancreatic cancer research programs. It is designed to accelerate the careers of women scientists working on high-impact projects in pancreatic cancer biology, early detection, or therapy. The award provides three years of stable support to help recipients consolidate independence and generate data for larger-scale grants.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Early-career independent female investigator (assistant professor or equivalent) at an academic or research institution
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Primary research focus on pancreatic cancer (basic, translational, clinical, or population/early detection)
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Within AACR’s defined early-career window (see current program guidelines)
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Strong institutional support and access to necessary infrastructure for pancreatic cancer research
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AACR member in good standing or membership application submitted by deadline
Funding Details:
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Total award: 300,000 USD
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Grant term: 3 years (100,000 USD per year)
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Funds may be used for PI salary, research staff, consumables, assays, computational work, and other project-specific costs
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No or limited indirect costs, following AACR policy
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Additional non-monetary benefits include visibility within the Lustgarten/AACR community and access to networking opportunities
Deadline:
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Application deadline (2026 cycle): January 6, 2026 (1:00 PM US Eastern Time)
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Decision date: March 2026
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Start of grant term: July 1, 2026
Where to go for further information: