Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, is offering two targeted Young Investigator Awards (YIAs) in 2026: one in Drug Development and one in Cancer Survivorship . These YIAs provide one-year, one-time grants to oncology fellows or recent graduates to undertake a research project in the respective field under mentorship. The Drug Development YIA supports research on novel anti-cancer therapies (such as early-phase clinical trials, preclinical drug discovery, or pharmacogenomics), while the Survivorship YIA focuses on improving outcomes for cancer survivors (e.g., long-term effects of treatment, quality of life interventions, or health disparities in survivorship) . Both awards aim to foster the careers of young investigators and generate data that can lead to future independent funding.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Oncology trainees in their final year of fellowship or within 1-2 years post-fellowship (e.g., oncology subspecialty fellows, junior faculty at instructor/assistant professor level) .
- Each applicant must choose one track (Drug Development or Survivorship) and submit a proposal relevant to that theme.
- Must have a confirmed mentor in the proposed research area and be an ASCO member. Applicants should not have previously been a PI on an R01 or large grant.
Funding Details:
- Grant Amount: $50,000 for 1 year .
- Budget: Primarily for the awardee’s research expenses and salary support during the project year. Can cover lab supplies, data collection costs, etc. (no indirect costs).
- YIA recipients also receive complimentary ASCO Annual Meeting registration and are invited to Conquer Cancer events.
- Successful completion of the project and presentation of results (e.g., abstract or manuscript) is expected at the end of the year.
Deadline:
- Application Deadline: January 29, 2026 (11:59 PM ET) for both the Drug Development and Survivorship YIAs.
- Notice of awards will be made in Spring 2026. The funding period is July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Where to go for further information: