The Tower Cancer Research Foundation Career Development Grant is a 1‑year, USD 100,000 career‑development award for early‑career cancer investigators, focused on supporting promising junior faculty as they generate data and strengthen their ability to compete for major external funding. The program prioritizes innovative basic and translational cancer research, with strong emphasis on impact and feasibility.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Early‑career faculty (not beyond the first five years of a junior faculty appointment at the time of application).
- Focus on cancer research; applicants should be actively engaged in laboratory or translational oncology research.
- Researchers who have received “significant support” (e.g., major foundation awards, R01‑level funding) within the last year are discouraged from applying.
- Geographic focus: Tower’s scientific grants support cancer research in Southern California for the standard Career Development Grants, with a separate nationwide Dr. Susan Love
- Fund mechanism for breast cancer (see Tower site for the exact eligibility framing for the current cycle).
Funding Details:
- Amount: USD 100,000 total over 1 year; no indirect costs allowed.
- Supports: PI salary support, research personnel, consumables, and other direct research costs, as approved in the application.
- Review: Applications undergo peer review by Tower’s Scientific Advisory Board, which prioritizes novelty, scientific quality, and potential to yield meaningful advances in cancer biology or treatment.
Deadline:
- January 19, 2026 (application due date listed in the 2025–26 Keck/USC funding opportunity posting for the Tower Career Development Award).
Where to go for further information: