The 2027 Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) Innovation Award supports ambitious, collaborative research focused on Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis of Cholangiocarcinoma.
The award seeks multi-institutional projects identifying, refining, or evaluating blood-based, bile-based, imaging-based, or other biomarkers with the potential to improve early detection and ultimately patient outcomes. The 2027 RFP states that this opportunity is made available with support from the Julienne Morriss Callaway Memorial Research Fund.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants may hold an MD, PhD, PharmD, DVM, or equivalent research qualification.
- Applicants may be based at academic, medical, or research institutions anywhere worldwide.
- Proposals must involve a multi-center collaboration of at least two institutions/sites.
- Previous recipients of CCF grants are eligible to apply.
- Not every collaborator is required to have previous experience in cholangiocarcinoma research.
- There are no applicant restrictions based on age, gender, race, disability, nationality, or country of residence.
Funding Details:
- The award provides a total funding commitment of USD 750,000.
- The RFP states that funding will be distributed in annual installments of USD 250,000.
- One Innovation Award is expected to be made.
- Salary and benefits of grant recipients may be included.
- Institutional indirect costs and overhead are not permitted.
Deadline:
- Letter of Intent deadline: September 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.
- LOI outcome/invitations to submit a full application: September 25, 2026.
- Invited full application deadline: October 28, 2026.
- Scientific merit review: November 20, 2026.
- Award notification: November 30, 2026.
- Earliest project start date: June 1, 2027.
Further Information:
- Eligible biomarker research may investigate blood-based biomarkers, bile-based biomarkers, imaging-based biomarkers, or biomarkers derived from other biospecimens such as stool or saliva.
- LOIs must include a two-page research summary covering the project, specific aims, rationale, scientific approach, significance, and innovation; a one-page reference list; and an NIH biosketch or CV of up to three pages for each collaborator.
- Applications should demonstrate potential impact on patient outcomes, hypothesis-driven aims, appropriate statistical rigor, feasibility within the award period, and meaningful development of an Early Career Researcher. Note: the 2027 RFP describes a three-year USD 750,000 funding commitment but separately lists the research focus period as June 1, 2027–May 31, 2029; applicants should confirm the intended project duration with CCF.
- Official program information and application details: Visit the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation research funding page and submit applications through ProposalCentral. The Foundation’s general Innovation Award information also confirms funding of USD 750,000 over three years. (Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation)
- Download the official program document: Download the 2027 CCF Innovation Award Call for Letters of Intent.