The CRI Clinical Innovator supports innovative investigator-initiated clinical trials that advance cancer immunotherapy and generate insights capable of improving patient care.
The program focuses on Phase I/II and Phase II clinical studies testing novel immunotherapy approaches, investigating mechanisms of clinical response, and discovering or validating predictive biomarkers. Competitive proposals should combine strong clinical trial design with rigorous biospecimen collection, correlative research, and data analysis. (Cancer Research Institute)
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant must serve as the Principal Investigator of the proposed clinical study.
- Institutions may be located in the United States or internationally.
- There are no citizenship restrictions.
- The proposed project should be an innovative Phase I/II or Phase II clinical study.
- Applications should incorporate appropriate sample collection, correlative assays, and advanced data-analysis strategies.
- Multiple scientifically distinct applications from the same institution are permitted under CRI’s general policies.
- Applicants may submit proposals to other funders simultaneously, but overlapping funding cannot be accepted for the same work. (Cancer Research Institute)
Funding Details:
- The program provides up to USD 1,000,000 per clinical trial.
- Funding may support investigator salary.
- Eligible expenses may include patient-related costs.
- Data analysis costs may be included.
- Institutions may receive indirect costs of up to 10% of the awarded amount.
- Therefore, a project receiving the maximum award could potentially receive up to approximately USD 1.1 million including allowable indirect costs.
Deadline:
- Initial Protocol Concept deadline: December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Invitation decisions: By late February 2027.
- Invited full proposal deadline: April 9, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Further Information:
- Initial submissions require a protocol concept of up to two pages describing the study rationale, objectives, patient population, eligibility, sample collection, and biostatistical plan, plus a separate one-page study schema.
- Applicants must also submit a translational research plan of up to one page and biosketches for the PI and any co-PIs; supporting documents must be uploaded individually as PDFs.
- CRI evaluates proposals based on novelty, feasibility, scientific rationale, translational rigor, and potential for meaningful clinical impact.
- A special opportunity with the Chordoma Foundation supports qualifying clinical research aimed at developing effective treatments for chordoma, with successful projects co-funded by CRI and the Foundation.
- Official program information and application details: Visit the CRI Clinical Innovator page for current eligibility requirements, application instructions, supporting materials, deadlines, and access to the application portal.