May 8, 2025, 21:47

Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is accepting applications for the 2025 Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, designed to support visionary early-career investigators pursuing high-risk, high-reward cancer research that lacks preliminary data but promises significant impact in prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer.

Who is eligible?

Applicants must:

Hold an MD, PhD, MD/PhD, or DO and be conducting independent research in the U.S.
Be either:
- Tenure-track Assistant Professors (appointed on or after July 1, 2020),
- Senior Clinical Fellows/Clinical Instructors in the final year of subspecialty training, or
- Distinguished Fellows with independent research space (e.g., Whitehead, UCSF, CSHL Fellows)
Not be in positions such as Ad Hoc Assistant Professor, Research Assistant Professor, or postdoc
Commit at least 80% effort to research activities
Submit no more than two applications in their career
Have no existing funding for the proposed project (concurrent funding allowed for other projects)

Funding at a glance:

Stage 1: 400,000 USD over 2 years ($200,000/year)
Stage 2: Up to an additional 400,000 USD over 2 years (competitive renewal for select grantees)
No indirect or overhead costs allowed
Funds are flexible: may support salary, staff, supplies, or equipment

Research focus:

Projects must be novel, creative, and bold, with potential for major impact. Incremental research will not be funded. Applications from all disciplines are welcome, including basic, translational, or clinical science. Collaborative proposals across disciplines are encouraged.

Application evaluation criteria:

Creativity and potential impact of the idea
Applicant’s ability to execute high-risk research
Clear lack of alternative funding sources for the proposed project

Key deadlines:

Application Due: July 1, 2025 (4:00 PM ET)
Apply via ProposalCentral (search: Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award)

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

More info: www.damonrunyon.org

biomedical research funding cancer cancer innovation Cancer Prevention Damon Runyon Diagnostics early-career investigators high-risk research OncoDaily proposalCENTRAL Rachleff Innovation Award Translational Oncology

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