The Gilead Research Scholars Program – Solid Tumors 2026–2027 supports innovative research by emerging investigators addressing unmet medical needs in breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and small cell lung cancer.
The program is open to basic and clinical research and encourages projects exploring disparities in cancer care, treatment combinations, mechanisms of resistance, novel therapeutic approaches, biomarkers, imaging, and innovative diagnostic, prevention, and treatment strategies.
Gilead will support three awards of $180,000 each, providing early-stage investigators with substantial research support while allowing them to develop independent research programs. researchscholars.gilead.com
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be junior faculty who meet the NIH criteria for an Early Stage Investigator.
- Applicants must have received their initial faculty appointment within the last 7 years at a research institution in the United States.
- Applicants must hold a faculty-level position; eligible positions can include Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Researcher, Lecturer, or Assistant Project Scientist, depending on institutional definitions.
- Applicants must have a doctoral degree or equivalent qualification appropriate to the proposed research.
- Applicants must conduct research at an eligible U.S. research institution.
- Postdoctoral and clinical research fellows are not eligible for this award.
- A mentor or co-mentor may be included, and co-mentorship arrangements are permitted where appropriate.
- There are no citizenship or country-of-origin requirements, although applicants must have the appropriate status to complete the project at the host institution.
Funding Details
- Award Amount: $180,000
- Number of Awards: At least 3
- Grant Period: 2 years
- Up to 10% of the award may be used for indirect costs.
- Up to $1,500 per year may be included for the applicant’s travel to a scientific meeting to present project data.
Deadline
- Round 1 — One-Page Specific Aims Deadline: November 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT
- Applicants will be notified about Round 1 results on or before February 2027.
- Round 2 — Detailed Proposal Deadline: March 10, 2027, at 11:59 PM PT
- Round 2 is by invitation only for the highest-scoring Round 1 applicants.
Further Information
- Gilead Research Scholars Program — Solid Tumors — official program page with the current funding amount, eligibility, research scope, and application timeline.
- Gilead Solid Tumor Scientific Focus — detailed information on eligible cancer types and research areas.
- Gilead Solid Tumor Eligibility — official eligibility requirements for applicants.
- Gilead Solid Tumor Application Information — official deadlines and application-stage information.