The FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award supports independent early-career researchers and physician-scientists developing sustained careers in melanoma research.
Recipients join the Melanoma Academy, a collaborative virtual network that connects Scholars with established melanoma investigators, peer researchers, patient advocates, and national research communities. The award combines research funding with mentorship, networking, leadership development, and structured career-development activities.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants must be independent investigators no more than seven years from their first faculty-level appointment as of October 14, 2026.
- Applicants may be named as Principal Investigator on only one FY26 Melanoma Academy Scholar Award application.
- A signed Statement of Eligibility from the Scholar and Department Chair, Dean, or equivalent institutional official is required.
- Applicants must identify an eligible Career Guide.
- The Career Guide must commit to participating fully in Melanoma Academy activities throughout the award period.
- Individuals who served as Career Guides on previously funded FY21–FY25 Melanoma Academy Scholar Awards are not eligible to serve again.
- There are no citizenship, nationality, or ethnicity restrictions.
Funding Details:
- The maximum award amount is USD 770,000 in total costs.
- The maximum project period is three years.
- Approximately USD 1.54 million is expected to support around two Melanoma Academy Scholar Awards.
- Up to USD 30,000 per year in direct costs may support the Career Guide.
Deadline:
- Required Letter of Intent deadline: September 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Full application deadline: October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Application verification period ends: October 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Funding recommendations are generally posted within approximately six weeks after programmatic review.
- Awards are expected to be issued no later than September 30, 2027.
Further Information:
- Eligible projects may involve basic, translational, or clinical research and must address at least one FY26 priority in melanoma prevention and interception, rare melanomas, or survivorship; clinical trials and research focused primarily on non-melanoma skin cancers are not permitted.
- Preliminary data are not required, although any unpublished preliminary results included in the application must originate from the Scholar’s laboratory or another member of the proposed research team.
- Scholars must complete a Career Development and Sustainment Plan and participate in monthly webinars, individual mentoring, networking activities, patient-advocacy engagement, and required one-day and multiday Academy workshops.
- The full application requires an eight-page Project Narrative, technical and lay abstracts, Impact Statement, Career Development and Sustainment Plan, Career Guide letter, Statement of Eligibility, budget, biosketches, current and pending support, and applicable research-compliance documents.
- Official program information and application details: Visit the CDMRP funding opportunities page and search for Funding Opportunity Number HT942526MRPMASA to access the complete announcement, application package, submission portals, General Application Instructions, and current program updates.