Yea This week’s OncoGrants roundup is defined by two converging forces: sustained investment in the next generation of cancer researchers, and a sweeping set of EU Cancer Mission calls targeting some of the most underaddressed dimensions of cancer care.
On the investigator development front, three major awards are open simultaneously—the Mark Foundation’s newly expanded $1M Emerging Leader Award for independent scientists pursuing high-risk cancer research, the Wellcome Early-Career Award offering multi-year salary support for researchers in the UK, Ireland, and LMICs, and the ASCO-affiliated Young Investigator Award targeting physician-scientists transitioning into pediatric neuro-oncology. The UICC Technical Fellowships round out the training landscape with short-term, globally accessible placements across cancer control disciplines.
Alongside these, the AACR-Novocure grant stands out as a targeted mechanism for investigators working with or entering the Tumor Treating Fields space, with $350,000 over three years to advance basic and translational TTFields research.
The second half of this week’s list is anchored by five Horizon Europe calls under the EU Cancer Mission’s 2026 funding round, all closing September 15. These address older patient quality of life, mental health for adolescent and young adult survivors, earlier integration of palliative care, microbiome-based early cancer detection, and a dedicated capacity-building initiative linking EU institutions with Ukrainian cancer centres. Together, they represent a coordinated European effort to close gaps not just in discovery science, but in how cancer care is delivered, supported, and sustained across populations.
1. The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award (ELA) 2026
This flagship Emerging Leader Award supports early independent investigators worldwide pursuing daring, innovative cancer research. New for 2026, the award has expanded globally and increased its total funding to $1 million over 4 years. Applications are open now.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Holds MD, PhD, or equivalent.
- Independent faculty appointment 3–8 years prior to December 31, 2026 (2018–2023).
- Must lead independent lab space, personnel hiring, and hold active multi-year funding (e.g., NIH R01).
- Open to researchers at non-profit academic/research institutions globally.
Funding Details:
- $1,000,000 USD total distributed over 4 years ($250k/year).
Deadline:
- Opens March 25, 2026.
- Full‑application deadline April 30, 2026 at 5 PM EDT.
Where to go for further information:
- Official page: Emerging Leader Award 2026
- Contact: see portal; secondary: amy.cook@med.usc.edu
2. UICC Technical Fellowships 2026
These short-term (2 weeks–2 months) fellowships by the Union for International Cancer Control support global cancer professionals in gaining practical, hands-on training in cancer control, prevention, early detection, treatment, registries, and palliative care. Applicants from Latin America and Francophone Africa can apply in Spanish or French.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Public health professionals, clinicians, researchers, nurses, administrators, or epidemiologists working in cancer control.
- Holds a Master’s degree or MD with ≥ 5 years’ experience; registered nurses with RN qualification are eligible; medical/PhD students are not.
- Must propose a visit aligned with UICC’s global health priorities (e.g., HPV vaccination scale-up, women’s cancers, lung cancer).
Funding Details:
- Covers economy travel and living expenses, calculated per duration and country scales.
Deadline:
- Opens April 3, 2026.
- Closes June 4, 2026.
Where to go for further information
- Program page: UICC Technical Fellowships
- Email: fellows@uicc.org
3. AACR-Novocure Cancer Research Grant 2026
The AACR-Novocure Cancer Research Grant supports independent investigators conducting innovative research on Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), a therapeutic modality that uses alternating electric fields to disrupt cancer cell division. The program aims to deepen understanding of TTFields mechanisms and accelerate development of new treatment strategies across oncology. Basic and translational projects are eligible, with priority given to research that advances in vitro work into in vivo systems, explores combination approaches, or strengthens clinical translation. Inter-laboratory collaboration is encouraged, especially for investigators entering the TTFields field for the first time.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must:
- Hold a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent)
- Be an independent investigator with a faculty-level appointment
- Work at an academic, medical, or research institution anywhere in the world
- Not be a postdoctoral or clinical fellow under mentorship
- Not concurrently hold another AACR grant at the start of the award
- Meet AACR Active membership requirements by the application deadline
There are no citizenship or geographic requirements.
Funding Details:
- Grant amount: $350,000 USD
- Grant term: 3 years
- Start of grant term: December 1, 2026
- Supports salary, benefits, supplies, equipment, travel, publication charges, and indirect costs
Deadline:
- Application deadline: June 4, 2026, 1:00 PM ET
- Decision date: August 2026
Where to go for further information:
- Application platform: ProposalCentral
- AACR grants contact: grants@aacr.org
- AACR membership contact: membership@aacr.org
4. Young Investigator Award in Pediatric Brain Tumors
The Young Investigator Award in Pediatric Brain Tumors supports mentored research focused on advancing clinical oncology research in pediatric brain tumors. The award is intended to encourage early‑career physician‑scientists during the transition from oncology fellowship training to faculty appointments. Research projects are conducted under the guidance of an experienced mentor and may address clinically relevant questions in pediatric neuro‑oncology. The award provides one year of support for research-related and personnel expenses.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must:
- Hold an MD, DO, or international equivalent (MD/PhD eligible if both degrees are completed prior to the start of the grant)
- Be within the last two years of oncology subspecialty training or have recently completed training, per eligibility guidelines
- Be within 10 years of obtaining a medical degree
- Be planning a career in investigative oncology
- Hold a valid medical license in the country where the research will be conducted
- Work in an oncology laboratory or clinical research setting
- Have a qualified research mentor at the sponsoring institution
- Be an ASCO member or have submitted a membership application by the application deadline
- Be able to commit at least 60% total effort to research during the award period
There are no citizenship or geographic requirements.
Funding Details:
- Grant amount: $50,000 USD
- Grant term: 1 year
- Supports research expenses, personnel costs, and travel to the Conquer Cancer Grants & Awards Ceremony at the ASCO Annual Meeting
Deadline:
- Application deadline: July 15, 2026
Where to go for further information:
- Grants contact: grants@conquer.org
- ASCO membership: asco.org/membership
5. Wellcome Early‑Career Awards 2026
Wellcome’s Early‑Career Awards provide salary plus up to £400,000 for research expenses over up to five years. Open to early-career investigators based in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and eligible LMICs (excluding India and mainland China). The 2026–2027 round is now open.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Completed a PhD (viva passed) or ≥ 4 years’ research experience; ≤ 3 years postdoctoral experience (adjusted for breaks).
- Administering organization must be not-for-profit and based in the UK, Ireland, or LMICs (excluding India/mainland China).
- Intended for early-career researchers ready to develop an independent research identity.
Funding Details:
- Covers salary and up to £400,000 in research expenses.
- Funding typically runs for up to 5 years.
Deadline:
- July 21, 2026, 15:00 BST.
Where to go for further information:
- Official page: Wellcome Early‑Career Awards
6. Older Cancer Patients Quality of Life Grant
This topic supports research to better understand the needs of older cancer patients (65+) and to develop age-sensitive care approaches and tools that improve overall quality of life. The scope highlights heterogeneity in older adults’ functional, cognitive, mental health, frailty, comorbidity, and social needs, as well as their chronic underrepresentation in clinical research.
The aim is to generate evidence that can be implemented in routine treatment and follow-up care across European regions, EU Member States, and Associated Countries.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applications are submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under Horizon Europe.
- Horizon Europe participation is open to legal entities from EU and associated countries, making this a non‑US collaborative funding route.
- The portal states eligible beneficiaries can include research organisations, public entities, NGOs, and private companies.
- Topic-specific admissibility and eligibility are governed by the Horizon rules and General Annex B.
Funding Details:
- Budget: €25,000,000.
- Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).
- The topic is part of the EU Cancer Mission quality-of-life objective.
Deadline:
- Opening date: 10 February 2026.
- Deadline: 15 September 2026.
- Status: Open for submission.
Where to go for further information:
- Official topic details:
- Official EU portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-02
7. Ukraine Cancer Research Capacity Building Grant
This Coordination and Support Action is designed to build cancer research capacity between EU Member States / Associated Countries and Ukrainian cancer centres. The topic aims to strengthen research and innovation capacities while integrating them more closely with cancer care, including screening, diagnostics, treatments, clinical trials, data exchange, and cancer registries.
It is an open, non‑US call under the EU Cancer Mission with a dedicated Ukraine-focused capacity-building remit.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applications are submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under Horizon Europe.
- Horizon Europe participation is open to legal entities from the EU and associated countries, and this topic specifically requires collaboration with Ukraine in the scope.
- The portal notes eligible beneficiary types include research organisations, public entities, NGOs, and private companies, subject to Horizon rules.
- Detailed admissibility and eligibility are governed by the Horizon rules and General Annex B.
Funding Details:
- Budget: €5,000,000.
- Type of action: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).
- The call focuses on programme-building, training, twinning research activities, and infrastructure-linked research capacity.
Deadline:
- Opening date: 10 February 2026.
- Deadline: 15 September 2026.
- Status: Open for submission.
Where to go for further information:
- Official topic details: Development of a research capacity building programme on cancer with and for Ukraine
- Official EU portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-02
8. Young Cancer Survivors Mental Health Funding Call
This Innovation Action focuses on mental health support for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer and survivors aged 15–39 at first diagnosis. The topic aims to build an online platform, integrated into the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre (ECPDC), that provides evidence-based and interactive tools to support mental health across diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. The call is currently open and is one of the EU Cancer Mission’s specific quality-of-life actions for 2026.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applications must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under Horizon Europe.
- Horizon Europe allows participation by legal entities from EU and associated countries, supporting collaborative innovation projects rather than US-only mechanisms.
- The portal notes that grants may go to eligible entities such as research organisations, NGOs, public entities, and companies.
- Detailed admissibility and eligibility are set in the Horizon rules and General Annex B.
Funding Details:
- Budget: €7,000,000.
- Type of action: HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA).
- The topic sits within the Cancer Mission call identifier HORIZON-MISS-2026-02.
Deadline:
- Opening date: 10 February 2026.
- Deadline: 15 September 2026.
- Status: Open for submission.
Where to go for further information (contact email or program details link)
- Official topic details: Boosting mental health of young cancer survivors through the ECPDC
- Official EU portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-02
9. Earlier and More Precise Palliative Care Grant
Earlier and More Precise Palliative Care Grant
This EU Cancer Mission topic supports development of innovative, earlier, more precise, and better integrated palliative care models for people with cancer. The scope specifically highlights person-centred palliative care, digital remote tools, home-based care, improved referral guidance, and better care predictions for clinicians and carers.
It is explicitly framed around improving quality of life for patients, families, and carers, and it is currently open for submission.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applications are made through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under Horizon Europe.
- Horizon Europe participation is open to legal entities from the EU and associated countries, and the programme supports collaborative research and innovation projects.
- The portal indicates eligible beneficiaries can include research organisations, public bodies, NGOs, and private companies, subject to the Horizon rules.
- Formal admissibility and eligibility are governed by the Horizon Europe call documentation and General Annex B.
Funding Details:
- Budget: €15,000,000.
- Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).
- The topic is part of the Supporting the implementation of the Cancer Mission call.
Deadline
- Opening date: 10 February 2026.
- Deadline: 15 September 2026.
- Status: Open for submission.
Where to go for further information:
- Official topic details: Earlier and more precise palliative care [horizon-eu…pe.gouv.fr]
- Official EU portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-02
10. Microbiome for Early Cancer Prediction Grant
This Horizon Europe / EU Cancer Mission topic funds projects developing validated microbiome tools to predict transition to cancer before symptoms appear, with a focus on prevention and early detection.
The expected outcomes include microbiome tests/programmes for people at risk, earlier treatment initiation with higher success rates, and stronger evidence for prevention policy and strategic cancer programmes.
The call is currently open for submission under the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
Eligibility Criteria:
- This topic is part of Horizon Europe, and applications are submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
- Under Horizon Europe, legal entities from the EU and associated countries can participate; the programme is built for collaborative research and innovation.
- The portal states that grants are awarded to eligible third-party beneficiaries such as research organisations, public entities, NGOs, and private companies.
- Topic-specific admissibility and eligibility conditions are governed by the Horizon Europe call rules and General Annex B.
Funding Details:
- Budget: €15,000,000.
- Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).
- Call identifier: HORIZON-MISS-2026-02.
Deadline:
- Opening date: 10 February 2026.
- Deadline: 15 September 2026.
- Status: Open for submission.
Where to go for further information:
- Official topic details: Horizon Europe topic page
- Official EU call landing page: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-02
From individual career awards to pan-European research infrastructure, this week’s grants reflect the breadth of what it takes to meaningfully advance cancer outcomes, scientific innovation, clinical training, patient-centred care, and cross-border collaboration. Deadlines range from late April through mid-September, so early preparation is essential for the more competitive mechanisms.
Explore the full listings on OncoGrants and identify the opportunities best aligned with your research focus and career stage.