This edition of OncoGrants brings together 4 funding opportunities focused on liver and biliary cancers, covering different disease areas, career stages, and research needs. The selection includes opportunities dedicated to hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, liver cancer, and biliary cancer, offering support through research grants, fellowships, and career development awards.
The opportunities span both early-career and established researchers, with funding designed to support research ranging from disease-specific investigations and translational science to the development of the next generation of cancer researchers. Funding levels and application requirements vary across the programs, with different eligibility criteria and deadlines extending into 2027.
Whether you are a young investigator, clinician-scientist, fellow, or cancer researcher working in liver or biliary malignancies, these opportunities offer potential pathways to support research and advance the understanding and treatment of these cancers.
1. NIH/NCI R01 Opportunity to Address Liver Cancer Disparities Through Multilevel Interventions
The Interventions to Address Disparities in Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer (R01 – Clinical Trials Optional) funding opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports multidisciplinary, multi-level, and/or multi-domain intervention research aimed at reducing disparities in liver diseases and liver cancer among populations experiencing health disparities in the United States.
The initiative focuses on improving prevention, screening, treatment, disease management, and survivorship while addressing social, behavioral, environmental, and healthcare factors that contribute to disparities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Public and private institutions of higher education are eligible to apply.
- Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are eligible.
- Small businesses and other for-profit organizations are eligible.
- State, county, city or township, and special district governments are eligible.
- Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply.
- Foreign components of U.S. organizations are permitted.
Funding Details
- Funding Mechanism: R01 Research Project Grant
- Clinical Trials: Optional
- Award Amount: Not fixed; budgets are not limited but must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
- Maximum Project Period: 5 years
Deadline
- Next Deadline: October 5, 2026
- Following Deadline: February 5, 2027
- Additional Deadline: June 5, 2027
- Applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
- Expiration Date: January 8, 2028.
Further Information
- Applications must follow the NIH Research (R) Instructions and can be submitted through NIH ASSIST, an institutional system-to-system solution, or Grants.gov Workspace.
- Official NIH Funding Opportunity: NIH/NCI — PAR-25-299: Interventions to Address Disparities in Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer
- Grants.gov Opportunity: Grants.gov — PAR-25-299
2. AASLD Foundation Pilot Research Award in Hepatocellular Carcinoma 2027
The AASLD Foundation Pilot Research Award in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) 2027, supported by the Jou Family Memorial Fund, supports innovative, hypothesis-driven HCC research projects with potential for high-impact results but limited preliminary data.
The award is designed to help investigators generate preliminary data for future, larger-scale funding, with additional preference given to projects focused on HCC biomarkers.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be at or below the Associate Professor level.
- Junior faculty must be at least 3 years from their first faculty appointment.
- Applicants must be AASLD members.
- Applicants must be based at eligible nonprofit institutions in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico.
- Assistant Professors must have an AASLD member mentor or co-mentor.
- Applicants must be able to devote at least 20% effort to the project.
- Proposed projects must be hypothesis-based and limited to 1–2 aims.
Funding Details
- Funding: $60,000
- Duration: 1 year
- Award period: July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028
Deadline
- Application deadline: December 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET AASLD Foundation
Further Information
- Clinical/translational projects may address healthcare access or quality disparities.
- Applications are submitted through the AASLD Foundation’s research award system.
- Official Program Page.
3. Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Research Fellowship Program 2027
The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) Research Fellowship Program 2027 supports early-career researchers conducting innovative research focused on cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The program supports basic, translational, and clinical research and is open to researchers worldwide. Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
The fellowship aims to help researchers advance understanding of cholangiocarcinoma and accelerate progress toward improved diagnosis and treatment. Prior experience specifically in cholangiocarcinoma research is not required. Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must hold an MD, PhD, PharmD, DVM, or equivalent degree.
- Applicants must be postdoctoral or clinical fellows.
- Applicants may be based at academic, medical, or research institutions worldwide.
- A research mentor is required.
- Prior cholangiocarcinoma research experience is not required.
- Previous CCF award recipients are eligible to apply.
Funding Details
- Funding: Up to $75,000
- Duration: 1 year
Deadline
- LOI deadline: October 9, 2026
- LOI decision: November 20, 2026
- Full application deadline: January 4, 2027
Further Information
- LOIs are reviewed by the CCF Scientific Review Committee.
- Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
- Applications are submitted through ProposalCentral.
- Official Program Page.
4. 2027 Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award in Biliary Cancer
The 2027 Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award (YIA) in Biliary Cancer provides funding to promising investigators conducting clinical oncology research focused on biliary tract cancer. The mentored award is designed to support physicians during the transition from oncology fellowship or training to a faculty appointment, with applications accepted from both U.S. and international applicants.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be a physician (MD, DO, or international equivalent) working in any country.
- Be within the last two years of their final accredited oncology subspecialty training/fellowship, enrolled in an eligible oncology training program with a dedicated research year, or within the first year of their initial full-time academic faculty appointment.
- Generally be within 10 years of obtaining their medical degree, subject to specified exceptions.
- Be planning an investigative career in oncology.
- Hold a valid, active medical license in the country where the research will be conducted.
- Work in an oncology laboratory or clinical research setting.
- Commit at least 60% of their time to research during the award period.
- There are no citizenship or geographic requirements, although applicants must have appropriate visa status when applying from an institution in another country.
Funding Details
- Award: $50,000
- Duration: 1 year
- Number of awards: 2
Deadline
- March 11, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET
- Applications open: September 11, 2026
- Notification: April 2027
- Award term: July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028
Further Information
- Applications must be submitted online through the ASCO/Conquer Cancer application portal.
- The program is administered by Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation.
- Official Program Page: Conquer Cancer – Young Investigator Award Special Competitions
- Application Portal: ASCO/Conquer Cancer Application Portal