This week’s ten oncology opportunities cluster into three themes: getting emerging researchers into the right rooms, recognizing field-shaping scientific impact, and funding tightly defined work in high-need biology. Several listings are designed to reduce friction for trainees and faculty to participate in AACR’s most specialized convenings, useful if your goal is feedback, collaboration, and visibility in focused communities like brain tumors and rare cancers.
A second set is nomination-driven and aimed at honoring major contributions across blood cancers, cancer immunology, chemistry-enabled discovery, and sustained leadership and mentorship. These aren’t project grants; they’re institutional-grade recognition mechanisms, best suited for teams that can clearly articulate a nominee’s defining advances, translational relevance, and lasting influence.
The list is rounded out by research funding that targets inherited DNA repair and cancer predisposition biology, alongside a competitive “limited submission” pathway for barrier-breaking cancer research. Overall, this week rewards clarity about your objective, network leverage, career positioning, or direct experimental progress, and choosing the mechanism that matches it.
1. AACR Brain Cancer Scholar-in-Training Award
This Scholar-in-Training award supports trainees attending AACR’s Special Conference in Cancer Research focused on brain cancer.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must qualify as a trainee under AACR “Scholar-in-Training” criteria for this conference (details defined by AACR).
- Must be able to attend the AACR Brain Cancer special conference per award requirements.
Funding Details:
- Scholar-in-Training award support for conference attendance (specific support components defined by AACR).
- Application is submitted through the AACR award portal.
Deadline:
- January 12, 2026
Where to go for further information:
2. AACR Rare Cancers Scholar-in-Training Award
This Scholar-in-Training award supports trainee participation in AACR’s Special Conference focused on breaking barriers against rare cancers.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must meet AACR Scholar-in-Training eligibility for this special conference (requirements and trainee categories defined by AACR).
- Must be able to attend the conference per AACR award requirements.
Funding Details:
- Conference support as a Scholar-in-Training (AACR defines what the award covers).
- Application submitted via the AACR award portal.
Deadline:
- January 12, 2026
Where to go for further information:
3. AACR Faculty Scholar in the Field of Cancer Research Awards
AACR Faculty Scholar Awards provide financial support for attendance at the AACR Annual Meeting for eligible faculty scholars in cancer research.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must meet AACR Faculty Scholar eligibility criteria (faculty status and documentation requirements defined by AACR).
- Must participate in the AACR Annual Meeting per award conditions.
Funding Details:
- Financial support for AACR Annual Meeting attendance (specific support components defined by AACR).
- Application is submitted through AACR’s meeting support process (as specified by AACR).
Deadline:
- January 16, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
4. AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Blood Cancer Research
This AACR award recognizes outstanding achievements that advance blood cancer research across hematologic malignancies (e.g., leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma), including discoveries with strong scientific and/or translational relevance.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Cancer researchers worldwide may be nominated (academia, industry, government).
- Individual investigators only (institutions/organizations are not eligible).
Funding Details:
- Recognition award within AACR’s Scientific Achievement Awards.
- Self‑nominations prohibited; nomination submitted through AACR’s electronic nomination platform.
- Nomination materials include a structured nomination letter (max 1,000 words) and supporting documentation per AACR instructions.
Deadline:
- June 30, 2026 (nominations open January 1, 2026).
Where to go for further information:
5. AACR–Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old Award in Cancer Immunology
This AACR–CRI award recognizes major contributions in cancer immunology, including research that advances understanding of anti-tumor immunity and immunologically driven cancer prevention and therapy.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Cancer immunology researchers worldwide may be nominated (typically across academia, industry, or government).
- Individual investigators only; institutions/organizations are not eligible.
Funding Details:
- Recognition award supported through AACR’s scientific achievement awards framework (in partnership with the Cancer Research Institute).
- Nominations submitted via AACR’s electronic nomination platform; self‑nominations prohibited.
- Nomination letter (max 1,000 words) and supporting materials per AACR instructions (confirm specifics on the award page).
Deadline:
- June 30, 2026 (AACR scientific achievement nominations open January 1, 2026)
Where to go for further information:
6. AACR Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research
This AACR award recognizes “true champions” of cancer research—leaders whose extraordinary achievements and sustained commitment have made a major impact on progress against cancer, including accelerating cancer research and raising awareness of its importance.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Cancer research leaders worldwide may be nominated (confirm full criteria on the award page).
- Individual investigators only; institutions/organizations are not eligible.
Funding Details:
- Recognition award within AACR’s scientific achievement awards program.
- Nominations submitted via AACR’s electronic nomination platform; self‑nominations prohibited.
- Nomination letter (max 1,000 words) and supporting materials per AACR instructions.
Deadline:
- June 30, 2026 (AACR nominations open January 1, 2026).
Where to go for further information:
7. AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research
This AACR award honors an individual with significant fundamental contributions to cancer research—through a single major discovery or a body of work—with lasting impact on the field, including research, leadership, and/or mentorship.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Cancer researchers worldwide (academia, industry, government) may be nominated (current or previous affiliation).
- Individual investigators only (institutions/organizations are not eligible).
- Recipient is expected to be present to receive the award unless unable due to health restrictions or other serious conflicts.
Funding Details:
- Recognition award within AACR’s Scientific Achievement Awards program.
- Nominations submitted via AACR’s electronic nomination platform; self‑nominations prohibited.
Deadline:
- June 30, 2026 (nominations open January 1, 2026)
Where to go for further information:
8. Fanconi Cancer Foundation Research Grants
The Fanconi Cancer Foundation funds Fanconi anemia (FA) research, including areas directly relevant to cancer biology and cancer predisposition (DNA repair, marrow failure, malignancy risk).
Eligibility Criteria:
- FA‑focused research proposals (see grant guidelines).
- Letter of Intent (LOI) required (selection determines invitation to full application).
Funding Details:
- Pilot Grants: $150,000.
- Research Grants: Up to $350,000.
Deadline:
- LOI deadline: March 6, 2026 (1:00 p.m. EST)
- Full application (by invitation) due: May 1, 2026 (1:00 p.m. EST)
- Funding begins: August 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
9. AACR Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer Research
This AACR award recognizes investigators whose work in chemistry has advanced cancer research—often spanning chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, probe/tool development, and chemistry-driven discovery enabling new cancer insights or therapies.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Cancer researchers worldwide may be nominated (academia, industry, government).
- Individual investigators only (institutions/organizations are not eligible).
Funding Details:
- Recognition award within AACR’s Scientific Achievement Awards.
- The award is supported by a corporate sponsor (per AACR listing).
- Nominations require a nomination letter (max 1,000 words) and a short scientific citation (max 50 words), submitted via
- AACR’s nomination platform.
- Self‑nominations prohibited.
Deadline:
- June 30, 2026 (nominations open January 1, 2026).
Where to go for further information:
10. 2026 V Foundation Limited Submission Opportunity: Breaking Barriers in Cancer Research
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center lists a limited submission process for the V Foundation “Breaking Barriers in Cancer Research” opportunity, requiring applicants to go through institutional selection.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must meet V Foundation eligibility and institutional limited‑submission rules (see application portal).
- Limited submission (institution may nominate a restricted number of applications).
Funding Details:
- Award amount depends on the V Foundation program call (see the V Foundation/portal materials).
Deadline:
- Internal deadline (Case page): January 16, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
Treat this week like a planning sprint. If you’re chasing the January deadlines, lock eligibility and logistics immediately. If you’re pursuing the AACR recognition awards, start now: identify the nominator, outline the nominee’s top contributions, and draft the 1,000-word nomination narrative early enough to iterate. For Fanconi, build a tight LOI around FA biology and cancer predisposition with a credible path to deliverables; for the V Foundation limited submission, move fast internally, your institution’s selection process is the real gate.
Before applying, review the official program pages for final requirements, allowable costs, and any institutional or attendance expectations, as details can change between announcement and submission. We’ll continue tracking high-value oncology funding opportunities each week—follow OncoDaily’s OncoGrants series for the next roundup.