early career

Request Ticket // Limit: 3 // Tickets Available: 3

Limiting Language
A maximum of three applications will be accepted from one institution in any one grant cycle; it is the responsibility of the Lead Applicant and the lead institution to coordinate the number of applications submitted. Institutions are encouraged to contact us to discuss the prioritisation of their applications, if needed. The Regular Grant Programme has a separate limit of three applications per institution per grant cycle.

Priority Research Areas
To focus this expanded programme where it can have the greatest impact, our 2026-27 grant calls will include six priority areas, identified through evidence gaps highlighted by the Global Cancer Update Programme, our strategic objectives and consultation with our scientific stakeholders.

For the 2026-27 grant call, applications must focus on at least one of the six priority areas. Applications may span more than one priority area where this is scientifically justified; applicants should identify all relevant areas and make the main alignment of the proposed research clear.  Alignment with a priority area does not replace the usual requirements for scientific quality, relevance to WCRF International’s remit, feasibility and potential impact. 

1. Integrative Oncology
2. Lifestyle and weight-loss medications
3. Early-onset cancers
4. Early-life exposures
5. Ingested contaminants
6. Ultra-processed foods

Eligibility
The programme is open to early career researchers – defined as individuals who are within 2–7 years full-time equivalent working in research since the award date of their PhD or equivalent higher research degree.

Eligible applicants must be employed on a research contract within a department at a university-affiliated research institution or a medical school conducting research.

Proposed projects must have direct relevance to cancer prevention, treatment or survivorship and may address any or all stages of the cancer journey.

Proposals should address modifiable factors including diet, nutrition, body composition, physical activity, sleep, psychological stress, immune function, ingested contaminants and pathogens.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0 

D. Alharthi (College of Information Science) 

Limiting Language:

Only one applicant from a university or non-profit research institute will be considered in each application cycle. Institutions are expected to conduct an internal review and selection process, as the Foundation will not consider multiple letters of intent from a single institution. For purposes of this policy, the Foundation considers the parent university to be the relevant institution. Accordingly, a university with a law school, medical school, several teaching hospitals, and a faculty of arts and sciences may only submit one letter of intent in total. If a university system, such as a state-wide university system, comprises several universities, each university within the system may nominate one applicant.

Program Overview
The Greenwall Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics is a career development award to enable early-career faculty members to carry out innovative bioethics research. The program is designed to support projects that address a significant bioethics problem and extend beyond current work in bioethics, while fostering a community of Scholars and Alums committed to advancing the field.

Each year, the Foundation selects approximately three Greenwall Faculty Scholars to receive 50 percent salary support for three years to pursue a defined research project and further develop their research program.

Scholars and Alums attend twice-yearly meetings, where they present their works in progress, receive feedback and mentoring from the Faculty Scholars Program Committee and other Scholars and Alums, and have an opportunity to cultivate collaborative relationships across institutions and disciplines. Third-year Scholars are expected to help plan these meetings. Program Alums remain actively engaged, providing mentorship to newer Scholars and creating a sustained network for professional development, collaboration, and scholarly exchange. In addition, all first-year Scholars participate in a philosophical bioethics seminar series, and other professional development opportunities may be offered through the Program.

The Program Committee oversees the Faculty Scholars Program, selects Scholars and recommends them for funding, and plays an active role in mentorship and professional development activities.

No Applicants // Limit: 1* (additional application possible for cancer types specified below) // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language

• Institutions may submit only one new fellowship application per year, with the exception noted in the next bullet allowing a possible second application. (Concurrent fellows with different funding periods are allowed.) 
• ATTENTION: limited submissions policy exception:  Due to high interest from donors and low numbers of past applications, a second Fellow application will be accepted only if focused on one of the following:   
  • Brain tumors – all types, including rare forms, especially atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)/diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and glioblastoma (GBM) 
  • Burkitt lymphoma – all types, especially sporadic 
  • Rhabdoid tumors - Extrarenal 
• NOTE: This exception to the limited submissions policy is valid whether or not your institution took advantage of the exception in another grant cycle. 

Program Overview/Select Eligibility Criteria
St. Baldrick’s Fellowships are granted for two (2) years of pediatric oncology fellowship training, with an opportunity for one (1) additional year of funding based upon need, significant accomplishment, and approved application. 

• During each grant cycle, an applicant can only apply once as the lead Principal Investigator.  
• Institutions must be located in the United States. 
• Applicants need not be American citizens; however, they must work at an academic, medical, or non-profit research institution within the United States. 
• Applicants from the NCI/NIH are not eligible to apply for St. Baldrick’s Fellowship Awards. 
• For Fellowship Awards, a program/institution is defined by the institution’s American Board of Pediatrics approved fellowship program in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.  
• St. Baldrick’s funds may not be used for human embryonic stem cell research.
• Fellowship Awards are limited to salary and fringe benefits for the Fellow. • Applicants should hold an M.D. or D.O. degree by the date the grant becomes effective. 
• Applicant should be in their 2nd or 3rd year of pediatric oncology fellowship by July 1, 2027. Exceptions are allowed for a research residency format (2 years of residency 4 years of fellowship).  
  • If the applicant fits a research residency format exception, please state this in the applicant eligibility statement in the Letter of Intent. 
• Applicants may not hold an appointment of assistant professor or above. 
• Applicants must have a fellowship mentor who provides supervision, facilities, and research support at an American Board of Pediatrics approved fellowship program in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. 
  • A co-mentor is allowed. 

The full request for proposals is linked here. 

Limit: 3 // Tickets Available: 2

The University of Arizona may submit a total of three nominations:

• One from the College of Medicine - Tucson // Tickets Available: 0
  Y. Shirai (Family and Community Medicine, COM-T)
• One from the College of Medicine - Phoenix // Tickets Available: 1
• One from the College of Nursing // Tickets Available: 1

Eligibility:

1. Be a benefits-eligible faculty member in a United States accredited nursing school, allopathic medical school, or osteopathic medical school. Candidates should have approximately three to eight years of faculty experience at the time of application.
2. Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school.
3. Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per nursing or medical school, and a nursing or medical school with a first-year Macy Faculty Scholar is precluded from nominating a candidate.
4. Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
5. Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate's educational project and career development.
6. Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
7. Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.

Program Overview

The Macy Faculty Scholars Program, now in its second decade, aims to identify and nurture promising early-career educators in medicine and nursing. The program will help develop the next generation of national leaders in medical and nursing education by identifying outstanding educators, physicians, nurses, and role models—individuals who represent the breadth of diversity seen in learners, patient populations, and health care settings around the country. By providing the Scholars with resources—especially protected time, mentorship, and a professional network of colleagues—the program aims to accelerate Scholars’ careers, to turn their teaching practice into scholarship, and to help them become impactful leaders locally, nationally, and beyond.

This is a career development award. The Foundation is interested in candidates for whom the program will have the maximum impact at this point in their career and who also have the greatest possibility for future impact at their home institutions and beyond. Macy Faculty Scholars will participate in the Macy Faculty Scholars Annual Meeting and will be part of the family of Macy Faculty Scholars for the remainder of their careers.

In order to develop the careers of educators who are future leaders, the Macy Faculty Scholars Program will provide salary support for each Scholar up to $100,000 per year, which will protect 50% of the Scholar’s time over two years. The Scholar will devote this time to a mentored educational scholarly project and other appropriate career development activities.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0

K. Huntoon (Neurosurgery)

The University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) is coordinating this limited submission. For more information please contact: UACC-PreAward.

Limiting Language
For the 2027 award, one nomination will be invited from each of the participating institutions. 

Program Overview
The Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research supports assistant professors of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of a cure for cancer. The award provides $300,000 in flexible support—$75,000 per year for a four-year period. For the 2027 award, one nomination will be invited from each of the participating institutions listed at the bottom of this page.

In line with The Alexander and Margaret Stewart Trust’s mission to invest in innovative, cutting-edge cancer research that may accelerate and advance progress toward a cure for cancer, applications are invited from nominees conducting cancer research. This program is distinct from the Pew Scholars Program, and it follows a different, but parallel set of guidelines and procedures for nominating an applicant whose research is related to cancer.

Eligibility
Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a related field, including engineering or the physical sciences.
• As of Aug. 27, 2026, run an independent lab and hold a full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible.)
  • Current appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible to apply.
• Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor at any institution prior to June 10, 2023, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on parental leave does not count as part of this three-year limit. Candidates who need an exception on the three-year limit should contact Pew’s program office to ensure that application reviewers are aware an exception has been given.
• May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2027 online application.
• If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year from a different nominating entity.
• May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to the field of cancer. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied cancer research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to both the project proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their high-impact proposal.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from nonprofit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew-Stewart program. If you have questions concerning eligibility, please contact Pew Biomedical Programs (Pew-Stewart@pewtrusts.org) in advance of applying.

Limit: 1 predoc, postdoc, or faculty member per lab

A. Cruickshank-Taylor (Cherrington Lab)
R. Van der Pijl (Granzier Laboratory)

Limiting Language
Only one applicant per lab may apply in the Translational Medicine Program. Labs must select either a predoc, a postdoc, or a faculty member.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 predoc, postdoc, or faculty member per lab

Limiting Language
Only one applicant per lab may apply in the Drug Delivery Program. Labs must select either a predoc, a postdoc, or a faculty member.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0

J.P. Lin (Physiology)

Limiting Language
For the 2027 award, one nomination will be invited from each of the participating institutions listed at the bottom of this page.

Program Overview
The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.

Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to both the project proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their high-impact proposal.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from nonprofit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew scholars program. If you have questions concerning eligibility, please contact Pew Biomedical Programs (scholarsapp@pewtrusts.org) in advance of applying.

Eligibility

• Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a related field, including engineering or the physical sciences.
• As of Sept. 3, 2026, run an independent lab and hold a full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible).
• Current appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible to apply.
• Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor and run an independent lab at any institution prior to June 10, 2023, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on parental leave does not count as part of this three-year limit. Candidates who need an exception on the three-year limit should contact Pew’s program office to ensure that application reviewers are aware an exception has been given.
• May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2027 online application.
• If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year from a different nominating entity.
• May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

Limit: 1 nomination per major division 

A. Restrepo-Henao (College of Public Health)

Limiting Language
Each year, only one applicant may be nominated from a major division (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, Medical School) of an institution.

Program Overview
The William T. Grant Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas. 

Applicants should have a track record of conducting high-quality research and an interest in pursuing a significant shift in their trajectories as researchers. We recognize that early-career researchers are rarely given incentives or support to take measured risks in their work, so this award includes a mentoring component, as well as a supportive academic community.

The Foundation supports research in two distinct focus areas: 1) Reducing inequality in youth outcomes, and 2) Improving the use of research evidence in policy and practice. Proposed research must address questions that align with one of these areas.

Focus Areas:

• Reducing Inequality
  • In this focus area, we fund research studies that aim to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5–25 in the United States, along dimensions of race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, or immigrant origins.
• Improving the Use of Research Evidence
  • In this focus area, we support research on strategies focused on improving the use of research evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5-25 in the United States. We want to know what it takes to get research used by decision-makers and what happens when research is used. We welcome letters of inquiry for studies that pursue one of these broad aims.
    
    While an extensive body of knowledge provides a rich understanding of specific conditions that foster the use of research evidence, we lack robust, validated strategies for cultivating them. What is required to create structural and social conditions that support research use? What infrastructure is needed, and what will it look like? What supports and incentives foster research use? And, ultimately, how do youth outcomes fare when research evidence is used? This is where new research can make a difference.

Nomination Statement Requirements
This statement from the Dean or chairperson of the nominating division should describe why the applicant was selected; an assessment of the applicant’s plan; the applicant’s current and expected future roles in the division; the supporting resources available; the applicant’s current source and amount of salary; and the appointment, promotion, and institutional support plans for the applicant, including a guarantee that 50 percent of the applicant’s paid time will be devoted to research. (Successful examples of nominating statements can be found on the Foundation’s website.)

Eligible Applicants 

• Applicants must be nominated by their institutions. Major divisions of an institution (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, Medical School) may nominate only one applicant each year.  In addition to the eligibility criteria below, deans and directors of those divisions should refer to the Review Criteria to aid them in choosing their nominees. Applicants of any discipline are eligible. 

• Applicants must have received their doctorate within seven years of submitting their application. We calculate this by adding seven to the year the doctorate was conferred. In medicine, the seven-year maximum is dated from the completion of the first residency. The month in which the degree was conferred or residency completed  does not matter for this calculation. 

• Applicants must be employed in career-ladder positions. For many applicants, this means holding a tenure-track position in a university. Applicants in other types of organizations should be in positions in which there is a pathway to advancement in a research career at the organization and the organization is fiscally responsible for the applicant’s position. The award may not be used as a post-doctoral fellowship. 

• Applicants outside the United States are eligible. As with U.S. applicants, they must pursue research that has compelling policy or practice implications for youth in the United States. 

• We strive to support a diverse group of researchers in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, and seniority, and we encourage research projects led by Black or African American, Indigenous, Latinx, and/or Asian or Pacific Islander American  researchers.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0

M. Corty (Neuroscience)

Limiting Language
Institutions may submit one proposal per session. Interested candidates should work through their sponsored projects office.

Grant Guidelines
The mission of the Foundation is to support early stage investigators engaged in basic biomedical research that has the potential to significantly advance the understanding, diagnosis or treatment of disease.

The funds are designed to provide to tenure track faculty members in their first to fourth year, at American Institutions, who hold M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees, start-up support to move the project forward to the point where R01 or other independent funding can be obtained.  Applicants with current R01 or similar funding should not apply.