The Pew Charitable Trusts

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

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 // Tickets Available: 1

Kenry (Pharmacology and Toxicology) 

The University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) can nominate one individual for the 2026 Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research program. For more information please contact: UACC-PreAward.

In line with The 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 at NCI-designated cancer centers, or cancer-focused institutions. The Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research 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.

In early April 2025, a letter of invitation and application instructions will be sent to the leaders of the cancer research institutions selected to submit a nominee for the 2026 class. Centers are expected to complete a limited submission competition in order to identify and select one nominee. For guidance on this process, please contact Pew-Stewart@pewtrusts.org.

• Center administration should distribute this invitation and award eligibility details to all investigators via an email announcement or website posting.
• Interested applicants should submit pre-proposal material to an internal selection committee for consideration.
• To nominate a candidate, a member of the internal selection committee must complete an online survey from the Pew program office describing the selection process used by the institution and submit the name and contact information of the chosen applicant by May 14, 2025.
• Nominations of applicants to the program will not be considered after May 14, 2025.
• The Pew program office will email grant application portal login information and a detailed application guide directly to all nominated applicants by June 11, 2025. The online application website will open on June 11, 2025.
• For research administrators assisting an applicant, please send an email with your grant applicant cc’ed to Pew-Stewart@pewtrusts.org after June 11, 2025, to receive access to the portal. No requests will be accepted prior to this date.
• The application submission deadline is Aug. 27, 2025.
• Every application will be reviewed by the program's National Advisory Committee. The committee will make recommendations to the board of directors of The Pew Charitable Trusts in April 2026. Candidates will be notified in April if they have been recommended to the Stewart and Pew boards.
• A public announcement of the award will be made in June. Grant agreements will be issued to the grant hosting institution of each scholar in August of the award year.

T. Sawyer

Z. Dai

UA is invited to nominate one candidate. Note: candidates may not be nominated for the Pew Biomedical Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year. 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. Eligibility:

• As of Sept. 8, 2022, 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).
• Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor at any institution prior to June 13, 2018, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track.

Internal peer review to select the UArizona nomination for the Pew Biomedical Scholar and the Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research will be managed by RDS in partnership with the UA Foundation, UAHS, and the UACC.

UArizona may nominate one candidate.

The internal selection process is managed by the University of Arizona Cancer Center.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. 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 does not fund clinical trials research.  A candidate may not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

No applicants.