American Association for Cancer Research
AACR-Novocure Cancer Research Grants

Deadline: June 4, 2026, 1 p.m.

Funding: $350,000 over three years

Career Stage: All career stages

Purpose:
The AACR-Novocure Cancer Research Grants represent a joint effort to promote and support independent investigators who are currently conducting innovative research focused on tumor treating fields (TTFields; intermediate frequency, low intensity, alternating electric fields that disrupt cell division in cancer cells), as well as to encourage independent investigators to enter the TTFields research field.

These grants are intended to provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of this novel anti-cancer treatment modality and to accelerate the development of new treatment strategies to advance therapeutic options for cancer. The research proposed for funding may be basic or translational in nature; however, studies promoting the transition of in vitro work into in vivo systems, combination therapies involving TTFields or translational projects bringing treatments involving TTFields into the clinic will be prioritized. The Inovitro system (which will be provided by Novocure, if needed), must be included in the experimental design. Training on the use of Inovitro system will be provided by Novocure, if needed. Note that inter-laboratory collaboration is encouraged, particularly for applicants new to TTFields research.

Eligibility:
At the start of the grant term (December 1, 2026), applicants must:

• Have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field.
• Be independent investigators. Applicants must hold a faculty position (i.e., professor, assistant professor, research assistant professor, instructor or equivalent)
• If eligibility is based on a future position, the position must be confirmed at the time of submission and cannot be contingent upon receiving this grant. Applicants are advised to contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration (RGA) at grants@aacr.org before submission to confirm they will hold an eligible position.
• Work at an academic, medical or research institution anywhere in the world.

---

L.I.F.E. Foundation

Deadline:
Letter of intent and CV due June 30, 2026, by email or through the website.
If invited, full proposals due August 31, 2026, 5 p.m. ET.

Funding:
Up to two grants of $100,000 each (to be awarded over two years $50,000 per year) for reimbursement of approved research expenditures.

Career Stage: Early career

Purpose:
Local Initiative for Excellence, L.I.F.E, provides grants to support innovative research, to sustain productive research teams, and to encourage and support investigators in the early part of their career. Proposals should focus on basic research to advance understanding of how the brain functions in addition to proposals exploring how COVID impacts basic brain function will also be considered.

Eligibility:
The L.I.F.E. Foundation prefers investigators in the early stage of their career with cutting-edge, high-risk proposals without a history of federally funded grants.

Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award

Deadline: July 1, 2026, 4 p.m. ET

Funding:

• The Stage 1 award will be for two years, $200,000 per year ($400,000 total) with the opportunity for up to two additional years of funding (up to four years total for $800,000). Support for years three and four will be granted to a select few innovators who demonstrate the most significant progress on their innovative research. The proposed Damon Runyon-funded project must have the potential to be transformative. Applicants will provide a written update on their research and present their progress in person to the committee shortly before the end of the second year of the award, at which time the committee will make a decision regarding continued funding.
• The award cannot be used for indirect costs or institutional overhead.
• Awards will be paid in increments of $200,000 per year for the term of the award.
• The Innovation Award funds are intended to be flexible and can be used for a variety of scientific needs including the investigator’s salary, salaries for professional and technical personnel, special equipment, supplies and other miscellaneous items required to conduct the proposed research.
• No budget is required at the time of application.

Career Stage:
Early career who have an innovative new idea but lack sufficient preliminary data to obtain traditional funding

Purpose:
Since the goal of the Innovation Award is to fund high-risk/high-reward research that lacks sufficient preliminary data to secure traditional funding, the applicant should not have funding for this proposed project.

During the course of the award, award recipients are encouraged to seek additional funding to expand and further develop their projects.

Eligibility:

• Basic and translational/clinical projects will be considered. Applications will be accepted from all scientific disciplines provided that the proposed research meets the selection criteria.
• Applicants with a background in multiple disciplines are especially encouraged to apply.
• Joint submission from two collaborators working in different disciplines will be considered. (The collaborators will share the award.) Each collaborator must meet the eligibility criteria.

---

Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation – Limited Submission

Deadline: July 1, 2026

Funding: $75,000 per year for up to three years (no indirects)

Career stage: Tenure‑track faculty years one through four, not currently R01‑funded

Purpose
The funds are designed to provide to tenure track faculty members in their first to fourth year, at American institutions, who hold MD and/or PhD 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. 

Eligibility

• U.S. tenure‑track years one through four
• MD and/or PhD
• One institutional nominee per session
• No overhead
• Annual progress reports required for years 2–3

---

G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation – Limited Submission

Fall 2026 Deadline:
Letter of intent due July 31, 2026, 8p.m. ET
If invited, full proposal due September 18, 2026, 8p.m. ET

Funding: $700,000 over three years

Purpose:
The Mathers Foundation supports basic research with translational potential in areas such as immunology, microbiome, structural biology, cancer, genetics, stem cells and neuroscience. The foundation funds work that can lead to major advances in scientific understanding and human health.

Eligibility

• Institutions that directly support their own investigators
• Principal investigators with their own fully equipped labs
• All levels of professorship
• Collaborative research projects with other U.S.-based organizations

---

Campbell Foundation – Limited Submission

Deadline: July 31, 2026
Due to our funding limitations, we are only able to consider LOIs from one research team at any given institution within a one-year time frame.

Funding:
Most grant funding is between $60,000 to $100,000. The foundation has co-funded and has provided partial funding for more costly research projects.

Purpose:
The Campbell Foundation invites letters of intent for its research grants that support novel research relevant to the HIV community at large within five to seven years from date of completion.

It was Mr. Zahn's wish that his private, independent foundation support nonprofit organizations conducting clinical, laboratory-based research into the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, and related conditions and illnesses.

Eligibility:
Funding is restricted to those organizations providing proof of IRS 501(c)(3) status. Applications are not accepted from individuals or for-profit entities.

Additional deadlines: LOIs are accepted during January, April, July and October of each year.

Elsa U. Pardee Foundation

Deadlines:

• April 30, 2026
• August 31, 2026
• December 1, 2026

Career Stage: Early and established career

Funding:
By design, there are no limits set on the amount that can be requested. It must be reasonably supported by the scope of the project outlined in the application. Indirect costs cannot exceed 5% of the total amount requested.

Description:
The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation funds research to investigators in United States nonprofit institutions proposing research directed toward identifying new treatments or cures for cancer. The foundation funds projects for a one-year period, which will allow the establishment of capabilities of new cancer researchers or new cancer approaches by established cancer researchers. It is anticipated that this early-stage funding by the Foundation may lead to subsequent and expanded support using government agency funding. Project relevance to cancer detection, treatment or cure should be clearly identified. The foundation particularly welcomes innovative, small-scale, short-term projects that may be difficult to fund elsewhere until some interesting results are obtained.

Eligibility:
Priority is given to researchers at nonprofit institutions in the United States who are new to the field of cancer research, or to established research investigators examining new approaches to cancer cure.

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

Deadline: Letter of intent due September 14, 2026

Funding:

• Up to $5,000,000 based on stage and scope of research. For studies requiring additional support, co-funding from other funding agencies or investors is encouraged. Payment structure will be negotiated and based on milestone achievements and recruitment.
• Average Duration - Multi-year
• Only direct costs are allowed.

Purpose:
The Drug Development RFP supports investigational new drug-enabling studies (or the international equivalent) and early-phase clinical trials that test promising pharmacological interventions and devices for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This funding opportunity concentrates on diverse drug mechanisms and modes of action related to the biology of aging and other emerging therapeutic areas for dementia.

Eligibility:

• Industry partnerships are strongly encouraged.
• Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones.

Michael J. Fox Foundation
Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program

Deadline:

• Applicants may submit a pre-proposal application at any time. Pre-proposals will be reviewed by MJFF within three weeks of submission.
• If invited, full proposal is to be submitted through one of the five review cycles:
  • April 23, 2026
  • June 25, 2026
  • August 20, 2026

Funding: $250,000 for smaller, targeted programs to upwards of $2M for larger, multi-stage preclinical and/or clinical programs.

Purpose:
This program seeks to advance therapeutic development through pre-clinical and/or clinical testing of approaches addressing unmet needs of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The program is set up to benefit therapeutics with clear potential to prevent, stop or delay disease progression or to reduce the burden of daily symptoms.

MJFF prioritizes pre-clinical and clinical programs that may slow, stop or prevent disease
progression, efforts that address moderate-to-advanced motor or non-motor symptoms of
Parkinson’s not well-managed by current treatments, such as advanced gait disturbances (e.g., balance issues linked to falls, freezing), and cognitive changes. Activities within scope of this program include:

• Pre-clinical: Identifying, validating and/or developing novel pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions through pre-clinical development from early screening to pre-clinical characterization and testing.
• Clinical: Progressing promising interventions with strong preclinical packages into/through initial clinical assessment exploring pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, safety/tolerability, or early proof of biology and/or clinical efficacy. For novel targets, MJFF is particularly interested in de-risking programs by supporting early proof of concept in patients to gain insight into the therapeutic potential, including exploration of biomarker-based or clinical endpoint-based efficacy

Eligibility:
The foundation is only accepting applications from industry groups or academic teams working in collaboration with a dedicated industry partner capable of further commercial development of a promising intervention. Further, our goal is to provide funding to de-risk therapeutic programs and catalyze investment by other funders. We do not anticipate serving as the sole funder for any program and encourage applicants to seek additional financial partnerships.

---

Michael J. Fox Foundation

The Alzheimer’s Association and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research are launching the Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research (BFDN) grant program.

Deadline: 15th of the month (or the following Monday, if the 15th falls on a weekend).
If invited, full proposal deadline will be within four weeks of receiving the invitation by 5 p.m. ET. If invited, full proposal deadline will be within four weeks of receiving the invitation by 5 p.m. ET.

Funding: Principal investigators may apply for bridge funding spanning three to 12 months for U.S. and international projects impacted by changes in the NIH.

Career Stage: Early Career

Purpose:
This program specifically aims to 1) ensure support for early career researchers (based on NIH definition), who have not yet had the opportunity to fully establish their labs and position their projects for ongoing funding, and 2) provide bridge or interim funding for salary and other direct costs for research projects focused on Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, atypical Parkinson's and/or other related disorders that have been impacted by a series of changes at NIH.

---

Cardiovascular Medical Research and Education Fund
Improving the Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

Deadline: Rolling

Funding:
Preference will be given to proposals that have budgets below $100,000 and timelines less than two years.

Purpose:
The CMREF mission of the fund is to support educational activities that will enhance the knowledge of pulmonary hypertension and research projects that may help uncover the causes and pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) in pursuit of the ultimate goal of its treatment and cure. The CMREF does not have a formal application process to fund clinical research or educational projects but is always interested in potentially providing full or partial support to initiatives that are novel, innovative or address the spectrum of unmet medical needs related to pulmonary vascular diseases.

Interested parties should submit a letter of intent (maximum of two pages) that describes the project sufficiently so that the Research Advisory Committee can understand the proposed goals and methods. In addition, the letter should mention the length of time of the project and an estimated overall budget.

How to Apply:
To submit your letter, please use the form on this page. Please be sure to fill out all fields and upload your letter before submitting. You can also email your letter directly to Patt Wolfe (executive director) at patt.wolfe@ipahresearch.org.

After you submit your letter, the CMREF will respond within four weeks to inform you if a full application will be requested.

---

American Federation for Aging Research
Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program

Deadline:
Interested students should be in touch directly with the National Training Centers to for the program deadline and application materials.

Funding:
The stipend level is approximately $1,980 per month; actual amounts will vary based on the specific appointment period of individual students. Award period: Eight to 12 weeks.

Purpose:
The MSTAR Program provides medical students with an enriching experience in aging-related research and geriatrics, with the mentorship of top experts in the field. This program introduces students to research and academic experiences early in their training that they might not otherwise have during medical school. Positive experiences in the MSTAR program have led many physicians-in-training to pursue academic careers in aging, ranging from basic science to clinical research to health services research. They have joined the growing cadre of physicians and scientists whose specialized knowledge and skills are in great demand as our population ages.

Students participate in an eight- to twelve-week (or two- to three-month, depending on the training site) structured research, clinical and didactic program in geriatrics, appropriate to their level of training and interests. Research projects are offered in basic, translational, clinical or health services research relevant to older people. Most scholars will do their training and research during the summer months. They will also be invited to submit an abstract to present a poster at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.

Eligibility

• Any allopathic or osteopathic medical student in good standing, who will have successfully completed one year of medical school at a U.S. institution by June 2024. Evidence of good standing must be provided by the medical school registrar or dean when the student is notified of receiving the award.
• Applicants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or some other legal verification of such status). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible. Due to NIA restrictions, individuals holding PhD, MD, DVM or equivalent doctoral degrees in the health sciences are not eligible to apply to do the MSTAR Program.
• Additionally, applicants receiving a stipend or salary support from a federal source are not eligible for this program. Applicants may not hold another award or participate in another program concurrently with the MSTAR program, and must participate in the program full-time for a minimum of eight weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks.

---

Infectious Diseases Society of America
Grants for Emerging Researchers/Clinicians Mentorship Program

Career Stage: Medical Students

Amount: Not specified

Deadline: Ongoing

Description
The G.E.R.M. Program was developed to provide grants to medical students to support a longitudinal, mentored clinical learning and/or research project for up to a year on infectious diseases-related topics, including HIV, under the mentorship of an IDSA or HIVMA member. This program replaced the IDSA Medical Scholars and HIVMA Medical Students Programs.

Eligibility

• Graduate students
• Applicants must be medical students (first-, second- or third-year and those in combined degree programs, including MD/MPH and MD/PhD) from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school in the U.S.

 Back to Top