Researchers & Clinicians

• Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
• Amount: $500

The University of Illinois Cancer Center is accepting applications for Spring 2026 Trainee Travel Awards. The awards will provide $500 each to three trainees in the spring semester to cover the costs of travel and registration to present their cancer-related research at a conference or scientific meeting.

Travel awards are offered annually in the spring and fall.

Apply Here

The 2025 Request for Applications (RFA) for U2D2, a collaborative seed grant program funded by the University of Illinois Cancer Center and managed by UICentre, is open. The applicant Principal Investigator must be a member of the Cancer Center and not have received a previous U2D2 award.

Budget: Up to $25,000; 12 months

Application Deadline: December 5, 2025 (5 p.m.)

Click this link for details and to submit your application.

Please contact drugdiscovery@uic.edu with any questions.

The Cancer Center has partnered with UICentre, the campus-wide drug discovery initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), for the collaborative grant program directed at the development of new anti-cancer therapeutics. UICentre, in partnership with the High-Throughput Screening and Biophysics Cores of the UIC Research Resources Core, exists to create and support drug discovery collaborations by providing bioassay development, chemical library screening, hit counter-screening and biophysical confirmation of compound binding and activity, hit-to-lead medicinal chemistry optimization, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK), and lead compound selection.

Past Awardees

2024 (3rd Round)

• Discovery of ISGylation inhibitors for Breast Cancer Metastasis and Immune Modulation: Ekrem Emrah Er, PhD, (PI) and Terry Moore, PhD (Co-PI)

2023 (2nd Round)

• Development of IGF1R inhibitors with reduced INSR-cross reactivity to target SOX2-positive prostate cancer: Donald Vander Griend, PhD, (PI), Malaika Argade, PhD, (Co-I)
• Allosteric binders of BiP for Prostate Cancer: Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD, (PI)

2022 (Inaugural Round)

• Identification of GBM Subtype Specific small molecule inhibitors for therapeutics development:Zilai Wang, PhD (PI); Lijun Rong, PhD (Co-I); Yuwei Jiang, PhD (Co-I); 
• Bioassay development to discover lipid-Src interaction inhibitors, as potential therapeutics for triple-negative breast cancer: Wonhwa Cho, PhD (PI)

W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program

• Internal Submission Deadline: 11/25/25
• Concept Counseling Deadline: 2/15/26
• Phase I Application Deadline: 5/1/26
• Phase II Application Deadline: 8/15/26
• Purpose: The W. M. Keck Research Program supports Medical Research and Science & Engineering projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach, question the prevailing paradigm, or have the potential to break open new territory in their field. Grants range from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 (direct costs only) to support pioneering biological and physical science research and engineering, including the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation or methodologies. Successful proposals should demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches or challenge the prevailing paradigm, and fall outside the mission of public funding. Interested applicants should complete an internal submission for consideration via the Office of Research Development for this limited submission opportunity.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Innovative/Translational Cancer Research Grant

• Internal Submission Deadline: 11/25/25
• Full Application Deadline: 02/01/26
• Purpose: The Mary Kay Ash Foundation provides $100,000 over two years ($50,000 per year; 15% indirect cost limit) for translational research focused on cancers affecting women, including but not limited to breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, uterine, and other cancers that predominantly affect women. Interested applicants should complete an internal submission for consideration via the Office of Research Development for this limited submission opportunity.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

ABTA Basic Research Fellowship

• Letter of Interest Deadline: 12/10/25
• Full Application Deadline: 03/30/26
• Purpose: The Basic Research Fellowship provides $100,000 over two years ($50,000 per year; direct costs only) to postdoctoral fellows embarking on careers dedicated to brain tumor research. Grants support basic and translational research projects that have significant potential to advance our understanding of the causes, effects, diagnosis, and treatment of brain tumors.

ABTA Research Collaboration Grant

• Letter of Interest Deadline: 12/10/25
• Full Application Deadline: 03/30/26
• Purpose: This grant mechanism provides $200,000 over two years (direct costs only) to collaborative teams of two co-Principal Investigators from distinct institutions who propose multi-disciplinary, high-risk/high-impact projects with the potential to change current diagnostic or treatment paradigms for adult and pediatric brain tumor care.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Lustgarten Equity, Accessibility and Diversity (LEAD) Project

• Application Deadline: 01/05/26
• Purpose: The LEAD Project supports programs increasing the recruitment and retention of patients from underrepresented minority groups in pancreatic cancer clinical trials. This opportunity provides up to $450,000 over three years ($150,000 per year; 10% indirect costs) for programs that address specific barriers to participation in clinical trials, including efforts to expand community outreach, patient education and/or clinical recruitment staff. 

Innovation and Collaboration Program

• Application Deadline: 01/05/26
• Purpose: The Innovation and Collaboration Program provides one year $110,000 grants (10% indirect costs) for highly innovative pancreatic cancer research. Proposals that involve collaborations across groups or that bring new expertise and/or technology to the field will be preferred.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Clinical Cancer Research Grant

• Application Deadline: 11/23/25
• Purpose: Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) supports innovative and unique patient-centered clinical trials with the potential to impact the lives of cancer patients. Grants are $100,000 per year for the duration of the trial, usually up to 5 years.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

ASTRO-BCRF Emerging Investigator Award 

• Application Deadline: 01/12/26
• Purpose: The ASTRO-BCRF Emerging Investigator Award provides one-year $100,000 grants (direct costs only) to early-stage investigators in radiation oncology, radiation or cancer biology, or radiation physics conducting research in breast radiation oncology.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Public Health and Public Policy Research Award

• Application Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: The ALA Public Health and Public Policy Research Award provides $100,000 over two years ($50,000 per year; direct costs only) to early stage investigators for research on and evaluation of existing public policy and programs, as well as pilot and demonstration projects that inject innovative ideas and provide evidence for the development of new public policies impacting lung health.

Innovation Award: Advancing Lung Disease Research Excellence

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: The award is intended to support highly promising investigators with stellar track records of accomplishment, who have the potential to advance the field of lung disease science. The Innovation Award is for $75,000 per year, for up to two years, and geared toward early career investigators emerging in the field.

Catalyst Award

• • Deadline: 12/01/25
  • Purpose: The American Lung Association Catalyst Award is a mentored award meant to support outstanding investigators on the path to independence for research into the mechanisms of lung disease and general lung biology. Preference is given to projects that are novel, innovative in design/approach, utilize modern technologies, and incorporate a multidisciplinary collaborative training plan. The Catalyst Grant is for $50,000 per year, for up to two years and geared toward Early Career and Emerging in the Field investigators.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award

• Application Deadline: 12/2/2025
• Purpose: The Physician-Scientist Training Award provides $460,000 over four years to support protected research training experience under the guidance of a mentor for early career physician scientists. Applicant should have 80% protected time for the duration of the award. Funder will retire up to $100,000 in medical school debt. No budget or scientific overlap is allowed. Additional restrictions apply.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

AGA-Gastric Cancer Foundation Ben Feinstein Memorial Research Scholar Award in Gastric Cancer

• Full Application Deadline: 12/03/25
• Purpose: This award provides $300,000 over three years ($100,000 per year; direct costs only) to early career faculty (i.e., investigator, instructor, research associate or equivalent) working toward an independent career in gastric cancer research. Research involving precancerous lesions will be considered if relevance to gastric cancer is explicitly outlined.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Young Investigator Accelerator Award

• Deadline: Rolling
• Purpose: As part of its Project Cure CRC initiative, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is accepting proposals from early career investigators (within first five years of first independent academic faculty appointment) with original preclinical, translational, or early clinical research project ideas. Special emphasis will be given to proposals that fast-track existing preclinical and clinical research in areas that increase therapeutic options, improve adjuvant therapies, deliver novel therapies focused on driver mutations (such as BRAF, TP53, KRAS, BRCA1), and investigate strategies to manipulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) to advance the use of immunotherapy. Grant funds up to $200,000 over two years, of which up to 5% can be allocated to indirect costs.

Senior Investigator Accelerator Award

• Deadline: Rolling
• Purpose: As part of its Project Cure CRC initiative, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is accepting proposals from senior investigators (past five initial years of their first faculty appointment) with potentially transformative ideas that will accelerate the translation of new therapies and technologies. Collaborations are highly encouraged. Special emphasis will be given to proposals that fast-track existing preclinical and clinical research in areas that increase therapeutic options, improve adjuvant therapies, deliver novel therapies focused on driver mutations (such as BRAF, TP53, KRAS, BRCA1), and investigate strategies to manipulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) to advance the use of immunotherapy. Grant funds up to $500,000 over two years, of which up to 5% can be allocated to indirect costs.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from private funders through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Nina Nicolai Pancreatic Cancer Innovation in Collaboration Award

• Application Deadline: 01/06/26
• Purpose: The Nina Nicolai Pancreatic Cancer Innovation in Collaboration Award provides up to $225,000 over 1-2 years to collaborative, multi-institution projects that accelerate the development of new cancer treatments for pancreatic cancer. At least one of the co-PIs must be considered an early-career investigator.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

RARE Grant Program

• Full Application Deadline: 12/11/25 at 7 p.m.
• Purpose: The RUNX1 Research Program and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation are partnering to offer the Research Accelerating RUNX1 Exploration (RARE) Grant. The RARE grant is a two-year, $250,000 award ($125,000 per year; direct costs only) designed to fund research that will lead to the development of therapies for patients with RUNX1-FPD that will either intercept the transition from a precancer state (clonal hematopoiesis) to MDS/AML or prevent blood cancer (before clonal hematopoiesis).

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

XXcelerate: Turning Existing Research Into Impact for Women

• Letter of Intent Deadline: Rolling
• Purpose: XXcelerate provides flexible funding support to projects spanning 1-3 years with potential for accelerated clinical impact on women’s health, including cancer research. There is no budget cap; funding requests should be proportional to the scope of the proposed project. Other opportunities currently available from Nuttall Women’s Health range between $500,000 and $5,000,000. Responsive projects include secondary analyses of completed clinical studies or active clinical research studies applying sex-specific methods. Researchers at all levels and experience are encouraged to apply. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

Patient Centered Clinical Research Award

• Application Deadline: 12/02/25
• Purpose: The Patient Centered Clinical Research Award provides $250,000 over three years (7% indirect costs limit) for junior to senior-level investigators yet to secure their first significant research funding in patient-centered clinical research (NIH R01 or equivalent).

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has approval to pursue the following grant opportunities from foundations through its Advancement team. As a Cancer Center member, please notify and work with Jane Erb (jerb2@uic.edu) and her Advancement team if you have an interest in any of the following current opportunities or would like further information. The Advancement team will provide grant development support and handle submissions as awards count toward the Cancer Center’s philanthropic goals.

New Additions

Interventions to expand cancer screening and preventive services to ADVANCE health in populations that experience health disparities (R01, Clinical Trial Required)

• Deadline: 01/07/26, 02/05/26
• Purpose: The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and participating National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICs) are issuing this R01 to solicit applications to address barriers and facilitators that impede use or uptake of cancer screening and preventive services in populations that experience health disparities. Interventions should include screening, preventive services, or other healthcare processes, including timely follow-up of abnormal findings, and referral to accessible care. Projects are encouraged to leverage collaborations with community partners and service providers. Interventions should address barriers and facilitators at two or more of the following levels: patient, clinician, healthcare setting, and neighborhood/community. Specific research interests of participating NIH ICs are detailed within. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). NCI is a participating organization.

Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk after Bariatric Surgery (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the NCI invites applications for support of investigator-initiated studies addressing mechanisms by which bariatric surgery impacts cancer risk and seeks to draw in talented scientists who study bariatric surgery to investigate its effects on cancer, rather than shorter term outcomes such as weight loss and diabetes.

Assay development and screening for discovery of chemical probes, drugs or immunomodulators (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the NCI intends to stimulate research in discovery and development of novel, small molecules for cancer. Molecules discovered through this NOFO may be used to probe cancer biology, to validate cancer targets, or as the basis for optimized drugs. Stages of discovery research covered by this NOFO include: 1) development of the primary screen assay(s) and testing in an initial pilot screen; 2) primary screen implementation to identify initial screening hits (high throughput target-focused screens, or moderate throughput screens); 3) hit validation using a series of assays and initial medicinal chemistry inspection to prioritize the hit set.

Research Projects to Enhance Applicability of Mammalian Models for Translational Research (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the NCI invites applications for projects to expand, improve, or transform the utility of mammalian cancer and tumor models for translational research. The NCI, through this NOFO, encourages submission of projects devoted to demonstrating that mammalian models, including organoids, tumoroids and cell models, used for translational research are robust representations of human biology, are appropriate to test questions of clinical importance, and provide reliable information for patient benefit. These practical goals contrast with the goals of many mechanistic, NCI-supported R01 projects that use mammals, or develop and use mammalian cancer models, transplantation tumor models, or models derived from mammalian or human tissues or cells for hypothesis-testing, non-clinical research. Among many other possible endeavors, applicants in response to this NOFO could propose demonstrations of how to overcome translational deficiencies of mammalian oncology models, define new uses of mammalian models or their genetics for unexplored translational challenges, advance standard practices for use of translational models, test approaches to validate and credential models, or challenge current practices for how models are used translationally.

Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award Extension Request (Type 4 eSubmission Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 03/01/26
• Purpose: The NCI Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) (R37) Award provides extended grant support to Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) who qualify for conversion based on receiving a percentile within the NCI payline for established investigators on their R01 applications. By providing longer term support to ESIs who qualify, the NCI intends to offer flexibility and opportunity for creativity and innovation and additional time to successfully launch their careers and to become more established before having to submit renewal applications (NOT-CA-18-037). The objective of the NCI's ESI MERIT Award is to allow eligible investigators the opportunity to obtain up to 7 years of support in two segments: The initial approved duration of the award; and a second phase, providing an additional two years of support his funding opportunity announcement is specifically for currently funded NCI ESI MERIT recipients to request the second phase of the initial award.

Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN; R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Deadline: 05/04/26
• Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) entitled "Innovative Research in Cancer Nanotechnology (IRCN)", the NCI encourages applications promoting transformative discoveries in cancer biology and/or oncology through the use of nanotechnology. Proposed projects should address overcoming major barriers in cancer biology and/or oncology using nanotechnology and should focus on mechanistic studies to expand the fundamental understanding of nanomaterial and/or nano-device interactions with biological systems. These studies are expected to be relevant to the delivery of nanoparticles and/or nano-devices to desired and intended cancer targets in vivo and/or characterization of detection and diagnostic devices and sensors in vitro. IRCN awards are expected to produce fundamental knowledge to aid future and more informed development of nanotechnology-based cancer interventions. The clinical translation of these interventions is outside of scope of this NOFO.

Ongoing Opportunities

Cancer Prevention and Control Clinical Trials Grant Program (R01 Clinical Trial Required)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI invites applications for support of investigator-initiated clinical trials related to the programmatic interests of the NCI Division of Cancer Prevention and/or the NCI Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences that have the potential to reduce the burden of cancer through improvements in early detection, screening, prevention and interception, healthcare delivery, quality of life, and/or survivorship related to cancer; with such attributes, the proposed studies should also have the potential to improve clinical practice and/or public health. 

Understanding Expectancies in Cancer Symptom Management (R01 Clinical Trial Required)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: This NOFO will solicit mechanistic research that aims to understand how and why expectancy effects occur in a cancer context, elucidate their role in cancer symptom management, and identify patients, symptoms, cancer sites, and contexts in which expectancy effects can be leveraged to improve cancer outcomes. Expectancies are defined in this context as beliefs about future outcomes, including one’s response to cancer or cancer treatment. Expectancies can be evoked by social, psychological, environmental, and systemic factors. Expectancy effects are the cognitive, behavioral, and biological outcomes caused by expectancies. Expectancy effects can be generated by expectancies held by patients, clinicians, family members, caregivers, and/or dyadic/social networks. Program is particularly interested in applications that enroll individuals and groups from populations historically underrepresented or excluded from biomedical and behavioral research.

Clinical Characterization of Cancer Therapy-Induced Adverse Sequelae and Mechanism-Based Interventional Strategies (R01 Clinical Trials Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The purpose of this NOFO is to promote research studies designed to address adverse sequelae of cancer therapies that persist and become chronic co-morbidities or develop as delayed posttreatment effects. This NOFO supports basic, translational, and clinical research projects that seek to identify the mechanisms of therapy-induced adverse sequelae, clinically characterize the adverse sequelae, and translate the mechanistic understanding into therapeutic approaches to prevent or minimize the development of long-term sequelae. The scope of research projects includes mechanistic studies with translational endpoints and longitudinal clinical phenotyping to identify and validate clinical endpoints (biomarkers, imaging, patient-reported outcomes or combined elements) for future use in clinical trials that will evaluate the efficacy of interventions designed to prevent or reduce specific adverse sequelae.

NCI Modular R01s in Cancer Control and Population Sciences (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: This NOFO encourages applications for research in cancer control and population sciences. The overarching goal is to provide support to promote research efforts on novel scientific ideas that have the potential to substantially advance cancer research in statistical and analytic methods, epidemiology, cancer survivorship, cancer-related behaviors and behavioral interventions, health care delivery, digital health and data science, and implementation science.

NCI Secondary Analysis and Integration of Existing Data to Elucidate Cancer Risk and Related Outcomes

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI, along with other participating institutes, encourages submission of applications proposing to conduct secondary data analysis and integration of existing datasets and database resources, with the ultimate aim to elucidate cancer risk and related outcomes (e.g., risk prediction or reduction, survival, or response to treatment, etc.). The goal of this initiative is to address key scientific questions relevant to cancer by supporting the analysis of existing clinical, environmental, surveillance, health services, vital statistics, behavioral, lifestyle, genomic, and molecular profiles data. Applicants are encouraged to leverage and perform innovative analyses of the existing data. Applications may include new research aims that are being addressed with existing data, new or advanced methods of analyses, or novel combinations and integration of datasets that allow the exploration of important scientific questions in cancer research.

Modular R01s in Cancer Control and Population Sciences (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: This NOFO encourages applications for research in cancer control and population sciences. The overarching goal is to provide support to promote research efforts on novel scientific ideas that have the potential to substantially advance cancer research in statistical and analytic methods, epidemiology, cancer survivorship, cancer-related behaviors and behavioral interventions, health care delivery, digital health and data science, and implementation science.

Academic-Industrial Partnerships for Translation of Technologies for Diagnosis and Treatment (R01 Clinical Trials Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The purpose of this NOFO is to stimulate efforts to translate scientific discoveries and engineering developments into methods or tools that address problems in basic research to understand disease, or in applied research to assess risk, detect, prevent, diagnose, treat, and/or manage disease. The rationale is to deliver new capabilities to meet evolving requirements for technologies and methods relevant to the advance of research and delivery of care in pre-clinical, clinical and non-clinical settings, domestic or foreign, for conditions and diseases within the missions of participating institutes. This NOFO specifies a partnership structure that is expected to help bridge gaps in knowledge and experience by engaging the strengths of academic, industrial, and other investigators. The partners on each application should establish an inter-disciplinary, multi-institutional research team to work in strategic alliance to implement a coherent strategy to develop and translate a solution to their chosen problem. They are expected to plan, design, and validate that the solution will be suitable for end users. Each partnership should include at least one academic and one industrial organization. Each partnership should plan to transition a technology, method, assay, device, and/or system from a demonstration of possibility to a status useful in the chosen setting. Funding may be requested to enhance, adapt, optimize, validate, and otherwise translate technologies that address problems in biology, pathology, risk assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or monitoring of disease status

Academic-Industrial Partnerships (AIP) to Translate and Validate In Vivo Imaging Systems (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI intends to stimulate translation of scientific discoveries and engineering developments in imaging, data science and/or spectroscopic technologies into methods or tools that address contemporary problems in understanding the fundamental biology, potential risk of development, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer. A distinguishing feature of each application to this NOFO will be formation of an academic-industrial partnership: a strategic alliance of academic and industrial investigators who work together as partners to identify and translate a technological solution for mitigation of a cancer (or other disease-related) problem. In this sense, the NOFO acts more as a funding mechanism for driving translational research in imaging than for a specific scientific or clinical research area. These partnerships are expected to solidify pre-existing collaborations or establish new ones that would drive the field of imaging, as a whole, further than if they had not been formed. This NOFO defines innovation as the likelihood to deliver a new capability to end users. This funding announcement will support clinical trials that test functionality or validate performance in the chosen setting. However, this NOFO is not intended to support commercial production, basic research projects, or clinical trials that lack translation as the primary motivation.

Integration of Imaging and Fluid-Based Tumor Monitoring in Cancer Therapy (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI invites R01 grant applications describing projects that integrate imaging and fluid-based tumor monitoring (liquid biopsy) assays during cancer therapy in patients to determine the optimal use of these modalities in the characterization of therapy response and/or emergence of treatment resistance.

Molecular Imaging of Inflammation and Cancer

• Deadline: 2/05/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI invites research grant applications (R01) for the development and application of current and emerging molecular imaging methods to gain fundamental insights into cancer inflammation in vivo. The motivation for this initiative is the recognition that much of the current imaging research on inflammation in cancer relies heavily on in vitro and ex vivo methods. These approaches have limited potential to provide significant insights into the dynamic interactions between cancer and inflammation. Utilizing molecular imaging probes in pre-clinical and clinical investigations allows for precise temporal resolution at molecular and cellular levels. This information is valuable for identifying and characterizing in vivo inflammatory cellular physiology in cancer and for detecting molecular changes in response to treatment. This NOFO encourages applications focused on developing integrated imaging approaches to investigate the role of inflammation in cancer through strong cross-discipline collaboration between cancer basic science researchers and imaging scientists. These collaborations are expected to advance the science and understanding of cancer inflammation interactions.

Utilizing the PLCO Biospecimens Resource to Bridge Gaps in Cancer Etiology and Early Detection Research (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

• Deadline: 02/10/26
• Purpose: Through this NOFO, the NCI encourages the submission of applications that propose to advance research in cancer etiology and early detection biomarkers, utilizing the advantages of the unique biorepository resources of the NCI-sponsored Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial. The PLCO Biorepository offers high-quality, prospectively collected, serial pre-diagnostic blood samples from the PLCO screened arm participants, and buccal cells from both the screened and the control arm participants. Available data associated with the biospecimens includes demographic, diet, lifestyle, smoking, screening results, and other clinical data. This NOFO supports a wide range of cancer research including, but not limited to, biochemical and genetic analyses of cancer risk, as well as discovery and validation of early detection biomarkers. The proposed research project must involve use of PLCO biospecimens and may include other resources; additionally, it should also take advantage of the unique characteristics of the PLCO biospecimens. Research on non-cancer outcomes, especially those related to aging (e.g., Alzheimer’s, depression, hip fracture, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis) may also be supported. Research projects that do not involve the use of PLCO biospecimens will not be supported under this NOFO.

NCI Transition Career Development Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/12/26
• Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) represents the continuation of an NCI program to facilitate the transition of investigators in mentored, non-independent cancer research positions to independent faculty cancer research positions. This goal is achieved by providing protected time through salary and research support for the initial 3 years of the first independent tenure-track faculty position, or its equivalent, beginning at the time when the candidate starts a tenure-track faculty position. This NOFO is designed for applicants proposing research in which leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial is optional and replaces both PAR-21-128 and PAR-21-111.

Ongoing Opportunities

New Additions

Advancing Healthcare for Older Adults from Populations that Experience Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The purpose of this initiative is to advance the science and implementation of innovative multi-level health care research for older adults from populations that experience health disparities. The initiative will support research designed to (1) gain a better understanding of appropriate screening, diagnostic, and clinical care guidelines in a primary care setting, (2) explore shared decision-making that is needed to enhance care planning and patient agency between clinicians and care teams with the older adult and their caregiver(s), and (3) identify effective strategies for care coordination.

Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support studies that will identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, sustainability, scale-up, and spread of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies (hereafter referred to as evidence-based interventions). Studies that promote equitable dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions among underrepresented communities are encouraged. Conversely, there is a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce (de-implement) the use of practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. In addition, studies to advance dissemination and implementation research methods and measures are encouraged. Applications that focus on re-implementation of evidence-based health services that may be disrupted amidst disasters (e.g., pandemics, climate change) remain relevant. NCI is a participating organization.

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment or Prevention (SBIRT/P) for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use and misuse in adult populations that experience health disparities (R01, Clinical Trial Required)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and participating NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) are issuing this NOFO seeking applications to test innovative approaches to implementing SBIRT/P for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use and misuse in adult populations that experience health disparities. SBIRT/P, (a term used for purposes of this funding announcement), involves screening individuals for risk of ATOD use and misuse, briefly intervening with a conversation about harmful substance use, and referring individuals for treatment or preventive services, as needed. Proposed research should include prospective tests of SBIRT/P and should leverage collaborations with healthcare and community partners Specific research interests of participating NIH ICOs are detailed within. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). NCI is a participating organization.

Interventions to Address Disparities in Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: This initiative will support multi-level and/or multi-domain intervention research to reduce disparities in liver diseases and liver cancer among populations who experience health disparities in the United States (U.S.). NCI is a participating organization.

Ongoing Opportunities

Tobacco Regulatory Science Small Grant Program for New Investigators (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Deadline: 11/18/25
• Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to support new biomedical, behavioral, and social science investigators who are in the early stages of establishing independent careers in tobacco regulatory research. The R03 grant mechanism supports different types of projects, including pilot and feasibility studies, secondary analysis of existing data, small, self-contained research projects, development of research methodology, and development of new research technology. Applicants are encouraged to conduct projects that ultimately have the potential to inform regulations on tobacco product manufacturing, distribution, and marketing. Research projects must address one or more High-Priority Research Topic(s) related to the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) as mandated by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA), Public Law 111-31.

HEAL Initiative: Studies to Enable Analgesic Discovery (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-NS-25-023

• Deadline: 01/16/26
• Purpose: This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) aims to encourage research grant applications for initial translational efforts that will enable a drug discovery program for novel, non-opioid, and non-addictive treatments for pain. The program provides funding to develop and validate assays to support a distinct testing funnel and conduct screening efforts to identify and characterize potential therapeutic agents including small molecules, biologics, and natural products. Preliminary in vivo pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and efficacy studies may also be supported. The goal of this NOFO is to advance projects to the point where they meet the entry criteria for the Pain Therapeutics Development Program or other later-stage translational programs.

Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-25-322

• Deadline: 01/27/26
• Purpose: The Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant supports an innovative project that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator (ESI) and for which no preliminary data exist. Applications submitted to this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) must not include preliminary data. Applications must include a separate attachment describing the change in research direction. The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions.

Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Human Required) PAR-25-233

• Deadline: 01/27/26
• Purpose: The Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant supports an innovative project that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator (ESI) and for which no preliminary data exist. Applications submitted to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) must not include preliminary data. Applications must include a separate attachment describing the change in research direction.The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions. This Parent Notice of Funding Opportunity is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in  NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4.1.3.1 as “prospective basic science studies involving human participants.” These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should submit under this NOFO include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind. Studies conducted with specific applications toward processes or products in mind should submit under the appropriate ‘Clinical Trials Required’ or ‘Clinical Trial Optional’ NOFO.

Integrating Biospecimen Science Approaches into Clinical Assay Development (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-25-325

• Deadline: 02/04/26
• Purpose: Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to support extramural research to investigate and mitigate challenges in clinical assay development and subsequent analytical validation due to preanalytical variability in tumor tissue biopsies, blood biospecimens utilized as “liquid biopsies", or other biospecimens as described in this NOFO. Extramural research funded under this NOFO may include investigations of preanalytical variability associated with the procurement and study of small biopsies (core biopsies, small excision samples), blood utilized for "liquid biopsies", tissue swabs, tissue secretions, pleural and esophageal aspirates, feces, or bodily fluids like sweat, urine, CSF, breast milk and saliva. Investigator-designed experiments will explore how different biospecimen preanalytical conditions affect emerging and clinically relevant biomarkers quantified by a variety of testing platforms. The results from this research program will improve the understanding of how analytical quantification of clinically relevant biomarkers is affected by variation in biospecimen collection, processing, and storage procedures. The overall goal is to expedite biomarker clinical assay development through evidence-based standardization of biopsy handling practices.

NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

• Application Date: 02/05/26 and repeating
• Letter of Intent: NA
• Purpose:This Parent Notice of Funding Opportunity is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in NOT-OD-18-212 as “prospective basic science studies involving human participants.” These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should submit under this NOFO include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind. Studies conducted with specific applications toward processes or products in mind should submit under the appropriate ‘Clinical Trials Required’ or ‘Clinical Trial Optional’ NOFO.

Interventions to Reduce Sleep Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional)

• Application Dates: 02/05/26
• Purpose: The purpose of this initiative is to support non-pharmacological interventions to promote sleep health, reduce sleep health disparities, and examine sleep as a modifiable factor to reduce disparities for other health outcomes among populations that experience health disparities.

High-Priority Research in Tobacco Regulatory Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

• Application Dates: 02/05/26
• Letter of Intent: 60 days prior to the application due date.
• Purpose: The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite R01 applications to support new high-priority biomedical and behavioral research that will provide scientific data to inform the regulation of tobacco products to protect public health. Research Projects must address the new high-priority research topics related to the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). The awards under this NOFO will be administered by NIH using funds that have been made available through FDA CTP and the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act  (FSPTCA), P.L. 111-31. Research results from this NOFO are expected to generate findings and data that are directly relevant in informing the FDA's regulation of the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products to protect public health.

Unveiling Health and Healthcare Disparities in Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases in Latin America: Setting the Stage for Better Health Outcomes Across the Hemisphere (R01 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

• Deadline: 02/05/26
• Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is being reissued in accordance with the simplified review criteria in effect for application due dates after January 25, 2025. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will support innovative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research focused on clinical epidemiology, evaluation of public and/or health care policies, and validation of measurements that address health and healthcare disparities related to non-communicable and chronic diseases (NCDs) with the highest disease burden and mortality in Latin America and among U.S. Hispanics/Latinos. 

New Additions

AbbVie

Call for Concepts (CFC) CLL - AbbVie Independent Education (IE)

• Deadline: 12/05/25
• Purpose: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) is the most common adult leukemia in the Western world. The CLL treatment landscape has undergone a significant shift from the utilization of traditional chemoimmunotherapy to a more targeted approach with the advent of novel agents like Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and BCL2 inhibitors. A shared decision-making approach where patients, caregivers, and the healthcare providers weigh all factors and discuss the best treatment plan while aligning on the patient’s goals of therapy is essential to navigate the multiple therapeutic options available in CLL. It is imperative to educate clinicians involved in the management of CLL on the role of personalized care and how shared decision-making can play a role in selecting the best therapeutic option for the patient so that treatment goals are met. AbbVie is seeking proposals that will review strategies for effective shared decision-making and highlight why shared decision-making is crucial in CLL treatment selection. Preference will be given to proposals that involve partnerships with academic centers of excellence, regional community practices, known leaders in the field of oncology as well as major professional societies.

American Association for Cancer Research

AACR – Mark Foundation Chemistry in Cancer Research Grants

• Letter of Interest Deadline: 12/16/25 at Noon CT
• Purpose: The AACR – Mark Foundation Chemistry in Cancer Research Grants provide $435,000 over three years to chemists pursuing groundbreaking basic or translational research projects that utilize chemistry or chemical biology to address urgent issues in cancer. Projects should aim to develop innovative chemical tools and/or probes to validate difficult or emerging cancer targets to advance our understanding of cancer biology.

Breast Cancer Research Foundation – AACR Career Development Award

• Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/16/25 at Noon CT
• Full Application Deadline: 04/07/25 at Noon CT
• Purpose: The BCRF – AACR Career Development Award provides $150,000 over two years (direct costs only) to early-career investigators within the first six years of their first independent faculty appointment. Proposed projects may be basic, translational, clinical, or population-based science research in nature, and must have direct applicability and relevance to breast cancer.

AACR – Think Forward Foundation Career Development Grant

• Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/18/25 at Noon CT
• Full Application Deadline: 04/07/26 at Noon CT
• Purpose: AACR and Think Forward Foundation are partnering to provide $300,000 Career Development Grants ($100,000/year; direct costs only) for early-career researchers pursuing impactful research focused on advancing precision medicine in breast cancer treatment. The goal of this grant mechanism is to accelerate the development of tailored therapeutic strategies that address individual genetic profiles, molecular markers, and biomarkers to enhance treatment efficacy while minimizing adverse effects.

Breast Cancer Research Foundation – AACR Next Gen Grant for Transformative Cancer Research in Honor of Nancy E. Davidson, MD

• Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/18/25 at Noon CT
• Full Application Deadline: 04/07/25 at Noon CT
• Purpose: This grant mechanism provides $450,000 over three years to stimulate innovative research from young investigators with the potential to lead to groundbreaking discoveries and transform our understanding of the tumorigenesis process and/or our ability to treat, detect, or prevent cancer. Proposed projects may be basic, translational, clinical, or population-based science research in nature, and must have direct applicability and relevance to breast cancer.

Ongoing Opportunities

Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance-AACR Career Development Award

• • Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/16/25
  • Full Proposal Deadline: 04/07/26
  • Purpose: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), also known as lobular breast cancer, is the second most common histological subtype of breast cancer. ILC has a unique biology and a distinct clinical pattern of behavior and is a challenging disease entity from diagnostics, staging, and through to therapeutic options. There is a critical need to advance understanding of this disease and improve treatment and follow-up care options for the patients living with ILC. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance - AACR Career Development Award represent a joint effort to promote and support innovative research led by early-career investigators. The proposed project may be basic, translational, clinical, or population-based research in nature and must have direct applicability and relevance to invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC)

Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

Genetic Medicines and Individualized Manufacturing for Everyone (GIVE)

• Solution Summary Deadline: 12/09/25
• Full Application Deadline: 02/27/26
• Purpose: The Genetic Medicines and Individualized Manufacturing for Everyone (GIVE) program aims to enable a multi-site, multi-product, and multi-scale biomanufacturing network. The goal of the program is to develop reliable, simple to use, distributed manufacturing and quality control platforms for genetic medicines. GIVE’s two focus areas include advanced technologies for automated manufacturing and integrated quality control platforms. By bolstering U.S. biomanufacturing technology, GIVE seeks to first-shore P/I genetic medicine manufacturing and improve patient access to cancer therapies, cell therapies, and gene editing technologies.

American Cancer Society

Early-Stage Cancer Research Support/Institutional Research Grants

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: Institutional Research Grants are awarded to institutions as block grants, providing seed money for newly independent investigators to initiate cancer research projects. The intent is to support these junior faculty in initiating cancer research projects so they can obtain preliminary results that will enable them to compete successfully for national research grants.

Mission Boost Grants (MBG)

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: Mission Boost Grants (MBG) are designed to support research projects that specifically focus on translation to human testing. MBGs are opportunities for independent investigators at all levels to apply for additional, or "boost," resources for innovative, clinical-enabling projects. MBGs offer 2 stages of funding: Stage I requires the investigator to develop outcome-specific, unequivocal milestones that reduce the risks of studying a new drug, device, or procedure in patients. Stage II supports testing in cancer patients.

Research Scholar Grant

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: Research Scholar Grants (RSG) provide support for independent, self-directed researchers. Applicants' institutions must provide space and other resources customary for independent investigators. Grant proposals are investigator-initiated and may pursue questions across the cancer research continuum, as long as they fit within an American Cancer Society (ACS) priority research area. These grants typically contribute to the cost of salaries, consumable supplies, and other miscellaneous items required in the research.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) support new investigators in research training programs to position them for independent careers in cancer research. As part of their evaluation, peer reviewers consider how well the fellowship will broaden the applicant’s research training and experience

Clinician Scientist Development Grant (CSDG)

• Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: The Clinician Scientist Development Grant (CSDG) supports full-time faculty members in becoming independent investigators as clinician scientists. This grant is designed for people trained primarily as clinicians who want to maintain clinical practice and conduct cancer research.

Cancer Research Institute

Clinical Innovator Award

• Initial Protocol Concept Deadline: 12/01/25
• Full Application Deadline: 04/04/26
• Purpose: The Clinical Innovator provides $1 million in funding (timeline not specified; direct costs only) for innovative phase I/II or phase II clinical studies using novel immunotherapies. In addition to the merits of the clinical and scientific rationale, studies will be selected based on their novelty, feasibility, and clinical impact. Competitive applications will have a strong focus on yielding mechanistic insights into clinical response and potentials for biomarker discovery and/or validation. CRI will coordinate efforts on selected trials by advising on the following areas: standardizing sample collection, correlative assays, analysis, and data sharing, including, if applicable, deposition of immunogenomic data into the CRI iATLAS platform.

Clinic and Laboratory Integration Program (CLIP) grants

• Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/01/25
• Purpose: CLIP supports pre-clinical and translational research that can be directly applied to optimizing cancer immunotherapy in the clinic. CRI CLIP Grants are awarded to qualified scientists exploring clinically relevant questions aimed at improving the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. CRI CLIP Grants provide up to $150,000 per year for two years. 

Budget: Up to $150,000; 12 months 

Next Application Deadline: TBD

The goal of the University of Illinois Cancer Center Team Science Award is to catalyze the submission of cancer-focused multi-project applications (Program Project (P-) or Cooperative Agreement (U-) type grant mechanisms) to the National Cancer Institute. 

Past Awardees

2025

• Tissue Microenvironmental Regulation of Pre-Cancer Progression to Invasive Lung Cancer: Jalees Rehman, MD; Andrei Karginov, PhD; Ekrem Emrah Er, PhD; Ameen Salahudeen, MD, PhD; and Alexander Adibekian, PhD.

2024

• Collaborative research project to gather pilot data to develop a next-generation cancer cohort to understand the causes and racial and ethnic disparities in early-onset cancers: Kristen Malecki, PhD, MPH; Yamilé Molina, PhD; and Lisa Tussing-Humphreys, PhD, MS, RD

Budget: Up to $25,000; 12 months

Application Deadline: December 5, 2025 (5 p.m.)

Click this link for details and to submit your application.

The University of Illinois Cancer Center has partnered with UICentre, the campus-wide drug discovery initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), for a collaborative grant program — called U2D2 — directed at the development of new anti-cancer therapeutics. UICentre, in partnership with the High-Throughput Screening and Biophysics Cores of the UIC Research Resources Core, exists to create and support drug discovery collaborations by providing bioassay development, chemical library screening, hit counter-screening and biophysical confirmation of compound binding and activity, hit-to-lead medicinal chemistry optimization, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK), and lead compound selection.

Past Awardees

2024 (3rd Round)

• Discovery of ISGylation inhibitors for Breast Cancer Metastasis and Immune Modulation: Ekrem Emrah Er, PhD, (PI) and Terry Moore, PhD (Co-PI)

2023 (2nd Round)

• Development of IGF1R inhibitors with reduced INSR-cross reactivity to target SOX2-positive prostate cancer: Donald Vander Griend, PhD, (PI), Malaika Argade, PhD, (Co-I)
• Allosteric binders of BiP for Prostate Cancer: Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD, (PI)

2022 (Inaugural Round)

• Identification of GBM Subtype Specific small molecule inhibitors for therapeutics development:Zilai Wang, PhD (PI); Lijun Rong, PhD (Co-I); Yuwei Jiang, PhD (Co-I); 
• Bioassay development to discover lipid-Src interaction inhibitors, as potential therapeutics for triple-negative breast cancer: Wonhwa Cho, PhD (PI)

Funding will be made available to support high-accruing treatment clinical trials. Trials may include any treatment area of cancer, including, but not limited to, advanced or early-stage disease, or in supportive care. Trials must be considered therapeutic, and full accrual should be feasible within 12-24 months. Funds will generally be used to cover start-up and study personnel time, but may also be used for specimen collection (including research biopsy) and processing.

Budget: Up to $50,000; 12 months 

Next Application Deadline: TBD

The University of Illinois Cancer Center Pilot Project Program offers funding for projects proposed by its members to encourage new collaborative cancer research projects. The purpose of these pilot project grants is to stimulate new inter-programmatic research initiatives that lead to competitive grant applications to external peer-reviewed funding organizations, specifically organizations on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) peer review list.

The Hope Leaders program, run by the Cancer Centers Office of Community Engagement and Health Equity, empowers community organizations to communicate the health needs of the communities they represent directly to Cancer Center researchers. Additionally, it allows researchers and their labs to engage community partners about projects that may ultimately benefit local populations, while giving community partners opportunities to provide input.

Each community partner receives a $20,000 grant ($10,000 in the first year; $10,000 in the second year, dependent on study progress).

Each cancer biologist receives $30,000 ($20,000 in the first year; $10,000 in the second year, dependent on study progress).

• Application Deadline: TBD
• Amount: $15,000

The Richard B. Warnecke, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellowship program strives to meet an imperative need to train exceptionally talented and diverse scientists engaged in cancer health disparities research addressing issues across the cancer continuum from etiology and primary prevention to treatment and survivorship.

The award is named after the late Richard B. Warnecke, PhD, Professor Emeritus, and a longtime Cancer Center member and a national leader in cancer control research. For more than 40 years, he conducted research and community outreach that provided immeasurable service to women with cancer. His effort was in addressing inequities in health outcomes, going well beyond simply identifying risk factors. He worked to develop and implement interventions that made a difference in so many women’s lives.

To learn more or if you have questions, contact the Cancer Center office of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) at crtec@uic.edu.

Past Awardees

2024 Graham Read, PhD, for research into health disparities associated with microRNA biology.

2025 William Chadwick, DO, for a research project with a goal of developing a more accurate and equitable method to predict outcomes in uveal melanoma, a rare but often fatal eye cancer in adults.

• Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
• Amount: $500

The University of Illinois Cancer Center is accepting applications for Spring 2026 Trainee Travel Awards. The awards will provide $500 each to three trainees in the spring semester to cover the costs of travel and registration to present their cancer-related research at a conference or scientific meeting.

Travel awards are offered annually in the spring and fall.

Apply Here