Lustgarten Foundation-AACR Career Development Award for Pancreatic Cancer Research, in Honor of John Robert Lewis
These awards honor the lives and legacies of two extraordinary Americans, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John R. Lewis. Selection is competitive and will be based on outstanding accomplishments in scientific research, quality of the research proposal, and fit with the goals and mission of the Lustgarten Foundation.
This Award represents a joint effort to encourage and support early career scientists engaged in pancreatic cancer research relevant to the goals and mission of the Lustgarten Foundation. The proposed project may be basic, translational, clinical, or population sciences related research and must have direct applicability and relevance to the understanding, detection, diagnosis, or treatment of pancreatic cancer. Applications are invited from researchers currently in the field as well as investigators with experience in other areas of cancer or biomedical research who have promising ideas and approaches that can be applied to pancreatic cancer research.
The grant provides $300,000 over three years for expenses related to the research project, which may include salary and benefits of the grant recipient, any collaborators, postdoctoral or clinical research fellows, graduate students (including tuition costs associated with graduate students’ education and training), or research assistants; research/laboratory supplies; equipment; publication charges for manuscripts that pertain directly to the funded project; and other research expenses. Indirect costs are not allowable expenses. Grantees supported through this Program will have the opportunity to interact and/or collaborate with other investigators from the network of Lustgarten Foundation-funded investigators and laboratories as well as leading investigators in the AACR’s grantee community.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. Please read all guidelines and instructions carefully before submitting an application.
Proposed projects may be in basic, translational, clinical, or population sciences related research and must have direct applicability and relevance to the understanding, detection, diagnosis, or treatment of pancreatic cancer and be aligned with the goals and priorities of the Lustgarten Foundation.
Applicants must be investigators with a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field and not currently a candidate for a further doctoral degree, an AACR Active member in good standing (dues paid for the current year), and a member of the Minorities in Cancer Research (MICR) constituency group.
At the start of the grant term on July 1, 2026, applicants must:
- Hold a faculty 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 eligible. Applicants that have progressed to associate professor appointments are not eligible.
- If eligibility is based on a future position, the applicant must contact the AACR’s RGA at [email protected] before submitting their application for information on additional verification materials/signatures that may be required.
- Have independent laboratory space and be able to hold independent funding as confirmed by their institution.
- Work at an academic, medical, or research institution anywhere in the world.
There are no citizenship or geographic requirements. However, by submitting an application for this grant, an applicant applying from an institution located in a country in which they are not a citizen or permanent resident assures that the visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term at the institution from which they applied.
Applicants must be AACR Active members in good standing (dues paid for the current year). Please be informed that no dues are required for members located in countries building cancer research capacities (view list of eligible countries here). Nonmembers interested in this grant opportunity must submit a satisfactory application for AACR membership by the Application deadline. Nonmembers can apply for membership online. Please review the Membership Categories for the category that best fits your qualifications. Nonmembers must obtain a statement of support from a nominator with is an Active AACR member in good standing (dues paid for the current year). Nonmembers requiring assistance with finding a nominator may email [email protected] and include your geographical location to receive a list of members in your area to contact for nominations. For more information check the membership FAQ. Members can renew their membership through myAACR. You will need your logon (email address) and password to access the member portal. If you require assistance logging in, please submit a help form. Lapsed members must be members in good standing by the Application deadline and should contact the Membership Department at [email protected] for assistance.
AACR members who wish to join MICR should log in to the AACR Membership Portal and navigate to the “Groups” tab. Before selecting a constituency group, members should ensure that their profile information including name, degree, research interests, and other relevant details is accurate and up to date. Once the profile is complete, members can select their desired constituency group. Please note that membership in these groups must be renewed annually, in conjunction with AACR membership renewal.
The AACR requires applicants to complete an online Application submission by 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, January 6, 2026, using the ProposalCentral website.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. Please read all guidelines and instructions carefully before submitting an application.