AACR Gertrude B. Elion Cancer Research Award

At the start of the grant term on November 1, 2026, applicants must:

• Have a doctoral degree (including PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral degree.
• Hold a tenure-eligible appointment (or equivalent, if institution does not follow a tenure system) 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. Applicants cannot be tenured or under consideration for a tenured academic position at the time of the application. Applicants that have progressed to associate professor appointments are also not eligible.)
  • If eligibility is based on a future position, the position must be confirmed at the time of application, and CANNOT be contingent upon receiving this grant.
  • If the future position is at a different institution than the applicant’s current institution, the applicant must contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration Department (AACR’s RGA) at [email protected] before submitting their application for information on additional verification materials/signatures that may be required.
• Have started their first independent faculty position within the past 6 years from the start of the grant term (as indicated on the employment offer letter). Exceptions to the 6-year window may be granted for up to 12 months of parental or justified personal/family leave. Applicants exceeding the 6-year limit who believe they are eligible must contact the AACR’s RGA before submitting their Letter of Intent.
• Have independent laboratory space as confirmed by their institution.
• Work at an academic, medical, or research institution anywhere in the world.

At the start of the grant term (November 1, 2026), applicants cannot:

• Be a candidate for a further doctoral degree.
• Be an employee or subcontractor of a U.S. federal government entity or for-profit private industry. They may serve as collaborators, but no grant funds may be directed toward these individuals.
• Concurrently hold another AACR grant.
  • Current AACR grantees may apply only if their current grant ends before the start of the grant term for this funding opportunity (i.e., November 1, 2026). Also, the terms of their current grant must stipulate that the final progress reports be approved by the AACR before November, 2026.
• Hold an appointment with the title of associate professor, research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor.
• Be tenured or under consideration for a tenured academic position at the time of the application.
• Be, or have been, a Principal Investigator on a substantial independent research award (e.g., an NIH R01 award, DP2 award, DP5 award, MIRA award, or the equivalent). These individuals are invited to apply for AACR grants for independent investigators.
  • For the purposes of this grant, a substantial independent research award is defined as a grant that offers at least $250,000 (direct) per year for more than three years and must have undergone a peer-review process by active researchers and physician-scientists.