AACR-Debbie’s Dream Foundation Gastric Cancer Innovation and Discovery Grant
The AACR-Debbie’s Dream Foundation Gastric Cancer Innovation and Discovery Grant is a grant mechanism that seeks to encourage innovation and translation of ideas from basic research into new treatment options for gastric cancer. Applications are invited from researchers currently in the field as well as investigators with experience in other areas of cancer or biomedical research.
This Grant provides $50,000 over one year for expenses related to the research project. Grant funds may be used for direct and indirect research expenses attributable to the project, which may include supplemental salary support, equipment, research/laboratory supplies, and other research expenses.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. Please read all program guidelines and instructions carefully before submitting an Application.
These grants will support basic, translational, and/or clinical research projects that examine important and druggable* novel targets and/or biomarkers that are relevant for gastric cancer.
*For the purposes of this grant program, a "druggable" target is defined as a nucleic acid or a protein (e.g., an enzyme, a receptor) whose activity can be modified by a drug. The drug can be a small- molecular weight chemical compound or a biological, such as an antibody or a recombinant protein. The target should have been shown to be effective/mechanistically involved in cancer by relevant in vitro or in vivo models. A cancer-related biomarker might be a protein, a nucleic acid, or a metabolite that can be measured in biological fluids, tissue, or isolated cells for the diagnosis, monitoring, prognosis, or stratification of patients.
At the start of the grant term (November 1, 2026), applicants must:
- Have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field.
- Be independent investigators
- 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 [email protected] before submission to confirm they will hold an eligible position.
- 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.
- Be postdoctoral or clinical research fellows or the equivalent who are working under the auspices of a scientific mentor. Qualified fellows are invited to apply for an AACR Fellowship.
- Be members of the Scientific Review Committee.
- 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 1, 2026.
All applicants with questions about eligibility should contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration at [email protected] before submitting an application.
There are no citizenship or geographic requirements. However, by submitting an application for this grant, applicants applying from an institution in a country where they are not a citizen or permanent resident confirm that their work status will allow them to complete the project and grant term.
By the submission deadline, applicants must be AACR “Active” members in good standing (dues paid for the current year):
- Information on AACR membership, including membership categories, dues rates, and steps for lapsed or nonmembers, can be accessed on our membership website.
- Assistance with membership can be requested by submitting a myAACR help form or by contacting our Membership Department at [email protected]
- Applicants whose membership is not in good standing or nonmembers who do not apply for membership by the submission deadline will be considered ineligible.
The AACR requires applicants to complete an online Application submission by 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, using the ProposalCentral website.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available in PDF format.