AACR-AstraZeneca Career Development Award for Physician-Scientists, in Honor of José Baselga
The AACR-AstraZeneca Career Development Award for Physician-Scientists, in Honor of José Baselga was established to honor the life and legacy of Dr. José Baselga, who was a scientific leader and supportive mentor to an entire generation of physician-scientists. Dr. Baselga’s research focused on novel molecular targeted therapeutics and he played a leading role in the clinical development of multiple cancer drugs. The intent of this program is to encourage and support early-career physician-scientists to conduct research and bolster the development of innovative targeted therapeutics. The proposed projects may be translational, clinical, or population sciences in nature and focused on all aspects of oncology.
The grant provides $300,000 over a period of three years for expenses related to the research project, which may include salary and benefits of the grant recipient and any collaborator, 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 permitted.
Please review all Program Guidelines and Competitive Letter of Intent Instructions before submitting a Letter of Intent.
Research projects must be in any area of translational, clinical, or population sciences cancer research.
At the start of the grant term (November 1, 2026), applicants must:
- Have a medical degree (MD, MD/PhD, DO, or equivalent) in a related field.
- Hold a faculty position with the title of assistant professor, instructor, research assistant professor, or the equivalent. Applicants who have progressed to associate professor appointments are not eligible.
- 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 submitting their Letter of Intent to confirm they will hold an eligible position.
- 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.
- Be able to commit at least 50% of full-time effort in research (applies to total research, not just the proposed project) during the grant term. Commitments less than 50% may be allowed and will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the AACR’s RGA.
- Have independent laboratory space and be able to hold independent funding as confirmed by their institution.
- Have a valid, active medical license in the country where the research will be conducted.
- 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 1, 2026.
- 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.
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 a 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.
By the Letter of Intent submission deadline, applicants must be AACR Active members in good standing (dues paid for the current year):
• Information on AACR membership, including membership categories, due 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 Letter of Intent submission deadline will be considered ineligible.
The AACR requires applicants to complete an online Letter of Intent submission by 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, using the ProposalCentral website at https://proposalcentral.com.
Please review all Program Guidelines and Competitive Letter of Intent Instructions before submitting a Letter of Intent.