AACR-Kids Beating Cancer Margaret Guedes Monosomy 7 Legacy Cancer Research Grant
Despite advances in the molecular characterization and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), outcomes remain poor for patients with adverse cytogenetic features. Monosomy 7 AML, whether occurring in pediatric or adult populations, represents a biologically aggressive disease subtype associated with therapy resistance, relapse, and limited long-term survival. Kids Beating Cancer and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) are proud to announce the AACR-Kids Beating Cancer Margaret Guedes Monosomy 7 Legacy Cancer Research Grant.
This grant seeks to support innovative research aimed at advancing biological understanding, identifying therapeutic vulnerabilities, improving response assessment, addressing relapse, and enhancing survivorship—especially in monosomy 7 and related high-risk cytogenetic subtypes. The program aims to accelerate progress toward improved outcomes for patients with high-risk AML subtypes for which effective treatment options and long-term outcomes remain limited.
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 monosomy 7 AML and/or other rare, high-risk AML subtypes.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. Please read all program guidelines and instructions carefully before submitting an application.
Research projects must address a critical unmet need in monosomy 7 AML and/or other rare, high-risk cytogenetic AML subtypes that remain poorly understood or inadequately treated despite existing funding mechanisms.
Proposed research projects must be basic, translational, clinical, and/or population sciences in nature, with a clear rationale for how findings could enable improved diagnosis, risk stratification, therapeutic targeting, treatment response prediction, survivorship, or durable remission for patients with high-risk AML. Projects should be innovative, hypothesis-driven, and designed to yield meaningful outputs such as biomarkers, therapeutic vulnerabilities, rational combination strategies, clinical insights, care delivery approaches, survivorship interventions, or trial-enabling datasets.
Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:
- Disease mechanisms underlying monosomy 7 and related cytogenetic abnormalities
- Identification and validation of therapeutic vulnerabilities and relapse-driving pathways
- Biomarkers and MRD strategies tailored to high-risk AML
- Translational studies enabling novel drug combinations, targeted therapies, or trial-enabling resources for rare AML subgroups
- Clinical research informing treatment selection, response assessment, supportive care, or long-term disease management in high-risk AML
- Population sciences research addressing care patterns, treatment access, disparities in high-risk AML
- Survivorship projects targeting late effects, quality of life, and long-term follow-up in pediatric, AYA, and adult survivors
- Pediatric- and AYA-relevant biology, clinical questions, and survivorship considerations in monosomy 7 AML and related high-risk subtypes
Projects that primarily extend well-established pathways, replicate heavily funded clinical trials, or focus on broadly favorable-risk AML without clear relevance to high-risk cytogenetic subsets are outside the scope of this funding opportunity.
At the start of the grant term (April 1, 2027), applicants must:
- Have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field.
- Be independent (non-mentored) 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 (April 1, 2027), 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., April 1, 2027). Also, the terms of their current grant must stipulate that the final progress reports be approved by the AACR before April 1, 2027.
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 members in the Active Membership category 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 submission deadline will be considered ineligible.
Please note: This program will be available on the ProposalCentral website to initiate an application beginning Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time.
The AACR requires applicants to complete an online Application submission by 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, using the ProposalCentral website.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available in PDF format.