AACR Maximizing Opportunity for New Advancements in Research in Cancer (MONARCA) Grant for Latin America

Cancer is a major burden to public health in Latin America. Among the many concomitant challenges is a need to generate local evidence and knowledge upon which appropriate clinical, public health, and policy guidelines can be built. Historically, the pool of Latin American cancer researchers in the region has been limited, in part because early-career funding mechanisms to help launch junior investigators into research careers are very limited. A pipeline of talented, creative, and skilled young Latin American investigators needs to be cultivated to generate knowledge that can be used to address cancer control and treatment in Latin America. Furthermore, the development of such academic and research pursuits in Latin America can provide opportunities to advance the region’s need for biomedical, economic, academic, and social development on a variety of levels.

The AACR Maximizing Opportunity for New Advancements in Research in Cancer (MONARCA) Grant for Latin America represents an AACR initiative to address this need by promoting and supporting early-career investigators in Latin America to establish a successful career path in cancer research, thereby increasing and sustaining a cadre of talented cancer researchers in Latin America.

The research proposed for funding may be in any area of cancer research, including descriptive epidemiology, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, supportive and palliative care, behavioral research, and cancer survivorship. These grants are intended to catalyze subsequent application for funding from other funding sources, not to support longer term research. Each grant will provide $55,000 USD over two 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), and/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 limited to no more than 10% of the total grant amount. Up to $10,000 USD may be allocated from the grant to support travel applicable to the research project and relevant scientific meetings, including mandatory attendance at the Annual Grantee Recognition Event. The grants are not intended for principal investigators outside of Latin America, although collaborative research projects are encouraged. All funds provided must be spent in Latin America with the exception of limited support for travel to international scientific meetings and conferences.