Conquer Cancer: Young Investigator Award (YIA)

The Award provides funding to promising investigators to promote quality research in clinical oncology. The purpose is to fund physicians during the transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment. This is a mentored award and the research project is conducted under the guidance of an experienced mentor in the proposed research area. Applications in the applicable areas of cancer research are accepted from U.S. and international applicants.

Eligibility:

• A physician (MD, DO, or international equivalent) working in any country. An MD, PhD is eligible if both degrees are completed prior to the start of the grant period.
• At the time of application submission, the applicant must satisfy at least one of the following career stage criteria:
  • Within the last two years of their final accredited oncology subspecialty training or fellowship program at an academic medical institution. Eligible programs include, but are not limited to, medical oncology, hematology-oncology, surgical oncology, gynecologic oncology or radiation oncology residency.
  • Enrolled in an oncology training program where the dedicated, protected research year is structured to occur during the first year of the program (e.g. standard gynecologic oncology or specialized surgical oncology fellowship.
  • Completed their subspecialty training and is within their first year of initial full-time academic faculty appointment (including instructor-level positions).

NOTE: Applicants who do not meet any of the defined career stage criteria and have questions about their eligibility must contact grants@conquer.org before initiating an application.  Inquiries must include the applicant’s current CV alongside a detailed explanation of their career stage.

• Within 10 years of obtaining their medical degree at the time of application submission. An exception to this criterion may be granted to foreign medical graduates whose medical degree completion may fall outside of the 10-year cutoff and to fellows currently enrolled in prolonged, specialized subspecialty tracks. Please see the FAQ for more information or contact grants@conquer.org.
• Planning an investigative career in oncology.
• Have a valid, active medical license in the country where the research will be conducted at the time of application.
• Working in an oncology laboratory or clinical research setting.
• Have a mentor from the sponsoring institution. If the mentor is not an ASCO member, a supporting letter from an ASCO member from the sponsoring institution must be included.
• A current ASCO member or have submitted a membership application with the grant application. To apply for new membership, or to renew an existing membership, visit asco.org/membership.
• Able to commit at least 60% of their time to research (applies to total research activities overall, not just the proposed YIA project) during the award period.

Eligible applicants may apply to both the YIA general and special competitions. However, they may only accept the first formal grant offer they receive, Individuals are permitted to hold only one active Conquer Cancer award at a time.

NOTE: While first year faculty may apply for either the YIA and the Career Development Award (CDA) programs, they are restricted to a single submission. Applicants may only submit one application to either the YIA or the CDA competition and may not submit to both programs simultaneously.

Applicants who are uncertain about their eligibility are encouraged to refer to the Eligibility section in the FAQ or email grants@conquer.org for clarification and provide their latest CV for evaluation.

For 2027, dedicated donor funding in available for specific areas including but not limited to those listed below. Applications should be submitted under the YIA general competition.

• ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) related cancers
• Breast cancers
• Colon cancer
• Genomics
• Therapeutics
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pediatric cancers
• Prostate cancer
• Sarcoma
• Northern California-based researchers

Funding:  The YIA is a one-year grant totaling $50,000 .

www.asco.org/career-development/grants-awards/funding-opportunities/young-investigator-award