Trialect

+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Verified

Cancer Grand Challenges - Cancer avoidance

Cancer Grand Challenges

This is a new challenge, which we announced in March 2025. It is open for Expressions of Interest, with the successful team(s) being awarded up to £20m ($25m) to tackle it. Submissions are due by 18 June 2025.

Context

Cancer research has traditionally focused on identifying drivers of cancer rather than barriers to its development. Intriguingly, there are sub-sets of individuals with well-established cancer risks who, despite this predisposition, never develop cancer. For example, over 20% of patients with BRCA1 germline mutations, will not get cancer and only 10-20% of heavy smokers will suffer from lung cancer, in their lifetimes. Furthermore, although cancer risk generally increases with age, paradoxically, after age 80-85, the incidence of many cancers starts to plateau or even decline.

Similarly, certain human progeria syndromes, such as Hutchinson-Gilford, appear resistant to cancer despite significant cellular stress. Additionally, some larger long-lived mammals exhibit unexpectedly low cancer incidence, a phenomenon known as Peto’s paradox.

Several biological and epidemiological explanations have been proposed to explain these observations. However, the mechanistic basis underlying these phenomena remain unexplained.

This challenge seeks to uncover the biological mechanisms underpinning tumour resilience in the host to understand what protects certain individuals from developing cancer.

Vision and impact

This challenge will identify the underlying mechanisms as to why some individuals manage to avoid cancer, despite predisposition, due to genetic or lifestyle risk factors or extreme old age.

These findings could change our understanding of cancer development, inform novel therapeutic approaches and ultimately help devise cancer prevention strategies for the general population.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Mechanisms that prevent cancer initiation and development are likely diverse, involving a complex interplay of molecular, cellular, and systemic factors such as immune surveillance, inflammation, lifestyle and environmental exposures, including diet. Individuals may also possess rare protective mechanisms against tumour initiation, making them difficult to detect.

A major challenge in understanding cancer evasion is the scarcity of longitudinal data on high-risk individuals who remain cancer-free. Additional complexities include the influence of risk-reducing strategies and selection bias, known as the ‘Survivor Effect’.

Addressing this challenge may require a systems-wide approach, utilising adequately powered and phenotypically rich cohorts and integrating fields such as, but not limited to genomics, ageing, immunology, metabolism, epidemiology, comparative zoology and artificial intelligence.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Cancer Grand Challenges

Sponsor Type: Corporate

Address: 2 Redman Place London, E20 1JQ

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity