The Clinician Scientist Development Grant (CSDG) supports full-time faculty members in becoming independent investigators as clinician scientists. This grant is designed for people trained primarily as clinicians who want to maintain clinical practice and conduct cancer research.
Awards may be for 3 to 5 years with $135,000 a year for direct costs, plus 8% allowable indirect costs.
Application Deadlines
June 1, 2025 and December 1, 2025
Your proposal must align with at least one of ACS's six priority research areas:
etiology, screening/diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, health equity, or obesity/HEAL
Clearly articulate how your work advances one of these domains.
For Research Scholar Grants, applicants must be full-time faculty within 10 years of their first independent appointment and not holding another R01-equivalent grant
Analysis shows funded applicants often had ≥3 years of research experience, with 72% having prior publications vs. 37% for unfunded applicants
MD–PhDs tend to succeed more often than PhDs than pure MDs, but a strong track record is critical .
ACS aims to “fund the best science” — proposals are rigorously peer reviewed based on significance, innovation, and approach
Strong grantsmanship is essential: projects should address big, unanswered questions, be hypothesis-driven, and avoid “domino” aims that depend on prior results
Use clear, concise, typo-free writing accessible to both specialist and general reviewers
Limit to 2–3 self-contained aims, each testable independently
Provide solid preliminary data, and include contingency plans — follow-up aims should not hinge on earlier successes .
Applications receive two assigned independent reviews, discussed in a Peer Review Committee (12–25 experts + community members), followed by review by the Discovery Scientific Council
Funded projects are typically ranked highly during these deliberations.
Applicants must confirm institutional support, including space, resources, and oversight, and ensure eligibility (e.g., no competing major grants) .
Grants vary by mechanism:
RSGs: up to $215K/year (plus 10% indirect), ≤4 years
Discovery Boost: $135K/year, 2 years
TheoryLab Collaborative: ~$60K for 1-year pilot, co-led by two investigators
Ensure budgets are well-justified, appropriately scoped, and matched to project milestones.
Use promotional but accurate language to highlight novelty, as such language is statistically linked to funding success .
Craft compelling Specific Aims and an engaging abstract to grab reviewers' attention early
Applicants receive review critiques and can revise/resubmit; persistence and incorporation of feedback boost success
Predictor | What to Address |
---|---|
ACS priority area | Clearly link to one of six research focus areas |
Investigator eligibility | Faculty ≤10 years post-independence; no other R01s |
Track record | ≥3 years experience; strong publication history |
Innovation & aims | Big ideas; 2–3 self-contained, hypothesis-driven aims |
Preliminary data | Present and support feasibility |
Budget & timeline | Well-justified and milestone-aligned |
Institutional support | Space, resources, formal backing |
Writing & grantsmanship | Clarity, readability, minimal jargon, engaging voice |
Peer review readiness | High-scoring in committee and council evaluations |
Resubmission planning | Use critique to strengthen future applications |
🔧 Pro Tips
Engage early with ACS Scientific Directors to align your idea with suitable funding mechanisms.
Have a non-specialist read your Specific Aims to ensure clarity.
Balance novelty with feasibility — don’t overpromise.
Practice resubmissions; feedback-driven improvements increase competitiveness.
You ARE eligible to submit a proposal if you:
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Cancer Society
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 270 Peachtree St NW, Suite 1300 Atlanta , GA 30303
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Dec 01, 2025
Dec 01, 2025
$135,000
Affiliation: American Cancer Society
Address: 270 Peachtree St NW, Suite 1300 Atlanta , GA 30303
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.