+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Not Verified

Emerging Leader Award

Mark Foundation for Cancer Research

The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Awards support innovative cancer research from the next generation of leaders. These grants are awarded to outstanding early career investigators to support high-impact, high-risk projects that are distinct from their current research portfolio.

Award Terms

The grant amount is $250,000 per year for three (3) years totaling $750,000.
Indirect costs are not to exceed 10% of direct costs and are included in the total.
Emerging Leader Awards are granted to a single investigator; co-investigators are not permitted. The award may be used to support projects carried out with collaborators, who may provide letters of support.
The letter of agreement will include IP terms with a revenue sharing component.
Award start date will be January 1, 2026.

Submission Process

Letters of Intent must be submitted through the online application system no later than 5 PM Eastern Time on May 5, 2025. Registration and email address verification are required. Notifications will be sent from the application system so please be sure these emails are not caught in spam filters.
The initial Letter of Intent should include:
- Project Title
- Project Summary: description of the proposed project, including a concise discussion of the rationale, experimental approach, innovation, and potential impact (350 words).
- Statement of Project Distinction: brief paragraph describing how the proposed project is unique from the main focus of the lab and prior research activities.
Applicants will also be requested to provide a biosketch (NIH format or similar) and a list of current grants and other funding supporting the lab.
The initial review process of the Letters of Intent will conceal the applicant’s name and institution. Please avoid citations and references to the applicant and institution name in the Project Summary and Statement of Project Distinction.
After the Letters of Intent have been evaluated, full applications will be accepted by invitation only.

Key Dates

March 26, 2025: Letter of intent portal opens
May 5, 2025: Letters of intent due by 5 pm ET
Week of June 16: Applications invited
July 28, 2025: Applications due by 5 pm ET
Week of September 29: Finalists notified
Week of October 13, 2025: Virtual interviews of finalists
January 1, 2026: Grant start date

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Novel, High-Risk/High-Reward Science

The foundation seeks bold, disruptive projects that challenge existing paradigms in cancer biology or treatment. Proposals with truly original ideas stand out.

🎯 2. Deep Mechanistic Insight

They emphasize understanding mechanisms underlying cancer processes, drug resistance, tumor microenvironments, and biomarkers. Projects should go beyond descriptive research.

🧪 3. Translational Potential & Future Impact

Although centered on mechanistic discovery, successful projects often include clear pathways toward translation—such as drug targets, new technologies, or clinically applicable tools.

🏅 4. Strong Investigator Track Record & Independence

Emergence as a leader in your field—supported by quality publications and funding—matters.

For early-career investigators, demonstrated independence and ability to carry a research program are key.

🧩 5. Interdisciplinary Collaboration & Institutional Support

Projects that blend disciplines—like cancer biology with engineering or quantitative approaches—are favored.

Institutional resources such as core facilities, mentorship, or team support strengthen applications.

📈 6. Foundation for Follow-On Funding

Like many seed programs, the Mark Foundation expects grants to generate data leading to larger-scale awards (e.g., R01, team-based grants). Be explicit about this trajectory.

📝 7. Ethics, Rigor & Reproducibility

Applicants must show commitment to best practices in experimental design (e.g., power estimates, controls, blinding, replication) to ensure data trustworthiness.

✅ Summary Table

Predictor	Why It Matters
Disruptive science	Core to the foundation’s mission
Mechanistic depth	Shows scientific rigor
Translational vision	Indicates broader impact
Investigator strength	Demonstrates capability
Interdisciplinary scope	Reflects modern cancer research
Follow-on trajectory	Seeds future major funding
Rigorous methodology	Ensures reproducibility and trust

💡 Tips to Maximize Your Application

Articulate bold novelty—frame your work as a game‑changer in cancer science.

Explain mechanisms clearly, with proposed experiments that reveal actionable biology.

Outline downstream potential—how will this lead to tangible tools or therapies?

Include interdisciplinary components—seek collaborators from other fields or quantitative disciplines.

Demonstrate institutional readiness, with named supports and shared resources.

Define a path to follow-on grants, outlining which agencies or larger programs your data will support.

Ensure design rigor, including statistical planning, replication strategies, and transparent reporting.

Specialties

Cancer

Eligibility Requirements

MD, PhD, or equivalent is required.
Applicants must be employed by a U.S. or Canadian non-profit academic institution.
Applicants must be three to eight years from the start of an independent faculty appointment as of December 31, 2025 (i.e., the official start date of the appointment must fall within the calendar years 2017-2022). Exceptions due to prolonged medical or family leave will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
This award is not intended to be the main source of funding for the applicant’s laboratory. Applicants must demonstrate multi-year independent funding that sustains the central activities of the laboratory (e.g., at least one or two grants such as NIH/R01, NSF/CAREER, or equivalently substantial multi-year awards). Individual eligibility will be determined during the review process.
Projects for this award must be centered on evidence-based laboratory, data, and/or medical science.
Proposed projects must not be supported by other sources of funding. Finalists will be asked to discuss any potential overlap with other current or pending awards during the interview.
Only one submission per applicant is permitted.
If selected, finalists must be available for virtual interviews in October 2025.
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other legally protected characteristics.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Mark Foundation for Cancer Research

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 1350 6th Ave, New York, NY 10019

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