Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards, a joint effort of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the American Association for Cancer Research, support early-career investigators conducting basic, translational, clinical or population-based research with direct relevance to breast cancer. Projects may be basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, population-health or community-based research designed to accelerate the discovery, development and application of new agents to treat breast cancer; research on cancer health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities relevant to breast cancer is also considered. Each award provides $375,000 over three years from 1 July 2027 for project expenses, which may include salaries and benefits of the recipient, collaborators, postdoctoral or clinical fellows, graduate students (including tuition) and research assistants, plus supplies, equipment and publication charges. A letter of intent is due through ProposalCentral by 1:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on 15 December 2026; invited applications are due on 1 April 2027 and decisions are expected in June 2027.

At the start of the grant term (1 July 2027) applicants must hold a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD or equivalent) in a related field and a faculty position as assistant professor, instructor, research assistant professor or equivalent; have started their first independent faculty position on or after 1 July 2021 (up to 12 months of parental or justified leave may be excepted); have independent laboratory space confirmed by their institution; and work at an academic, medical or research institution anywhere in the world. Applicants cannot be candidates for a further doctoral degree, employees or subcontractors of a U.S. federal government entity or for-profit industry, concurrent AACR grantees, or current or former principal investigators of a substantial independent research award (at least $250,000 direct per year for more than three years, such as an NIH R01, DP2, DP5 or MIRA). Applicants must be AACR Active members in good standing by the letter-of-intent deadline. There are no citizenship or geographic requirements.