Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards to Promote Diversity and Inclusion Grant

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards aim to support early-career investigators conducting innovative research relevant to breast cancer. Grants of $150,000 over two years cover various research-related expenses, including salaries and supplies. Eligible applicants must hold a doctoral degree and a faculty position, and they should work at an academic or research institution worldwide. This initiative also emphasizes addressing cancer health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation-AACR Career Development Awards represent a joint effort to promote and support innovative research led by early-career investigators. The proposed project may be basic, translational, clinical, or population-based research in nature and must have direct applicability and relevance to breast cancer.
Proposed projects must be basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, population health, and/or community-based cancer research projects designed to accelerate the discovery, development, and application of new agents to treat breast cancer. Research that aims to advance the science of understanding cancer health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities that has relevance to breast cancer will also be considered.
Funding
The grants provide $150,000 over two years for expenses related to the research project, which may include salary and benefits of the grant recipient and any collaborator, postdoctoral or clinical research fellows, graduate students (including tuition costs associated with graduate students’ education and training), research assistants; research/laboratory supplies; equipment; publication charges for manuscripts that pertain directly to the funded project; and other research expenses.

Eligibility

Applicants must have a doctoral degree (including PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral or professional degree.
At the start of the grant term on July 1, 2026, applicants must:

• Hold a faculty position with the title of assistant professor, instructor, research assistant professor, or the equivalent
• If eligibility is based on a future position, the position must be confirmed at the time of application and CANNOT be contingent upon receiving this grant.

If the future position is at a different institution than the applicant’s current institution, the applicant must contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration Department (RGA) at grants@aacr.org before submitting their application for information on additional verification materials/signatures that may be required.
Have started their first independent faculty position within the past 6 years from the grant start date (i.e. cannot have held an independent faculty position before July 1, 2020).
Have independent laboratory space as confirmed by their institution.
Work at an academic, medical, or research institution anywhere in the world.Applicants must be AACR Active members in good standing (dues paid for the current year).
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member.