Hope Funds for Cancer Research: Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant

Hope Funds for Cancer Research: Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Hope Funds For Cancer Research
Amount: US $181,500
Last Updated: July 10, 2025

Summary

The Hope Funds for Cancer Research offers a three-year Postdoctoral Fellowship for innovative research in understanding difficult-to-treat cancers. Candidates with MD, PhD, or equivalent degrees can apply, focusing on novel approaches to cancer mechanisms and treatments. The fellowship provides a stipend starting at $56,000, with annual increases, and a travel grant of $1,500 for conferences. This initiative aims to enhance life expectancy through groundbreaking research in cancer treatment and prevention.

Overview

NOTE: There is a two-step application process for Hope Fund postdoctoral fellowships. The first step in the application process is to submit a brief description of the proposed research using the Summary of Research Application. This is represented by Letter of Inquiry above.The Grants Review Committee of the Hope Funds for Cancer Research will review these applications and select a short list of candidates. These candidates will be notified directly and be asked to submit a more detailed application package. For those selected, the second step in the application process involves submitting a detailed application package, which is represented by the Full proposal deadline above. The Postdoctoral Fellowship Hope Funds for Cancer Research is offering fellowships to postdoctoral scientists who propose to work on highly innovative research projects that challenge the traditional paradigms of understanding the causes, mechanisms, progression, disease markers or risk factors of the most difficult-to-treat cancers, including pancreatic, lung, liver, sarcomas, esophageal, brain, gastric, bone and ovarian cancers; and rare leukemias, lymphomas and MDS. The Trustees of the Hope Funds believe that funding research that could lead to breakthroughs in these areas and increase life expectancy in these types of cancers is at the core of its mission. The Fellowship Review Committee will consider each of the following criteria, with a strong emphasis on the innovation of the project, in evaluating candidates. Innovation: The originality of the project and the use of novel concepts, hypotheses, approaches, methodologies, tools and technologies in the area of cancer research. The level to which the project challenges existing paradigms and presents innovative hypotheses to promote progress in the prevention, control and treatment of the most difficult-to-treat cancers (e.g. pancreatic, lung, liver, sarcomas, esophageal, brain, gastric and ovarian cancers).Significance: The direct relevance of the research proposal to issues regarding prevention, control or treatment in the most difficult-to-treat cancers. The importance of the project’s outcomes on the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventive interventions that drive the field of cancer research.Approach: The conceptual framework and reasoning around the design, methods and analyses proposed and their appropriateness to the aims of the project. The identification of potential problem areas in the approach proposed, and the consideration of alternative approaches.Investigators: The qualifications, experience, and productivity of both the candidate and the principal investigator. The appropriateness of the project proposed to the experience of the principal investigator and if applicable, collaborative investigators.Environment: The quality of the training provided by the research environment in which the proposed research is to be conducted and the potential for broadening and strengthening the candidate’s ability to conduct innovative and significant research. Terms of the Award The Hope Funds for Cancer Research is awarding three-year fellowships with a stipend of $56,000 for the first year, $59,000 for the second year, and $62,000 for the third year. A travel grant of $1,500 will be awarded each year to each grantee for the purpose of attending conferences and/or scientific training meetings. All awards and stipends are made to the Institution for the support of the designated Fellow.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Candidates must have completed one or more of the following degrees or its equivalent: MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM. For foreign-trained physicians, equivalency will be determined on a case-by-case basis.Candidates must conduct their proposed research under a sponsor who holds a formal appointment at the host institution.Candidates can apply prior to starting or during their postdoctoral appointments provided they have been formally accepted into the lab they are applying from, and current postdoctoral scientists must not have been in their Sponsor’s lab for more than two years.Candidates who have already accepted other postdoctoral research fellowship awards are not eligible.The proposed investigation must be conducted at a university, hospital or research institution in the United States.The Hope Funds for Cancer Research does not support research at for-profit institutions.