"Rapid progress in the fight against cancer sometimes requires innovative approaches. The Young Investigator Awards from the Cancer Research Foundation provide the flexible support necessary to move ahead with highly innovative projects that offer the greatest potential for success. The support of the CRF has had an enormous impact on launching the careers of many of our brightest young scientists."

Glenn D. Steele, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.
Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs
University of Chicago

Young Investigator Awards

The goal of the Young Investigator Awards is to enable promising young investigators to initiate successful scientific careers.

The Young Investigator Awards are one year research grants to be awarded to men and women during the first two years of their initial faculty appointment (instructor, assistant professor) who have not yet received significant external support at the time of submission. These awards are designed to nurture young scientists in the pursuit of independent hypotheses, and to enable them to develop the preliminary data necessary to successfully compete for major research grants.

The award range is up to $50,000, with flexibility. A senior faculty sponsor must endorse the worthiness and relevance of the applicants project.

All proposals are reviewed and ranked by institutional faculty awards committee. Upon receipt by the Foundation trustees, our medical consultants, Dr. Joseph B. Kirchner and Dr. Richard L. Schilsky detail the science and merits of each proposal. Foundation trustees make all funding decisions.