The Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award (YIA) provides funding to promising investigators to encourage and promote quality research in clinical oncology. The purpose of this award is to fund physicians during the transition from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment. This is a mentored award and the research project is conducted under the guidance of an experienced mentor in the proposed research area. Applications in all areas of cancer research are accepted from U.S. and international applicants.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria to qualify for a YIA:
- Be a physician (MD, DO, or international equivalent) working in any country and currently in the last two years of their final oncology subspecialty training at an academic medical institution and within 10 years of obtaining their medical degree at the time of grant submission. Examples of subspecialty training include, but are not limited to, a hematology-oncology fellowship, a surgical oncology fellowship, or a radiation oncology residency. An MD, PhD is eligible if both degrees are completed prior to the start of the grant period. If there are questions regarding whether the potential applicant is at the correct career stage, send an email to grants@conquer.org for clarification and eligibility verification and include your latest CV.
- Be planning an investigative career in clinical oncology.
- Have a valid, active medical license in the country where the research will be conducted at the time of application.
- Be working in an oncology laboratory or clinical research setting.
- Have a mentor from the sponsoring institution. If the mentor is not an ASCO member, a supporting letter from an ASCO member from the sponsoring institution must be included.
- Be an ASCO member or have submitted a membership application with the grant application. To apply for new membership, or to renew an existing membership, go to asco.org/membership.
- Be able to commit at least 60% of full- time effort in research (applies to total research, not just the proposed project) during the award period, as confirmed in an institutional Letter of Support.
Applicants who are uncertain about their eligibility are encouraged to refer to the Eligibility section in this FAQ or contact our grants team for clarification and provide their full CV for evaluation.
Funding Available
The YIA is a one-year grant totaling $50,000 that supports personnel and/or research expenses, and travel to attend the Conquer Cancer Grants & Awards Ceremony at the ASCO Annual Meeting. Applicants who are selected to receive a YIA are allowed to receive grants from other funding sources
The number of YIA grants in each funding cycle is not predetermined by Conquer Cancer. Conquer Cancer is committed to funding the most meritorious applications in all areas of cancer research.
The YIA General Competition is open for applicants with research projects focused on all areas of cancer research. To download the YIA General Competition Request for Proposals (RFP), click here. For 2025, YIAs with dedicated funding are noted below. Applications should be submitted under the general competition.
- Young Investigator Award for Equity in Genomics Research
- Young Investigator Awards in Health Disparities Research
- Young Investigator Awards for Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity
- Women Who Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Awards
YIA Special Competitions are also open for other specific areas. To see a list of our open YIA Special Competitions, please visit the YIA Special Funding Opportunities Page.
Application Instructions
All application materials must be in English and must be submitted through the Application Portal. Paper applications or applications sent by e-mail or fax will not be accepted.