The Fellows of the AACR Academy Cancer Research Impact Grants are intended to support promising early-career investigators who are nearing completion of their postdoctoral or clinical research fellowship training programs and are at a critical stage in their transition toward laboratory independence. This program is designed to provide financial support to sustain research momentum and enable talented early-career investigators to complete their academic training in cancer research during an often vulnerable period in professional development.
In addition to research support, grant recipients will be invited to participate in a structured mentee-mentor relationship with a Fellow of the AACR Academy. The AACR Academy Fellow will be charged with supporting the grant recipient’s professional development and transition to independence through consistent mentoring. Each grant recipient is anticipated to be paired with a Fellow of the AACR Academy mentor, with each pair engaging in quarterly virtual mentoring sessions. During these sessions, it is anticipated that the AACR Academy Fellow mentor will provide guidance on ongoing research endeavors, career planning, and advancement within the cancer research community.