The Career Development Award (CDA) provides research funding to clinical investigators, who have received their initial faculty appointment, as they work to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. This is a mentored award and the research project is conducted under the guidance of a scientific mentor. The research must have a patient-oriented focus, including a clinical research study and/or translational research involving human subjects. Proposals with a predominant focus on in vitro or animal studies (even if clinically relevant) are not allowed. Applications in all areas of cancer research are accepted from U.S. and international applicants.
Funding Available
The total award amount is $200,000 payable on or about July 1 in annual increments of $66,666 over three years. The number of CDA 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.
Areas with Dedicated Funding (as of July 1, 2026)
For 2027, dedicated donor funding is available for specific areas, including but not limited to those listed below. This list will be updated as new funding is confirmed.
- CDA in Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology
- Breast cancers