# Lloyd J. Old STAR Program

**Funder:** Cancer Research Institute
**Budget:** $1.25M over 5 years
**Deadline:** 15 January 2027 (23:59 Eastern Time)
**Duration:** 5 years
**Consortium:** No - individual applicant, hosted by applicant's own tenure-track institution
**Application:** Single stage application; invited candidates undergo virtual interview
**Frequency:** Annual
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearch.org/lloyd-j-old-star-program
**Last updated:** 13 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

For mid-career, tenure-track assistant or associate professors (M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent) with 3 years in that position, working on high-risk, high-reward cancer immunotherapy research; requires minimum 80% research time commitment; research must be conducted at non-profit medical schools or research centers, US or abroad (no for-profit institutions).

## Summary

The Lloyd J. Old STAR Program provides up to $1.25 million over five years for mid-career cancer immunotherapy researchers to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects. Eligible applicants are tenure-track assistant professors with at least three years in role, or associate professors within their first three years, holding an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD and committing at least 80% time to research. The programme is open globally to researchers hosted at non-profit medical schools and research centres.

## Who should apply

- Tenure-track assistant professors with 3+ years in role, or associate professors within first 3 years
- Researchers with MD, PhD, or MD/PhD degree
- Applicants committing minimum 80% time to research
- Hosted at non-profit medical schools or research centres (US or internationally)
- Cancer immunotherapy projects with significant scientific risk and potential reward

## Key dates

- Deadline: 15 January 2027, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
- Two-stage: initial application, then invited virtual interview in Spring 2027
- Five-year project duration

## Tips for applicants

- Emphasise the high-risk/high-reward framing explicitly, CRI funds conceptually novel immunotherapy approaches, not incremental extensions.
- Include institutional verification of your tenure-track status and research-time allocation; panel confirms eligibility early.
- Virtual interview panel will probe feasibility of ambitious aims; prepare a clear risk-mitigation narrative.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who is eligible for the Lloyd J. Old STAR Program?

Tenure-track assistant professors with at least 3 years in role, or associate professors within their first 3 years, holding an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD, with at least 80% time commitment to research. Host institution must be a non-profit medical school or research centre (US or abroad); for-profit institutions and adjunct/acting positions are not eligible.

### How much does the Lloyd J. Old STAR Program provide?

Up to $1.25 million over five years, plus up to 10% indirect costs.

### When is the Lloyd J. Old STAR Program deadline?

15 January 2027, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. If the deadline falls on a weekend, applications are accepted until the end of the following Monday.

### What type of research does the Lloyd J. Old STAR Program fund?

High-risk, high-reward cancer immunotherapy research led by mid-career scientists.

### Is the Lloyd J. Old STAR Program interview required?

Yes, selected applicants advance to a virtual interview in Spring 2027 as the second stage of evaluation.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-institute-lloyd-j-old-star-program-2027-01) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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