# Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst

**Funder:** Cancer Research UK
**Budget:** Up to £250k
**Duration:** Up to 18 months
**Consortium:** Required - collaborative project between applicant's academic lab and Cancer Research Horizons Therapeutic Innovation team
**Application:** 2-stage: expression of interest → full proposal (by invitation)
**Frequency:** Biennial
**Next round:** 2026-10
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/childhood-cancer-therapeutic-catalyst
**Last updated:** 14 Oct 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Funds early drug discovery/translational research for novel therapeutics in childhood and young people's cancers, run collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team. Open to academic researchers worldwide with their own lab; excludes basic/discovery research and full hit-finding/clinical development activities.

## Summary

The Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst, from Cancer Research UK, funds early drug discovery and translational research for new therapeutics in childhood and young people's cancers, with awards of up to £250k over 18 months. Applicants must run their own academic lab anywhere in the world and work collaboratively with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team. The call excludes basic discovery research and full hit-finding or clinical development, positioning it specifically for the translational gap between target identification and candidate development.

## Who should apply

- Academic researchers who lead their own lab, anywhere in the world
- Projects focused on early drug discovery or translational research for childhood and young people's cancers
- Researchers willing to collaborate directly with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team
- Not suited to purely basic/discovery projects or those already at hit-finding or clinical development stage

## Key dates

- Reviewed twice per year (April and October); upcoming deadlines to be announced, with the next expected round in October 2026
- Two stages: expression of interest, then a full proposal by invitation
- Up to 18-month project duration

## Tips for applicants

- Frame the project explicitly in the translational gap between target validation and hit-finding; proposals that read as basic discovery or full clinical development are out of scope.
- Expect to co-design the project with Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team, so engage them early rather than treating the collaboration as a formality.
- Since only invited applicants submit a full proposal, invest most of your effort in making the expression of interest sharply scoped and translationally focused.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much funding does the Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst provide?

Up to £250k for projects of up to 18 months.

### Who can apply for the Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst?

Academic researchers with their own lab anywhere in the world, working on early drug discovery or translational research in childhood and young people's cancers.

### Is a collaboration required for this grant?

Yes, the project must be run collaboratively between the applicant's academic lab and Cancer Research Horizons' Therapeutic Innovation team.

### How often does Cancer Research UK run this call?

It is biennial, reviewed twice a year in April and October, with the next round expected in October 2026.

### What kind of research is excluded from this grant?

Basic or discovery research and full hit-finding or clinical development activities are excluded; the call targets early translational drug discovery.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-uk-childhood-cancer-therapeutic-catalyst-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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