# Prevention and Population Research Project Award

**Funder:** Cancer Research UK
**Budget:** Up to £500k
**Deadline:** 4 December 2026 (May 2027 committee review)
**Duration:** Flexible, up to 3 years
**Consortium:** Optional — applications from research teams across different institutions encouraged; international and commercial organisations may be included as co-investigators/collaborators
**Application:** Expression of interest (interventional trials only) → optional outline application → full application via Flexi-Grant
**Frequency:** Biennial
**Eligible countries:** GB
**Official call:** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/prevention-population-research-project-award
**Last updated:** 18 Oct 2026

## Eligibility & scope

For scientists, clinicians or healthcare workers based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute with postdoctoral experience. Funds hypothesis-driven primary prevention and population research, including prevention interventional studies; interventional trials require a prior expression of interest.

## Summary

The Prevention and Population Research Project Award from Cancer Research UK funds hypothesis-driven primary prevention and population research, including interventional prevention studies, with flexible funding up to £500k over up to three years. It is open to postdoctoral researchers based at UK universities, medical schools, hospitals or research institutes, and the committee encourages multi-institution teams with international or commercial co-investigators. Interventional trials go through a two-stage process, while non-interventional proposals use a single-stage application.

## Who should apply

- Postdoctoral researchers at UK universities, medical schools, hospitals or research institutes
- Researchers fully funded by their host institution in most cases
- Applicants proposing hypothesis-driven primary prevention or population research
- Teams open to collaborating across institutions, including international or commercial co-investigators

## Key dates

- Deadline 4 December 2026, with committee review in May 2027
- Two-stage process (expression of interest/outline then full application) for interventional trials; single stage for non-interventional proposals
- Flexible project duration up to three years; call runs biannually

## Tips for applicants

- Check whether your study counts as interventional, this determines if you need an outline stage before the full application.
- Named international or commercial collaborators strengthen population-level proposals; the funder explicitly welcomes them.
- Confirm your host institution's funding commitment early, since full institutional funding is expected in most cases.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does the Cancer Research UK Prevention and Population Research Project Award pay?

Funding is flexible, up to £500,000.

### How long does the Prevention and Population Research Project Award last?

Projects can run flexibly for up to three years.

### Who is eligible for this Cancer Research UK award?

Postdoctoral researchers based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute, generally fully funded by their host institution.

### Is this a two-stage application?

Interventional trials follow a two-stage process (expression of interest/outline, then full application); non-interventional proposals use a single stage.

### How often does this call run?

The call runs biannually, with the current deadline on 4 December 2026 and committee review in May 2027.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/cancer-research-uk-prevention-and-population-research-project-award-2026-12) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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