Cancer Research UK

Biology to Prevention Award

£100k–£600k| Deadline: 4 December 2026 (in 47 days)|Up to 5 years

Last seen in a scan/import: 18 Oct 2026.

Catalog updated: 18 Oct 2026.

These timestamps are not source verification. Confirm the current deadline and your eligibility on the funder’s call page before applying.

Closes 4 Dec 2026. Add it to your calendar, then see what else you're eligible for. Check my fit for this call →

The Biology to Prevention Award from Cancer Research UK funds translational research into the biological mechanisms of cancer prevention, with grants of £100k to £600k over up to five years. It is open to postdoctoral researchers based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute, and encourages collaboration with geneticists, immunologists and drug developers, plus optional co-funding partnerships with American Cancer Society or Canadian Cancer Society teams. Applicants must complete a mandatory informal discussion with CRUK before submitting via Flexi-Grant.

Details

Funder	Cancer Research UK
Budget	£100k–£600k
Deadline	4 December 2026
Duration	Up to 5 years
Consortium	Optional — collaborations between cancer prevention researchers and other disciplines strongly encouraged; UK-US (ACS) and UK-Canada (CCS) co-funding partnerships available with joint lead applicants
Application	Single stage, but requires mandatory informal eligibility discussion with CRUK before submission on Flexi-Grant
Frequency	Biannual
Eligible countries	GB

Eligibility & scope

Supports translational research on biological mechanisms of cancer prevention; applicant must be postdoctoral-level scientist/clinician based at UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute, mostly fully funded by host institution. Co-funding partnerships available with US (ACS) and Canadian (CCS) teams.

Who Should Apply

•Postdoctoral researchers with experience beyond PhD level
•Based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute
•Working on biological mechanisms underlying cancer prevention
•Interested in cross-disciplinary collaboration with geneticists, immunologists or drug developers
•Open to international co-funding partnerships with US or Canadian cancer charities

Key Dates

•Deadline: 4 December 2026
•Single-stage application via Flexi-Grant, following mandatory informal discussion with CRUK before submission
•Up to 5-year project duration; call runs biannually

Tips for Applicants

✓Book the mandatory informal discussion with CRUK well before the deadline, this is a gating step, not a formality, and can shape the eventual proposal.
✓If pursuing co-funding with ACS or CCS, coordinate timelines early since partner-country review adds complexity to a single-stage submission.
✓Frame the biological mechanism clearly in terms of its prevention application; CRUK reviewers for this call expect a translational link, not pure mechanistic biology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding does the CRUK Biology to Prevention Award provide?

Awards range from £100k to £600k, covering projects of up to five years.

Who is eligible for the Biology to Prevention Award?

Postdoctoral researchers based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute, with host institution approval.

Do I need to talk to CRUK before applying?

Yes, a mandatory informal discussion with CRUK is required before submitting an application via Flexi-Grant.

Can international collaborators be included in this grant?

Yes, optional co-funding partnerships with American Cancer Society (US) or Canadian Cancer Society (Canada) teams are possible, alongside collaborations with biologists, geneticists, immunologists or drug developers.

How often does CRUK run this call?

The Biology to Prevention Award call runs biannually.

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Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.