The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
Emerging Leader Award
Full applications due by 5 PM ET; Letter of Intent deadline was April 30, 2026 — full applications by invitation only
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The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award funds early-career independent cancer researchers with $1,000,000 over four years to pursue a novel, distinct research direction. Applicants must have established their labs 3-8 years prior (2018-2023) and hold active multi-year independent funding; the call is open worldwide to researchers at non-profit academic institutions. This two-stage competition emphasises innovation outside the applicant's main research portfolio, with finalists advancing to virtual interviews in October.
Details
| Funder | The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research |
| Budget | $1,000,000 USD over 4 years ($250,000/year) |
| Deadline | 30 July 2026 |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Consortium | No |
| Application | 2-stage: Letter of Intent (closed April 30, 2026) → invited full application (due July 30, 2026) → virtual finalist interviews (week of October 12, 2026) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Career stage | Early-career opportunity |
Eligibility & scope
For early-career independent investigators (lab established 3–8 years prior to Dec 31, 2026; appointment start 2018–2023) at non-profit academic/research institutions worldwide. Supports high-impact, high-risk cancer research distinct from the applicant's current portfolio. Single PI only; no co-investigators. Applicants must have multi-year independent funding active in 2027. All materials must be submitted in English.
Who Should Apply
- •Early-career independent investigators with labs established 3-8 years prior (2018-2023)
- •Researchers at non-profit academic or research institutions worldwide
- •Single PI applicants without co-investigators
- •Cancer researchers planning to pursue a novel research direction distinct from their main portfolio
- •Applicants with active multi-year independent funding in place for 2027
Key Dates
- •Letter of Intent deadline: April 30, 2026 (past)
- •Full application deadline: July 30, 2026, 5 PM ET (by invitation only)
- •Virtual finalist interviews: week of October 12, 2026
- •Four-year project duration
Tips for Applicants
- ✓The award explicitly funds research distinct from your main portfolio, reviewers screen for genuine intellectual novelty, not incremental extensions. Frame the proposal as an intellectual pivot.
- ✓Multi-year independent funding in 2027 is a gating criterion; confirm this is in place and named in your application before the full submission.
- ✓Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs, budget tightly on overhead and front-load direct research spending.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the budget for the Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award?
$1,000,000 USD over 4 years ($250,000 per year). Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs.
Who is eligible for the Emerging Leader Award?
Early-career independent investigators whose labs were established 3-8 years prior to December 31, 2026 (i.e., 2018-2023), based at non-profit academic or research institutions worldwide. Single PI only; no co-investigators.
Is the Emerging Leader Award a two-stage application?
Yes. Letters of Intent were due April 30, 2026; invited applicants submit full proposals by July 30, 2026, with finalists advancing to virtual interviews in October.
Can my Emerging Leader Award proposal be on the same topic as my main research?
No; the Mark Foundation requires proposals to be distinct from the applicant's main research portfolio and fund novel research directions.
Do I need to have funding in place to apply?
Yes, applicants must have multi-year independent funding active in 2027 as a prerequisite for eligibility.
Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.
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