The Cancer Research Institute Technology Impact Award provides seed funding of up to $200,000 to be used over 12-24 months to address the gap between technology development and clinical application of cancer immunotherapies. These grants aim to encourage collaboration between technology developers and clinical cancer immunologists and to generate the proof-of-principle of a novel platform technology in bioinformatics, ex vivo or in silico modeling systems, immunological or tumor profiling instrumentation, methods, reagents and assays, or other relevant technologies that can enable clinician scientists to generate deeper insights into the mechanisms of action of effective or ineffective cancer immunotherapies.
Award winners will be selected based on the novelty, creativity, technical sophistication, and transformative potential of the technology to impact cancer immunotherapy research around the world. The ultimate aim of this program is to advance technologies that can speed up the entire field’s efforts in addressing one of the most defining challenges of our time—developing immunotherapies that are effective for all cancer patients.
Overview
The most competitive applicants will address areas where technological innovation stands to benefit the field and cancer patients most, and that will ultimately lead to effective next generation cancer immunotherapies. These technologies may include but are not limited to:
- New bioinformatics methods or technologies that speed collection and analysis of large sets of patient-derived biological data
- Computer simulations for modeling biological systems and responses to immunotherapy
- Tools and methods that improve profiling of tumors to inform therapeutic strategies
- Real-time visualizations of molecular and cellular activity to improve tracking of responses to immunotherapy
- In vitro tissue culture systems that recapitulate the interactions between primary tumor cells and the immune system
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold a faculty appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor (or higher rank) at the time of award activation. If not, documentation from their institution must accompany the Letter of Intent indicating they will hold the position of assistant professor (or higher rank) by the time of award activation.
- The grant will be awarded to a scientist who describes an extraordinarily novel, yet practical research plan that is creative and technically sophisticated.
- Joint submissions from collaborators will also be considered. (The collaborators will share the award.) Each collaborator must meet the eligibility criteria.
- Selected projects that meet their 12 and 24 month milestones may be eligible for follow-on funding that will enable the established proof-of-concept technology to be developed into a methodology that improves cancer immunotherapy research worldwide.
Financial Information
Technology Impact Awards provide up to $100,000 per year for two years. The funds may be used for salary, technical assistance, supplies, capital equipment, or scientific travel. CRI does not provide funds for indirect costs. Payments are made quarterly in U.S. currency to the host institution.
Award Terms and Conditions
All awardees must adhere to the terms of this award.
Please note: The Cancer Research Institute will not modify the terms of its policies at the request of individual institutions. Policies have been approved by our Board of Trustees, and we do not have the resources to negotiate separately with the many institutions that receive our support.
Application Deadlines
- Letters of Intent describing the research plan will be submitted electronically by November 15.
- Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full research proposal with a submission deadline of March 15.
- Award winners will be announced on or around June 30.
- Successful applicants will have their project reviewed at 12 and 24 months.
Letters of Intent Instructions
Letters of intent must be submitted electronically. Once you access the application, you will be asked to create a user account unique to you, which will catalogue all applications you submit to CRI. If you have submitted a grant application to CRI in the past, please login with your existing user account.
Uploading Supporting Materials
After you have filled out all required fields on the online form, you will be asked on the final page of the application to upload, in this order, the following supporting documentation in individual PDF documents:
- Abstract of research in nontechnical English explaining the significance of the new technology platform and its impact on the field of cancer immunotherapy. Not to exceed 250 words.
- An initial research concept (succinct description of the proposed research plan with specific aims and timelines, description of the how the proposed technology platform has the potential to transform the field of cancer immunotherapy), not to exceed 3 pages.
- Brief description of your current research.
- Curriculum vitae and bibliography (limit bibliography to past 5 years or publications relevant to proposed research).
- If applicable, curriculum vitae for all group members, as well as a description of each member's research focus.
Only PDF documents will be accepted. All files must be uploaded individually in their respective sections on the online application form.
When you have finished uploading the attachments, click "Submit." You will receive a notice confirming that you have successfully submitted your Application Form. Immediately after, an automated notification from CRI will be sent to your email address, also confirming submission.
If you encounter problems uploading your attachment, email it to grants@cancerresearch.org. Be sure to note the application number, which will be assigned to you at the time of submission.
Online applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on the weekend, applications will be accepted until the close of business that following Monday. We strongly suggest submitting your applications as early as possible to provide ample time in case your application is incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Formatting Guidelines
Any documents you attach to your online application form must be typed single-space using a 12 pt. or larger font size.
Completing the Online Application Form
New Users
You will be prompted to create a user account unique to you, which will catalogue all applications you submit to CRI. You will use this account every time you login.
CREATE ACCOUNT & APPLY
Returning Users
Visit the login page to access your saved application.
LOGIN TO PORTAL