Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award
Supports clinicians and translational researchers for Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award in biotechnology and medical technology.
⚠This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.
The Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award is a nomination-based, three-year research award from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation designed to support physician-scientists who hold early-faculty appointments and are pursuing clinical and translational cancer research. Eligible candidates must hold an MD, DO, or MD/PhD from an accredited institution, have completed subspecialty training, hold a valid active US medical license, and be US Board eligible. Applicants must be within their first four years of an Assistant Professor or equivalent full-time faculty position and must not hold concurrent R01, DP2, or DP5 grants. The program explicitly requires a minimum 80% research effort commitment throughout the award period.
The award provides $200,000 per year for three years, totaling $600,000. Up to $130,000 of the annual amount may be used as a personal stipend. An additional $100,000 in medical school debt repayment is available for qualifying recipients. Attendance at the Foundation's annual symposium is required. The program favors research with direct patient involvement, described internally as the Handshake Rule. All research must be conducted at US institutions; no explicit citizenship requirement is stated.
This is a nomination-only program — candidates cannot apply independently. Invited institutions may submit a maximum of three nominations per cycle. The 2026 cycle deadline was January 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, meaning the current cycle is closed. Applications were submitted through Altum/Proposal Central. The next cycle is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027. Prospective applicants at eligible institutions should work with their research office well in advance to secure a nomination slot for the subsequent cycle.
Clinical and translational cancer research led by physician-scientists holding an independent US faculty appointment within their first four years as Assistant Professor.
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