Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award

The Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award sits under the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and supports early-career physician-scientists working in clinical translational cancer research at U.S. institutions. It is one of the foundation's most clearly medical-facing awards and is tied to institutional nomination rather than open submission. The award provides $600,000 over three years, or $200,000 a year, on an annual cycle. The record also notes a $130,000 annual stipend cap and up to $100,000 in medical school debt relief. Eligible applicants hold an MD, DO, or MD/PhD, have finished subspecialty training, are board eligible, hold an active U.S. medical license, and apply within the first four years of an assistant professor appointment. Each invited institution may nominate only three candidates. The program is designed for clinicians who are already moving into independent research but still need concentrated support to build a durable translational base. Damon Runyon expects an established mentor, an 80% research commitment, and a setting where the institution can identify a small number of strong candidates. The major-grant restrictions keep the award focused on investigators who are still consolidating their research base.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.