ASPIRE Award
The ASPIRE Award funds innovative, high-risk cancer research projects focused on novel concepts and critical proof-of-concept studies across basic, translational, and early clinical science.
Funder: The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2026 (Letter of Intent — Intrinsically Disordered Proteins & Cancer RFP) | January 2027 (Letter of Intent — Glioblastoma RFP)
Funding Amounts: Up to $250,000 total for 1 year (standard ASPIRE Award); indirect costs capped at 10% of direct costs; larger amounts possible for clinical studies by invitation.
Summary: Supports high-risk, high-reward cancer research projects from discovery through early clinical studies, with a focus on novel concepts and critical proof-of-concept work.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; all deadlines are projected and subject to change.
Description
The ASPIRE Award from The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research funds innovative, high-risk, high-reward projects that address critical questions in cancer research. The program aims to accelerate progress toward pivotal inflection points by supporting feasibility and proof-of-concept studies, spanning basic research, therapeutic discovery, technology development, and early-stage clinical trials. Special emphasis is placed on novel, unaddressed questions and challenging concepts, with opportunities available for both individual and collaborative projects. ASPIRE Awards are intended to enable researchers to rapidly test transformative ideas that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, with the potential for follow-on funding if feasibility is demonstrated.
