Discovery Programme Award
Cancer Research UK's Discovery Programme Award funds established researchers to lead innovative, multidisciplinary research projects tackling fundamental questions in cancer biology.
Funder: Cancer Research UK (https://www.cancerresearchuk.org)
Due Dates: September 29, 2025 (Outline) | January 12, 2026 (Full) | April 2, 2026 (Outline) | June 25, 2026 (Full) | September 29, 2026 (Outline)
Funding Amounts: Up to £2.5 million over 5 years per award; supports staff, PhD students, running costs, and essential equipment.
Summary: Long-term funding for established researchers to lead ambitious, multidisciplinary programmes addressing fundamental questions in cancer biology.
Key Information: Outline application and pre-application discussion with CRUK required before submission.
Description
This award provides substantial, long-term support for established researchers to pursue innovative and multidisciplinary programmes that tackle fundamental questions in cancer research. The scheme is designed to enable ambitious research spanning molecular mechanisms, cellular behaviour, and cancer at the organismal level, with a strong emphasis on collaborative and cross-disciplinary approaches. Projects may include basic and early-stage translational research, but not clinical trials or proposals focused solely on technology development, drug discovery, or early detection.
