Pilot Awards
Pilot Awards support melanoma researchers testing high-risk, innovative hypotheses to establish translational proof-of-concept and advance melanoma prevention, diagnosis, staging, and treatment.
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Funder: Melanoma Research Alliance
Due Dates: November 5, 2026, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time (Pilot proposals) | April 2027 (Award notification) | June 1, 2027 (Project start)
Funding Amounts: At least $7.9 million planned across MRA’s 2026–2027 funding cycle
Summary: Pilot Awards support high-risk, high-reward melanoma research that tests innovative hypotheses and establishes translational proof-of-concept.
Key Information: Researchers worldwide may apply; projects must articulate a clear hypothesis and translational goals.
Description
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) Pilot Awards support potentially transformative melanoma research that does not yet have extensive preliminary data. These high-risk, high-reward projects test innovative ideas with a clear hypothesis and translational goals, establishing proof-of-concept that may help researchers secure additional support through more traditional funding avenues.
Pilot Awards form part of MRA’s portfolio of translational, innovative research intended to affect melanoma prevention, diagnosis, staging, and treatment in the near and intermediate future. The 2026–2027 request for proposals supports pre-clinical, translational, and early clinical research with the potential for unusually high-impact, near-term advances. The cycle includes special Pilot Award opportunities focused on acral and uveal melanoma, as well as opportunities for applicants based in the United Kingdom and Israel.
