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2026-2027 Request for Proposals

Melanoma Research Alliance

The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for pre-clinical, translational, and early clinical research with the potential to produce unusually high impact, near-term advancements in melanoma prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

This cycle, proposals will be accepted for Established Investigator Awards, Academic-Industry Partnership Award (for Established Investigator Awards), Young Investigator Awards, and Pilot Awards.

MRA plans to support at least $7.9 million in new funding in the 2026-2027 cycle.

Special Opportunities Included in RFP:

Acral Melanoma Established Investigator, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards focused on Advancing Translational Research for Acral Melanoma 
Uveal Melanoma Established Investigator, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards focused on Advancing Translational Research for Uveal Melanoma
Established Investigator, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards from applicants based in the United Kingdom (UK)
Established Investigator, Young Investigator, and Pilot Awards from applicants based in Israel

Please Note the Following Key Deadlines:

August 21, 2026: Letters of Intent (LOI) due for Established Investigator Awards and Established Investigator Academic-Industry Partnership Award
September 14, 2026: Eligibility Checklist and Biosketch due for Young Investigator Award applicants
November 5, 2026: Proposals due for Young Investigator and Pilot Awards
December 10, 2026: Invited Established Investigator Award full proposals due
April 2027: Awardees notified of funding decisions
June 1, 2027: Project Start Date

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to melanoma (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the single most important success factor.

Competitive proposals should focus specifically on melanoma, including:

Cutaneous melanoma
Uveal melanoma
Acral melanoma
Mucosal melanoma
Pediatric melanoma
Melanoma metastasis
Melanoma biology
Melanoma immunology
Melanoma prevention
Early detection
Therapeutic resistance
Survivorship

Projects without a clear melanoma focus are generally not competitive.

2. Strong potential to improve patient outcomes (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

MRA prioritizes research with clear clinical relevance.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Improve survival
Prevent metastasis
Enhance early detection
Improve immunotherapy
Overcome drug resistance
Improve precision medicine
Enhance quality of life
Advance melanoma treatment

Projects with a clear path toward patient benefit receive the strongest consideration.

3. Innovation and transformative science (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Innovation is a defining feature of MRA funding.

Competitive projects frequently investigate:

Novel immunotherapies
Cellular therapies
Cancer vaccines
Precision oncology
Artificial intelligence
Liquid biopsy
Biomarker discovery
Tumor microenvironment
Mechanisms of resistance
Next-generation therapeutic strategies

High-risk/high-reward projects are encouraged when supported by a strong scientific rationale.

4. Scientific excellence and significance (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive applications demonstrate:

Important unanswered questions
Strong biological rationale
High scientific quality
Clear hypotheses
Potential to significantly advance melanoma research

Scientific merit is a central component of peer review.

5. Strong translational potential (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

MRA strongly supports research that bridges laboratory discoveries and patient care.

Competitive proposals often include:

Biomarker validation
Translational immunology
Drug development
Clinical trials
Precision medicine
Diagnostic technologies
Combination therapies

Applications should clearly explain how discoveries can be translated into clinical benefit.

6. Rigorous methodology and feasibility (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Successful proposals include:

Appropriate study design
Robust statistical analysis
Clearly defined objectives
Realistic milestones
Risk mitigation strategies
Feasible project timelines

Reviewers expect technically rigorous and achievable research plans.

7. Strong investigator and collaborative team (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive applications demonstrate:

Relevant expertise
Strong publication record
Leadership potential
Multidisciplinary collaboration
Institutional support

For Team Science Awards, integrated collaboration across disciplines is particularly important.

8. Early-career investigator development (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

The Young Investigator Award is designed to develop future leaders in melanoma research.

Competitive applicants demonstrate:

Scientific independence
Strong publication record
Commitment to melanoma research
Clear long-term career goals

Career development is a major objective of this funding mechanism.

9. Potential for future external funding (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

MRA views many awards as seed funding.

Competitive projects should generate:

Preliminary data
High-impact publications
Future NIH or equivalent grant applications
Clinical trials
Long-term melanoma research programs

A clear pathway toward sustained research funding strengthens an application.

10. Data sharing and contribution to the melanoma research community (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

MRA encourages:

Open scientific collaboration
Data sharing
Publication in peer-reviewed journals
Presentation at scientific meetings
Contribution to melanoma research resources

Broad dissemination maximizes the value of funded research.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Dermatology

Eligibility Requirements

General eligibility requirements:

• MRA encourages applications from a diverse pool of investigators with respect to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, and disability. MRA recognizes that diversity in the biomedical research workforce is critical for ensuring that the most creative minds have the opportunity to contribute to our research goals and to ensure more equitable health outcomes for all.

• Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold a full-time faculty appointment at the level of Assistant Professor (or equivalent) or above at an academic or other non-profit research institution within or outside the United States. Please note that the UK/Israel-based Special Opportunity is limited to UK- and Israel-based applicants only.

• PIs must be able to show clear evidence of an independent research program.

• If previously funded by MRA, applicant must be up-to-date on all reporting requirements.

• Fellows or those in other training or research support positions are not eligible to apply.

• Individuals employed by state or federal government agencies may participate in research proposals as non-funded collaborators but may not apply for MRA funding.

• Investigators need not be specifically trained in melanoma research; however, they should be working in an environment capable of conducting high-quality, high-impact melanoma research.

• An investigator may serve as PI on only one proposal submitted to MRA across any and all of the award mechanisms in this cycle. This includes any Special Opportunity Awards. PIs of Next Steps Awards, or those who submitted applications to the 2026 Next Steps Program, are eligible to apply to opportunities in this RFP.

• Mentors for Young Investigator Award applicants may serve as a PI on a separate proposal this cycle; however, that proposal must represent a distinct hypothesis from the Young Investigator’s proposal.

• Multiple applications will be accepted from a single institution, provided that each application has a different PI and represents a distinct hypothesis.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Melanoma Research Alliance

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 730 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 336-8935

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