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Career Development Award Special Competitions

American Society of Clinical Oncology

All Conquer Cancer research grant applications are carefully reviewed and evaluated by an independent Grants Selection Committee (Committee) using consistent criteria across all applications for each grant or award type. The Committee scores and ranks the applications, and the highest-scoring applications are funded.

In some circumstances, applications already approved to receive funding based on their high application scores may be matched with Conquer Cancer grants that have additional donor-specified criteria. However, all approved applications will receive Conquer Cancer research grants. In no case will an application not eligible for funding in the initial review process receive a Conquer Cancer research grant.

The Career Development Award (CDA) provides research funding to clinical investigators, who have received their initial faculty appointment, as they work to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. This is a mentored award and the research project is conducted under the guidance of a scientific mentor. The research must have a patient-oriented focus, including a clinical research study and/or translational research involving human subjects. Proposals with a predominant focus on in vitro or animal studies (even if clinically relevant) are not allowed. Applications in all areas of cancer research are accepted from U.S. applicants.

Funding Available

The CDA is a three-year grant totaling $200,000 that supports personnel and/or research expenses, and travel to attend the Conquer Cancer Grants and Awards Ceremony at the ASCO Annual Meeting.

Areas with Dedicated Funding (as of July 1, 2026)

For 2027, dedicated funding is available in the area listed below. This list will be updated as new funding is confirmed.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong relevance to cancer and oncology (highest predictor)

This is the most important predictor.

Competitive proposals should address important problems in:

Solid tumors
Hematologic malignancies
Precision oncology
Cancer prevention
Early detection
Cancer therapeutics
Survivorship
Supportive and palliative care
Cancer health services
Clinical trials
Global oncology

The research should have a clear connection to improving cancer care or outcomes.

2. Strong potential to improve patient outcomes (very high predictor)

ASCO places exceptional emphasis on patient benefit.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to improve:

Overall survival
Progression-free survival
Quality of life
Toxicity management
Early diagnosis
Treatment selection
Access to care
Patient-centered outcomes

Projects with a clear pathway to improving clinical practice are especially competitive.

3. Scientific excellence and innovation (very high predictor)

Reviewers consistently evaluate:

Scientific significance
Originality
Innovation
Importance of the research question

Competitive proposals often include:

Novel therapeutic approaches
Precision medicine
Biomarker discovery
AI applications in oncology
New clinical trial designs
Innovative supportive care interventions

Incremental studies are generally less competitive.

4. Rigorous methodology and feasibility (very high predictor)

Strong applications should include:

Clear hypotheses
Robust study design
Appropriate statistical analysis
Realistic recruitment plans
Feasible timelines
Clearly defined endpoints

Reviewers expect ambitious but achievable projects with sound scientific methods.

5. Strong translational or clinical relevance (very high predictor)

ASCO supports research across the continuum from laboratory discoveries to clinical implementation.

Competitive proposals often include:

Biomarker validation
Translational oncology
Clinical trials
Comparative effectiveness research
Implementation science
Precision oncology

Even laboratory-based studies are strengthened by a clear translational pathway toward patient care.

6. Outstanding investigator potential (very high predictor)

For Young Investigator Awards and Career Development Awards, reviewers strongly assess the applicant's future promise.

Competitive applicants demonstrate:

Strong publication record
Commitment to oncology research
Leadership potential
Scientific independence
Long-term research vision

The applicant's trajectory is often as important as the proposed project.

7. Excellent mentorship and institutional environment (very high predictor)

For early-career awards, mentorship is a major evaluation criterion.

Competitive applications demonstrate:

Experienced mentor(s)
Strong mentoring plan
Protected research time
Institutional commitment
Access to patients and research infrastructure
Collaborative research environment

Mentorship quality is particularly important for YIA and CDA programs.

8. Addressing cancer disparities and equity (high predictor)

ASCO has made cancer equity a strategic priority.

Competitive proposals may address:

Health disparities
Underserved populations
Minority health
Rural oncology
Global oncology
Access to care
Social determinants of health

Projects that improve equity in cancer outcomes align strongly with ASCO's strategic priorities.

9. Potential for future independent funding (high predictor)

ASCO's career awards are designed to launch independent investigators.

Competitive applications clearly explain how the award will:

Generate preliminary data
Support NIH or equivalent grant applications
Lead to multicenter studies
Establish an independent research program

The strongest proposals view ASCO funding as a stepping stone toward long-term research independence.

10. Strong dissemination and impact on oncology practice (high predictor)

Competitive projects should demonstrate potential to:

Publish in high-impact journals
Present at scientific meetings
Inform clinical guidelines
Influence oncology practice
Improve standards of care

Research capable of changing oncology practice is especially attractive to ASCO.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

A physician (MD, DO, or international equivalent with explanation) working in any country.
In the first to fourth year of a full-time primary faculty appointment in a clinical department at an academic medical institution at the time of grant submission. Faculty appointment may begin with the entry-level faculty position within the applicant’s institution (i.e., Instructor/Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Assistant Member).
Have a valid, active medical license in the country where the research will be conducted at the time of application.
Have completed productive postdoctoral research and demonstrated the ability to undertake independent investigator-initiated clinical research in ovarian cancer.
A current ASCO member or have submitted a membership application with the grant application. To apply for new membership, or to renew an existing membership, visit asco.org/membership.
Able to commit at least 50% of their time for research (applies to total effort, not just the proposed CDA project) during the award period.
Have a mentor from the sponsoring institution. If the mentor is not an ASCO member, a supporting letter from an ASCO member from the sponsoring institution must be included.
Be up-to-date and in compliance with all requirements (e.g., progress reports, final reports, budget summaries, IRB approvals, etc.) of any past grants received from Conquer Cancer.
Applicants with concurrent federal career development awards (e.g., K23, K08, or any other type of career development award), career development awards from private foundations, and institutional training grants (T32, KL2/K12 or equivalent) are eligible to apply provided there are no scientific and budgetary overlaps. Note: Conquer Cancer must be informed when a CDA recipient receives other career development awards during the term of the CDA and reserves the right to determine that the CDA may not be held concurrent with other funding. Past recipients of training fellowships (e.g., Young Investigator Award or an F32 grant) are eligible to apply.
Applicants should not have been a Principal Investigator on any large project grants (e.g., R01 or international equivalent).

NOTE: While first year faculty may be eligible for both the Young Investigator Award (YIA) and the Career Development Award (CDA) programs, they are restricted to a single submission. Applicants must only submit one application to either the YIA or the CDA competition and may not submit to both programs simultaneously.

Eligible applicants are allowed to hold only one active grant from Conquer Cancer at a time.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Society of Clinical Oncology

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2318 Mill Road, Suite 800 | Alexandria, VA 22314

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