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Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

Physician-scientists who are both clinically trained and expert researchers are essential to the successful translation of scientific discovery into more effective patient therapies. They have the unique capacity to blend their insights from treating patients and working in the laboratory in a way that enables and accelerates medical advances. However, the pipeline of physician-scientists is dwindling. The decline in this vital cadre of cancer researchers is occurring at a time when cancer research holds the greatest promise of improving survival and quality of life among cancer patients. A growing shortage of physician-scientists means that major laboratory research discoveries will progress to patient application ever more slowly. If the shortage continues unabated, some may not reach patient application at all, thus presenting a crisis in cancer research.

There are two major obstacles to recruiting more physicians into research careers:

Financial: By the time physicians have completed medical school and their clinical training, they are in their late 20s or early 30s. They are buying homes and starting families. Many also finish medical school with significant educational debt (averaging >$200,000). If they go into private practice, they can immediately begin earning several hundred thousand dollars a year. If they choose research careers, they will earn considerably less, more in the range of $70,000-$100,000. Therefore, many physicians who are interested in research feel they cannot afford that career.

Opportunity: Unless a physician is enrolled in a joint MD/PhD program upon entering medical school, it is very difficult to obtain the extensive research training necessary to perform cutting-edge cancer research after medical school. Physicians who decide later in medical school or during their clinical fellowship that they are drawn to research (“late bloomers”) find themselves at a disadvantage, because they lack sufficient research experience to be competitive with MD/PhD scientists for existing funding opportunities.

In an effort to confront the crisis arising from a growing dearth of physician-scientists, Damon Runyon wishes to encourage more physicians to pursue research careers. To do so, the Foundation established a program designed to recruit outstanding U.S. Specialty Board eligible physicians into cancer research careers by providing them with the opportunity for a protected research training experience under the mentorship of a highly qualified and gifted mentor after they have completed all of their clinical training. The goals are a) to transform these individuals into the highest quality physician-scientists, capable of conducting research that has the potential to transform the diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention of cancer and b) to eliminate the financial disincentive to entering this career path.

This award will provide a funding source that will enable these individuals to pursue research intensively (at least 80% effort) for up to four years, while, if they wish to maintain their clinical skills, continuing to be clinically active (no more than 20% effort). With the recognition that very few other funding sources (if any) exist to support these developing physician-scientists, this award is structured to provide recipients with significant salary support and necessary research expenses, with the expectation that their institutions will provide an environment and additional support (such as benefits and institutional overhead) to ensure their success. In addition, the Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of any medical school debt still owed by an award recipient.

Selection and Review

The Physician-Scientist Training Award Committee will review applications and select awardees for approval by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation’s Board of Directors.

The primary criteria used to evaluate applicants are:

The quality of the applicant, their commitment to pursuing a research career, and potential to excel in cancer research.
The capacity of the Mentor to provide a robust training experience that will accelerate the development of the applicant’s scientific skills and prepare them to independently conduct high quality, innovative cancer-related research. The Mentor must have generated a proven track record in the successful training of other MDs or DOs in research careers.
The quality of a formal research proposal written by the applicant in a process that is overseen by their Mentor (importance of the problem, originality and feasibility of the proposed approach, appropriateness of technical aspects of the research plan, and clarity of presentation).
The commitment of the institution to the development and training of future physician-scientists, including providing the necessary protected time for research.
The importance of the proposed research to the understanding of cancer and/or prevention, diagnosis or treatment of cancer.

At the beginning of each review session, the following statement is read aloud:

As an organization, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has an uncompromising commitment to excellence and values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its Award Programs. The Foundation seeks to promote gender equality and increase diversity, in all of its forms, throughout our programs. Studies have demonstrated that often subtle and unconscious biases can dramatically affect outcomes in review processes and that by simply acknowledging that unconscious biases exist, we can combat their potential negative impact. To that end, please be aware of your potential unconscious biases when reviewing, scoring and discussing candidates and applications throughout the review process.

Application

To apply, please log into Altum | Proposal Central and search for Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award. Applications are due by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on December 1, 2026. Application instructions are located on the Damon Runyon Applications Guidelines webpage and all application forms are located within Proposal Central.

Funding

The award will be for a period of four years. Funding will be allocated to the awardee’s institution each year for the support of the scientist. Funds are to be used for stipend and/or research expenses. No part of this grant can be used for indirect costs or institutional overhead.

Year 1 - $100,000
Year 2 - $110,000
Year 3 - $120,000
Year 4 - $130,000
(Total $460,000)

Debt Repayment Program

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of any qualifying medical school debt still owed by the awardee. Payment will be made annually over the course of the award.
Note: Qualified candidates must first apply to the NIH Loan Repayment Program in order to be eligible for loan repayment from Damon Runyon (see Terms of the Award below).

Dependent Child Allowance

The Foundation also provides a Dependent Child Allowance of $1,000 per child per year. (There is no allowance for a spouse.) Eligible Physician-Scientists must submit a dependent child allowance form and a copy of the birth or adoption certificate for each child.

Other Funding

Awardees may receive funding from other sources to support their research. However, no other physician-scientist career development award from a private source or federal government (e.g., K08 or K23) may be held concurrently with this award.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Physician-scientist applicants (MDs and DOs only) must have completed their residencies and clinical training, be U.S. Specialty Board eligible prior to the award start date, and be able to devote at least 80% of their time and effort to research. MD/PhDs are not eligible to apply. Applicants cannot be pursuing a PhD.

The candidate may not have had more than three years of postdoctoral laboratory research experience. (This includes any time spent conducting research during the clinical fellowship).

Applicants may apply at any time prior to their initial assistant professorship appointment (or equivalent). Postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and clinical instructors are eligible to apply. If the awardee transitions to a fully independent assistant professorship appointment (or equivalent) during the award term, they must terminate the award (see Terms of the Award below).

Candidates holding or awarded NIH K awards at the time of application are not eligible to apply. (Candidates holding institutional K12 awards may apply, but must return their K12 funding to the U.S. Government/NIH if they are awarded a Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award.)

Candidates must apply with a Mentor. The Mentor’s role is to foster the development of the applicant’s knowledge, technical and analytical skills, and capacity for scientific inquiry in the field of basic or translational research chosen by the candidate and in which the Mentor is an outstanding figure. The Mentor will also serve as an advocate for the applicant at departmental, institutional, and other relevant professional levels.

Only one application will be accepted from a Mentor per review session (including Co-Mentors); there is no limit, however, to the number of applications from an institution.
No more than two Damon Runyon Physician-Scientists will be funded to work with the same Mentor at any given time (including Co-Mentors).
Eligible candidates may apply up to two times.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: One Exchange Plaza 55 Broadway, Suite 302 New York

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