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Lustgarten Foundation Innovation & Collaboration Program

Lustgarten Foundation

Goal and research strategy of the Lustgarten Foundation

The intent of this program is to provide seed funding for highly innovative research with significant potential to accelerate the mission of the Lustgarten Foundation. Proposals should address key outstanding questions and have the potential to lead to a change in the current paradigm or conventional wisdom. Proposals that involve collaborations across groups or that bring new expertise and/or technology into the field will be preferred.

Preliminary data is not required in the proposal, but the underlying premise or hypothesis must be plausible and testable, and the proposal must be focused on a well-defined goal that is achievable within the timeframe of the award.

Research topics are not restricted but may address topics relevant to the priorities and goals of the Lustgarten Foundation (Early Detection and Interception, Therapeutic Development, Personalized Medicine). Preference will be given to proposals addressing understudied and/or poorly understood aspects of pancreatic cancer biology.

The Innovation and Collaboration Program is not intended to support proposals aiming to incrementally advance existing hypotheses, ongoing areas of research, or proposals with the sole goal of generating novel reagents or resources.

Research Plan

The research plan must be submitted using the template available on ProposalCentral and may not exceed 3 pages, including figures and tables, but not including references. The research plan should include the following information: Statement of Innovation and Significance to Pancreatic Cancer, Specific Aims, Research Design and Methods, Potential Impact and Next Steps if Successful.

Incentive and Award funding program

A. Requested budgets will be considered and evaluated as part of the competitive selection process.

B. Grants up to $110,000 (including indirect costs) for one year will be considered.

C. Indirect costs may not exceed a maximum of 10% of direct costs.

D. PIs may use the NIH Salary Cap if the base salary exceeds the federal capitation.

E. Bi-annual scientific progress report and financial reports will be required.

F. Funded investigators will be expected to have regular interaction with Lustgarten Foundation scientific staff and will be expected to be willing to interact and/or collaborate with the larger network of Lustgarten Foundation-funded investigators and laboratories.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Absolute Focus on Pancreatic Cancer

The strongest predictor of funding success is a proposal that is laser-focused on pancreatic cancer:

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

Early detection & screening biomarkers

Tumor microenvironment & stroma dynamics

Immunotherapy mechanisms & overcoming resistance

Metabolic reprogramming

KRAS signaling & downstream vulnerabilities

Single-cell / spatial / multi-omics of PDAC

Therapeutic resistance & metastasis biology

DNA damage response & synthetic lethality in PDAC

❗ Generic oncology proposals almost never get funded unless the link to pancreatic cancer is extremely strong.

2. Fit to the Specific Lustgarten Mechanism

The foundation has several targeted programs:

🔹 Research Grants

Hypothesis-driven, mechanistic or translational PDAC biology

Typically requires strong preliminary data

🔹 New Investigator Awards

For early-career independent PIs

Must demonstrate independence + trajectory

Mentorship letters and environment matter greatly

🔹 Innovation & Technology Grants

High-risk, high-reward ideas

Cutting-edge technologies (single-cell, spatial, machine learning, model systems)

🔹 Clinical Accelerator Initiative

Highly translational

Clinical trials, therapeutic development

Requires access to patients and infrastructure

🔹 Collaborative Team Science Grants

Multi-PI, multidisciplinary

Strong justification for collaboration required

Predictor: A perfect match between your project scope + career stage + platform and the targeted mechanism.

3. Strong Preliminary Data

Lustgarten-funded studies almost always include:

Proof-of-concept experiments

Feasibility demonstrated in PDAC cell lines, organoids, or PDX models

Early mechanistic insights

Pilot biomarker results

Evidence the approach will work in PDAC, not just in other tumor types

Predictor: The presence of substantial preliminary data is a major competitive advantage.

4. Use of Highly Relevant PDAC Models

Lustgarten reviewers favor realistic, high-quality models:

Patient-derived organoids (PDO)

Patient-derived xenografts (PDX)

Genetically engineered mouse models (KPC/KRAS-driven models)

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics

High-quality PDAC patient cohorts

Predictor: Using state-of-the-art human PDAC models drastically improves competitiveness.

5. High Innovation + Potential for High Impact

Lustgarten values bold ideas that can change the field:

New therapeutic strategies for KRAS-mutant tumors

First-in-field biomarker platforms

Approaches to overcome dense stroma and immunosuppression

Highly novel drug discovery targets

Disruptive technologies for early detection

Predictor: Proposals must be innovative and transformative, not incremental.

6. Translational Relevance & Path to Clinical Impact

Lustgarten strongly emphasizes clinical relevance, such as:

Clear path to clinical trial

Biomarker ready for translation

Therapeutic candidates with near-term potential

Studies addressing treatment-resistant PDAC

Predictor: Translational potential is a dominant scoring category.

7. Strong Investigator Track Record

Reviewers expect:

Publications in pancreatic cancer or closely relevant topics

Demonstrated expertise in PDAC biology or tumor immunology

Evidence of independence (distinct niche from mentor)

Successful delivery of past research projects

Predictor: Strong track record is essential, especially for mid-career grants.

8. Collaborations That Truly Add Value

Team science is often favored, especially when:

Pairing computational + experimental expertise

Integrating clinicians for translational pipelines

Using shared resources (biobanks, imaging, sequencing)

Crossing multiple institutions to access unique samples or platforms

Predictor: Collaboration strengthens feasibility and impact — but only if it’s mission-critical.

9. Clear, Feasible Aims and Milestones

Well-designed proposals include:

2–3 tightly structured aims

Realistic 1–2 year milestones

Go/no-go decision points

Backup approaches

Quantifiable outcomes

Predictor: A tightly scoped, feasible plan is crucial.

10. High-Quality Writing

Winning proposals are:

Clear, compelling, and logically structured

Heavy on significance and rationale

Strong in methodological rigor

Easy for both biologists and translational reviewers to understand

Predictor: Strong writing often distinguishes funded from unfunded applications of similar scientific quality.

🏆 Summary Table

Predictor	Why It Matters
PDAC-specific focus	Core eligibility; biggest scoring factor
Mechanism alignment	Ensures fit with reviewer expectations
Strong preliminary data	Demonstrates feasibility
Relevant PDAC models	Increases translational relevance
Innovation + high impact	Central Lustgarten priority
Clinical/Translational relevance	Key mission driver
Investigator track record	Reviewer confidence driver
Strategic collaboration	Amplifies feasibility & scope
Focused aims	Fits 1–2 year grant framework
Clear, polished writing	Increases reviewer enthusiasm

Specialties

Cancer

Pancreatology

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

A. Engaged in significant pancreatic cancer and/or relevant focus area research as a Principal Investigator.

B. Holds an independent faculty position or equivalent.

C. Willingness to interact and/or collaborate with the larger network of Lustgarten Foundation-funded investigators and laboratories.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Lustgarten Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 504 RXR Plaza Uniondale, NY 11556

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