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Research Fellowship Program

Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Research Fellowship Program supports early-career researchers focusing on studies in cholangiocarcinoma.

New Funding Opportunities

Beginning August 1, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation will accept Letters of Intent for two major grant programs: the Innovation Grant and the Career Development Award (CDA). The 2025 Innovation Award, supported by the Mather Family Foundation, will provide $750,000 over three years for bold clinical trial designs and novel therapies that aim to transform cholangiocarcinoma care. The CDA offers $300,000 over three years to support mid-career investigators establishing independent research programs in cholangiocarcinoma.

2026 Recipients:

The 2026 Career Development Award has been awarded to Dr. Rachel Guest, University of Edinburgh, UK – IDH1/2 mutations in liver cell plasticity and cholangiocarcinoma – funded by Paul Sidenblad in memory of Kathleen Sidenblad.
The 2026 Innovation Grant has been awarded to Dr. Shishir Maithel, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, USA – Phase II, Open label, Non-randomized, Multi-institutional Study of Optimal Preoperative Therapy for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (OPTIC) – funded by the Mather Family Foundation.

Recipients Selected for 2026

CCF Research Fellowship Program

In 2015, CCF established a Research Fellowship Program to support early-career, innovative researchers worldwide who are focused on studying cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The program intends to help these high-quality researchers better understand the complexity of the disease and accelerate the pace of finding a cure. CCF has invested more than $3.83 million in seed funding for basic, translational, and clinical research to 71 awardees from 36 institutions in 7 countries.

CCF chooses grant recipients carefully to ensure they build collaborations between researchers, institutions, and industry and share information, samples, and expertise with others in the field. Prior experience in the field of cholangiocarcinoma is not required. Learn more about the program’s research philosophy

Research Focus:

Basic Science: Research using laboratory-based models without clinical data from patients
Translational Science: Research studying human samples or data obtained from human samples, annotated with clinical outcome data
Clinical Science: Studies of outcomes in human patients; including population and epidemiology research

Degree

Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Pharmacy
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Funding

One year of grant support up to $75,000
Funding for expenses related to the research project, which may include the salary and benefits of the grant recipient, may be used
CCF will not fund indirect costs or institutional overhead

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1️⃣ Strong, Explicit Focus on Cholangiocarcinoma (Most Important)

CCF does not fund broad hepatobiliary or GI cancer projects unless cholangiocarcinoma is central to the aims.

Successful proposals:

Clearly address cholangiocarcinoma biology, treatment, diagnosis, or patient outcomes

Use CCA models, patient-derived samples, organoids, xenografts, or clinical datasets

Demonstrate understanding of the unique challenges of CCA

Predictor: Explicit, disease-focused rationale is essential.

2️⃣ High Clinical or Translational Potential

CCF strongly prioritizes research with a plausible path toward patient benefit.

High-scoring proposals typically:

Develop or validate therapeutic targets

Advance preclinical drug testing platforms

Improve imaging, biomarkers, or early detection

Address resistance to targeted or immunotherapies

Propose pilot clinical trials or translational pipelines

Predictor: A clear trajectory from bench → bedside.

3️⃣ Innovation & High-Impact Ideas

CCF values bold, novel, high-risk/high-reward studies when backed by strong rationale.

Examples of favored themes:

Novel immunotherapies (CAR-T, NK, vaccine therapy, bispecific antibodies)

Molecular mechanisms and pathways driving CCA growth or resistance

Innovative drug delivery or theranostics

Cutting-edge omics integration (single-cell, spatial, proteomics)

Precision oncology and actionable mutations (FGFR2, IDH1/2, BAP1, etc.)

Predictor: Novelty + feasibility.

4️⃣ Feasibility, Strong Study Design & Preliminary Data

Because CCF grants are competitive, successful projects usually include:

Solid preliminary data showing feasibility

Clear experimental design with controls

Realistic timelines for 1–2 years

Strong understanding of model limitations and risk mitigation

Predictor: Data-supported, methodologically rigorous proposals.

5️⃣ Quality of the Investigative Team & Environment

Reviewers favor teams that show:

Relevant expertise in cholangiocarcinoma, hepatobiliary cancers, or immuno-oncology

Strong publication record

Institutional support (lab space, core facilities, patient access for clinical studies)

Multidisciplinary skills (oncology + pathology + bioinformatics + immunology)

Predictor: A complementary, highly capable team is a major advantage.

6️⃣ Collaboration is Highly Valued

CCF repeatedly emphasizes collaboration, especially:

Multi-institutional partnerships

Data sharing

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Use of shared resources (biobanks, registries, clinical trial networks)

Predictor: Strong collaborative elements significantly strengthen competitiveness.

7️⃣ Patient-Centered Outcomes & Quality of Life Considerations

Projects addressing:

Symptom burden

Treatment toxicity

Palliative care innovations

Patient-reported outcomes

…also score highly for clinical relevance.

Predictor: Clear benefit to people living with CCA.

8️⃣ Strong, Justified Budget & Achievable Deliverables

Successful applications show:

Lean, realistic budgets

Clear justification for personnel, consumables, and model costs

Achievable milestones within grant period

Predictor: Efficient, well-aligned budget strengthens credibility.

🚫 COMMON PITFALLS (Why CCF Applications Fail)

Pitfall	Why It Hurts
Project not specifically focused on cholangiocarcinoma	Misaligned with mission
Overly broad or unfocused aims	Feasibility concerns
Weak preliminary data for high-risk hypotheses	Too speculative
Lack of translational pathway	Low clinical relevance
No collaborator involvement when scope is broad	Execution risk
Unrealistic budget or timeline	Reviewer skepticism
Generic hepatobiliary or GI cancer project	Insufficient specificity
Poorly defined endpoints	Hard to assess impact

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

Academic Level

Postdoctoral Fellows and Clinical Fellows
Junior Faculty within ﬁrst three years of appointment at the time of application; includes Instructors and Assistant Professors

Institutional Requirements

Academic or medical, or research institutions based anywhere worldwide
Sponsoring institutions must assign a mentor in the proposed research field who assumes responsibility and provides guidance for the research

Other Eligibility Requirements

Prior award recipients are eligible to apply
Prior experience in the field of CCA is not required
There are no restrictions for applicants regarding age, gender, race, disability, or national origin/residence

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 5526 West 13400 South, #510 Herriman, Utah 84096

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