Verified

Yamagiwa-Yoshida Memorial International Cancer (YY) Study Grants

Union for International Cancer Control

Yamagiwa-Yoshida Memorial International Cancer (YY) Study Grants provide postdoctoral researchers with opportunities to initiate or pursue cancer research projects with international collaborators, enabling them to exchange knowledge, skills, and techniques. The YY Study Grants are supported by the Japan National Committee for UICC, a full UICC member organisation since 1948. For almost 50 years, the YY Study Grants have contributed to the professional development of over 330 Fellows from over 40 countries.

Practical information:

Target candidates: Researchers, clinicians, epidemiologists and/or public health professionals
Duration: Three months
Extension: Up to two months with funding secured by the fellow from other sources and at no cost to UICC
Maximum value: US$ 10,000
Research type: Basic, translational, public health or applied cancer research
Notification of results: January 2027

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct Relevance to Cancer Control and UICC Priorities

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Critical

The strongest applications should address a clearly defined cancer-control problem rather than cancer research in a broad or indirect sense.

UICC's current programmes emphasise areas including:

Cancer prevention
Early detection and diagnosis
Treatment access
Palliative and supportive care
Cancer survivorship
Cancer registries and data systems
National cancer-control planning
Health-system strengthening
Women's cancers
Lung cancer
People-centred cancer care
Cervical cancer and HPV vaccination.

Success principle:

Clearly defined cancer-control problem → UICC strategic priority → measurable improvement.

2. Evidence-Based and Scientifically/Technically Sound Approach

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Critical

UICC's Technical Fellowships specifically prioritise implementation of evidence-based interventions with demonstrated public-health impact. Its implementation-research programmes likewise focus on translating existing evidence into real-world health-system practice.

A strong proposal should demonstrate:

Appropriate evidence base.
Valid methodology.
Clear intervention or research approach.
Appropriate outcome measures.
Evidence that the proposed intervention can work in the target context.
Logical connection between activities and expected outcomes.

For research-oriented opportunities such as the YY Study Grant, scientific quality and a credible research programme are particularly important.

3. Demonstrable Impact on Patients, Communities or Cancer Systems

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Critical

UICC places considerable emphasis on real-world impact.

Recent funded implementation projects, for example, are designed to improve adoption, adaptation and scale-up of effective cancer-prevention interventions in real health-system settings.

Strong proposals should specify:

Who benefits?
What problem improves?
How many people could be reached?
What measurable outcome will change?
How will the intervention affect cancer outcomes?
How can the model be sustained or expanded?

A proposal that produces only academic outputs without a plausible cancer-control benefit may be less aligned with many UICC programmes.

4. Strong Local Context and Clearly Defined Need

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High

UICC expects applicants to demonstrate that the proposed work responds to local and health-system needs.

For Technical Fellowships, applicants are specifically expected to connect their individual learning objectives to their professional and institutional context and to wider needs in their home country.

For organisational grants, the equivalent is:

Local cancer burden → identified implementation gap → proposed intervention → measurable local improvement.

This is particularly important for projects involving:

LMIC settings.
Rural or underserved populations.
Health-system constraints.
Inequitable access.
Workforce shortages.
Screening/treatment gaps.

5. Feasibility and Implementation Readiness

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High

UICC-funded projects need to be realistically executable.

A previous UICC grant programme for HPV vaccination explicitly evaluated proposals on relevance, feasibility, potential for impact and sustainability, while considering political and socioeconomic context.

A competitive proposal therefore needs:

Realistic objectives.
Appropriate timeline.
Qualified team.
Access to the target population.
Institutional support.
Practical implementation pathway.
Appropriate budget.
Risk-management strategy.

Avoid ambitious plans that cannot realistically be implemented within the award period.

6. Sustainability and Potential for Scale-Up

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High

UICC frequently looks beyond the immediate project to whether successful approaches can become sustainable or be expanded.

The current European implementation programme, for example, explicitly seeks practical evidence that can accelerate adoption, scale-up and impact across different health-system settings.

Strong applications should explain:

What happens after UICC funding ends?
Who will maintain the intervention?
Can the approach be incorporated into existing health services?
Can it be replicated elsewhere?
What resources are needed for scale-up?
Can results influence policy or guidelines?

7. Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ High

Capacity building is one of UICC's longstanding objectives.

The Technical Fellowship programme, for example, is designed not simply to train an individual but to strengthen both the individual and home organisation through application and dissemination of newly acquired skills.

For competitive proposals, demonstrate:

Training of local professionals.
Institutional learning.
Knowledge-sharing mechanisms.
Development of local expertise.
Mentoring.
Creation of sustainable systems.
Dissemination of lessons learned.

This is particularly important for international and LMIC-focused programmes.

8. Equity and Access to Cancer Services

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ High

UICC's current programmes place substantial emphasis on equitable cancer control.

Its Technical Fellowship priorities include equitable access to affordable and effective treatment, supportive care and prevention/detection, while its scholarship programme prioritises individuals from LMICs and underrepresented communities.

Strong proposals may address:

Geographic inequities.
Income-related barriers.
Gender disparities.
Rural populations.
Underserved communities.
Access to screening.
Access to treatment.
Access to HPV vaccination.
Cancer-care disparities.

9. Strong International Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ High

International collaboration is particularly important for UICC's fellowship and research programmes.

The Yamagiwa-Yoshida (YY) Study Grants specifically support three-month international collaborative research visits designed to exchange complementary skills, knowledge and techniques.

Recent YY awards have supported researchers from countries including India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Republic of the Congo, with projects spanning survival trends, biomarkers and personalised cancer detection/treatment.

Strong applications should demonstrate:

Why the international partner is necessary.
Complementary expertise.
Specific skills to be acquired.
What the applicant contributes.
How collaboration will continue.
How knowledge will be transferred back home.

10. Strong Applicant/Organisation Track Record and Appropriate Programme Fit

Importance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ High

UICC opportunities often have explicit experience requirements.

For example, current YY Study Grants require applicants to have a PhD or equivalent at least two years before the call and a track record of publications in cancer research.

Technical Fellowships require at least five years of cancer-related professional experience, with eligible backgrounds spanning public health professionals, researchers, clinicians, nurses and pathologists.

Organisational grants can similarly require evidence of experience in cancer control and project implementation.

Therefore, the proposal should demonstrate that the applicant or organisation has the appropriate:

Expertise
Experience
Institutional capacity
Partnerships
Cancer-control track record
Ability to deliver the proposed project.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Hold a PhD certificate (or equivalent degree*) at least 2 years prior to the publication date of the call
Have a track record of publications in cancer research

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Union for International Cancer Control

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Av. Giuseppe-Motta 31-33, 1202 Geneva

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity