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Young Investigator Grant

KWF Dutch Cancer Society

The Young Investigator Grant (YIG) is for researchers who are in an early stage of their scientific career. The grant is designed to give young talented researchers the opportunity to initiate a strong and independent oncological research line. The young researcher must be capable of leading the project and executing the project independently. We expect applicants to explicitly reflect on their development as scientists, their leadership vision, and their positioning within the broader field of oncological research (see Personal Motivation below).

Scope

The YIG consists of a hypothesis-driven research question and has a defined duration (suggested duration of 4 years) and final analyses in which the hypothesis is confirmed or rejected.
The project leader has to initiate an independent line of research.
The project leader holds a PhD degree at the start of the project.
The project leader must be employed for a minimum of 0.5 FTE per year throughout the duration of the project.
In addition to the allocated FTE for the YIG candidate, the project may include up to 1.0 FTE scientific personnel (e.g. a postdoctoral researcher or a PhD candidate) and up to 1.0 FTE non-scientific personnel per year.
The maximum budget that can be requested is €1,000,000. In exceptional cases, an additional amount of up to approximately €400,000 may be considered for major expenses, such as essential equipment critical to the research. These expenses must be thoroughly justified in the application. This justification must include detailed specifications, costs, intended use within the project, and the unique contribution to the research objectives.
YIG projects may be combined with other grants (e.g. ERC StG), provided there is no overlap in project content or funding. The total commitment (including teaching) must not exceed 100% and may be verified during the interview with the candidate.

The project leader is eligible to submit a YIG proposal if the call deadline is within 5 years after obtaining his/her PhD degree. Possible exceptions are:

An extension with the time spent on study/training to become a clinical/medical doctor after obtaining a Phd
An extension with a maximum of 2 years in case of any valid reason, e.g. in case of parental leave. Official documents substantiating this valid reason can be requested at the latest 6 weeks before the call deadline. If KWF considers the reason to be valid, an extension will only be granted for the upcoming call.

Please submit your YIG proposal exclusively through this call. Submitting the same proposal in other calls is not permitted. When your proposal is submitted to another call, it will be deemed ineligible during the eligibility check of that call.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to cancer research (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the most important success factor.

Competitive proposals should address important questions in:

Cancer biology
Cancer genetics
Tumor immunology
Precision oncology
Early detection
Cancer prevention
Translational oncology
Clinical oncology
Survivorship
Palliative care
Cancer epidemiology
Health services research
Implementation science

Projects without a clear focus on cancer are generally not competitive.

2. Strong potential to improve outcomes for people with cancer (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through research that benefits patients.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Improve survival
Improve quality of life
Enhance early diagnosis
Improve treatment
Reduce recurrence
Improve supportive care
Strengthen survivorship
Improve healthcare delivery

Applications should clearly explain how the research could ultimately benefit patients and society.

3. Scientific excellence and significance (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals demonstrate:

Important research questions
High scientific quality
Strong biological or clinical rationale
Original hypotheses
Potential to advance cancer knowledge

Scientific excellence is a core evaluation criterion across KWF funding programs.

4. Innovation and originality (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive projects often investigate:

Novel therapeutic targets
Immunotherapy
AI in oncology
Precision medicine
Biomarker discovery
Early detection technologies
Digital health
Advanced imaging
Innovative implementation strategies

Research that goes beyond incremental advances is strongly encouraged.

5. Strong translational or implementation potential (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF places substantial emphasis on moving research into practice.

Competitive proposals often include:

Translational research
Clinical trials
Biomarker validation
Implementation science
Health services research
Real-world evidence
Precision oncology

Projects should describe a credible pathway from discovery to patient benefit.

6. Rigorous methodology and feasibility (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals include:

Clearly defined objectives
Appropriate study design
Robust statistical analysis
Realistic milestones
Risk management
Appropriate timeline

Reviewers expect technically sound and achievable research plans.

7. Multidisciplinary collaboration and consortium strength (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF strongly encourages collaboration among:

Cancer biologists
Clinicians
Epidemiologists
Data scientists
Engineers
Behavioral scientists
Health economists
Patient organizations

Large collaborative projects that integrate complementary expertise are particularly competitive.

8. Patient involvement and societal relevance (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

A distinctive feature of KWF is its emphasis on involving patients and society.

Competitive proposals may include:

Patient representatives
Patient advisory panels
Co-design of research
Public engagement
Patient-centered outcomes
Stakeholder participation

Meaningful patient involvement strengthens both relevance and impact.

9. Strong investigator and research environment (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Reviewers assess:

Applicant expertise
Publication record
Leadership potential
Institutional infrastructure
Mentorship (for early-career awards)
Access to research facilities

The research environment should clearly support successful project completion.

10. Open science, FAIR data, and knowledge dissemination (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

KWF supports:

Open access publishing
FAIR data principles
Data sharing
Responsible research
Dissemination to scientific and public audiences

Applications should include a clear plan for sharing results and maximizing research impact.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Requirements

The YIG Call is reserved for project proposals within the following research phases: Basic research, Credentialing, Creation of Modality, Preclinical, Clinical and Implementation. Please select the appropriate research phase for your project. Choosing the correct phase ensures that:

The appropriate application form is used
Your proposal is reviewed by the correct committee members; this ensures the most accurate review of your proposal
Your proposal is reviewed by the Patient Advisory Committee when relevant (for more information on the role of the PACO in the review process, see the paragraph below: Patient Advisory Committee (PACO)).

Eligible Countries:

Netherlands

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: KWF Dutch Cancer Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Delflandlaan 17, 1062 EA Amsterdam

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