Leukemia Exploration and Prevention Grant Program

The Leukemia Exploration and Prevention (LEAP) Grant Program is a collaborative initiative between the RUNX1 Research Program and the American Cancer Society (ACS), designed to drive forward the discovery and development of cancer interception and prevention treatments for individuals with RUNX1 familial platelet disorder (RUNX1-FPD). This condition, caused by germline RUNX1 mutations, leads to a significantly elevated lifetime risk of hematologic malignancies (HMs), particularly acute myeloid leukemia. The LEAP program acknowledges the urgent medical need within this high-risk population and supports research that can address key knowledge gaps in the mechanisms of disease and therapeutic intervention strategies. The scientific premise underlying the LEAP program emphasizes the complex interplay between cell-autonomous (intrinsic) and cell-nonautonomous (extrinsic) factors in cancer development. The presence of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is known to increase the risk for HMs, especially in genetically predisposed populations such as those with RUNX1-FPD. While CHIP is relatively common among older adults, its prevalence and associated malignancy risk are much higher in those with inherited RUNX1 mutations. Despite this known risk, much remains unclear about the processes leading to leukemia in these patients, including the influence of external signaling and microenvironmental interactions that may accelerate disease progression. To address this, the LEAP program provides two distinct funding mechanisms: the LEAP-Research Scholar Grant (RSG) and the LEAP-Team Award. The RSG supports independent researchers pursuing targeted questions aligned with one of two key focus areas: elucidating the mechanistic steps of leukemogenesis in RUNX1-mutated hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and translational research aimed at identifying or validating biomarkers, pathways, or interventions for cancer prevention. The Team Award is structured for interdisciplinary collaborations, requiring a Lead Principal Investigator and at least one Team Principal to collaboratively pursue comprehensive translational strategies that bridge laboratory discovery and clinical application. The funding terms differ by mechanism. RSG recipients are eligible for up to $215,000 annually in direct costs for up to four years, totaling $860,000, plus 10% in indirect costs. The Team Award supports up to $430,000 per year in direct costs, with a four-year maximum of $1.72 million, also plus 10% indirect costs. A formal review process will evaluate awardees' progress at the two-year mark to allow for potential revision of project aims. Eligible applicants must be full-time independent investigators affiliated with U.S.-based academic or nonprofit institutions. The program does not restrict career stage. Applications are investigator-initiated and must be submitted through ProposalCentral. The submission deadline for this cycle is June 1, 2026, with awards expected to be announced in January 2027 and projects beginning April 1, 2027. Resubmissions are permitted and encouraged, especially when revised in response to reviewer feedback. The LEAP program will fund up to three RSG awards or a combination of one RSG and one Team Award in this cycle. Projects will be evaluated based on their scientific merit, alignment with the LEAP focus areas, innovation, translational potential, and relevance to the RUNX1-FPD patient community. Applications must include clear articulation of project aims, methodology, impact, and team composition (if applicable), along with compliance with human subjects or animal research protocols where relevant. The primary contact for the program is Paul Campbell, PhD ([email protected]). Full application instructions and policy documents are available through the ACS website and ProposalCentral.