The Lustgarten Foundation-AACR Career Development Award for Pancreatic Cancer Research, in Honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is a prestigious initiative developed to support emerging talent in pancreatic cancer research, particularly aiming to enhance gender diversity in the scientific field. This collaborative effort between the Lustgarten Foundation and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) honors Justice Ginsburg’s enduring legacy of advocacy and resilience in the face of cancer. The grant aims to accelerate progress in pancreatic cancer research by fostering the career growth of promising scientists in early stages of their faculty careers.
The grant supports a wide range of research approaches including basic, translational, clinical, and population sciences, provided the research has direct relevance to understanding, detecting, diagnosing, or treating pancreatic cancer. Applicants can be researchers already working in the field or those with experience in other biomedical disciplines who present innovative ideas that could be applied to pancreatic cancer. The award totals $300,000 over a period of three years and can be used for personnel costs (including salary and benefits for the PI, collaborators, fellows, students, or assistants), research supplies, equipment, and publication fees. Indirect costs, however, are not allowed.
Eligible applicants must have a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent), must not be seeking further doctoral education, and must hold a faculty appointment at the level of assistant professor (including research, adjunct, or visiting roles) by the grant start date of July 1, 2026. Applicants must also be AACR Active Members in good standing and part of the Women in Cancer Research (WICR) group. Institutions must confirm that the applicant has independent lab space and the ability to manage funding independently. There are no geographic or citizenship restrictions, but international applicants must confirm sufficient visa status.
Applications must be submitted through ProposalCentral by 1:00 p.m. ET on January 6, 2026. Required materials include detailed budget information, project proposals, institutional assurances, and letters of reference from a department chair or equivalent. A scientific abstract and lay abstract are also required. Applications will be reviewed by a peer committee of senior scientists selected by the AACR president. Review criteria include the applicant’s capacity for independent research, the significance and innovation of the project, and the suitability of institutional resources.
Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by March 2026. Selected grantees must attend the AACR Annual Meeting or a similar recognition event in 2026 to formally accept their award. While only one application to this program is allowed per person, applicants may apply concurrently to other AACR grants but must accept the first one they are awarded. Applicants who currently hold an AACR grant must ensure that it ends prior to July 1, 2026, to be eligible.
Highlight originality, scientific merit, and alignment with the funder's goals; strong institutional backing is important.
