Solving the Early Detection and Early-Stage Diagnosis of Recalcitrant Cancers

The Early Detection Award is a collaborative initiative funded by The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and the Lustgarten Foundation. This grant opportunity seeks to tackle the persistent challenge of detecting recalcitrant cancers—those with some of the lowest five-year survival rates—at early stages. These cancers typically lack effective screening tests, leading to diagnoses at advanced stages when therapeutic options are limited and long-term survival is diminished. The funders aim to drive innovation and research that will lead to earlier detection and treatment, significantly improving outcomes for patients. The primary objective of the Early Detection Award is to support projects that enable the early detection or interception of lethal cancers. The initiative encourages projects that enhance understanding of cancer origins and risk factors, as well as those that innovate on the technological and methodological fronts of early detection. Proposals with cross-cancer applicability and those that include novel statistical methodologies for validating biomarkers in clinical trials are particularly encouraged. Projects may focus on pancreatic cancer, hepatobiliary cancers, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, upper gastrointestinal cancers, or cancers related to hereditary syndromes. Award terms include a total funding amount of $2 million per project over a two-year period. Each research team must include two to four investigators, with eligibility extended to faculty with independent research appointments at nonprofit academic, research, or medical institutions globally. There are no geographic or citizenship restrictions. However, the primary focus must be on early detection of one or more eligible cancer types, and proposed projects must not duplicate funding already received. Interdisciplinary, diverse research teams are encouraged, and research budgets must adhere to a 10% cap on indirect costs. Grantees will be required to share results at a future event hosted by one or more of the funders. The grant process begins with a required letter of intent (LOI), which must be a two-page summary including background, aims, a problem statement, research synopsis, innovation highlights, and citations. The LOI portal opens on January 17, 2025, and submissions close on March 10, 2025. Selected applicants will be invited in June 2025 to submit full applications, which are due by July 21, 2025. Awards will be announced in October, with grant terms beginning November 1, 2025. Evaluation criteria for both the LOIs and full applications include scientific innovation, feasibility, intellectual rigor, and patient impact. Projects involving animal models must outline plans for human validation, and those relying on cell lines should include plans for complex model testing. Successful proposals will demonstrate a clear departure from incremental technological improvements and present a strong rationale for their approach. All interested applicants should direct inquiries to The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. Contact details include the phone number 646-866-5950 and the email address info@themarkfoundation.org. The foundation is located at 1350 6th Ave, New York, NY 10019.

Emphasize innovation, feasibility, and differentiation from existing methods. Include plans for validation in complex models or clinical settings.