CRI Technology Impact Award

The Cancer Research Institute Technology Impact Award supports innovative early-stage technology concepts with the potential to revolutionize cancer immunotherapy. This initiative, established by the Cancer Research Institute, focuses on bridging the gap between conceptual technological innovation and its clinical application in cancer treatment. The program’s objective is to catalyze the creation of new tools, systems, and platforms that address fundamental challenges in cancer immunology, emphasizing ideas that have not yet been built or tested but show transformative promise. The award’s scope prioritizes the development of high-risk, high-reward technologies. Competitive proposals should present novel technological advances that could change how cancer immunotherapy is studied and delivered. Eligible examples include computational systems biology tools to analyze complex datasets, real-time visualization technologies to monitor immune responses, or innovative profiling methods that improve therapeutic targeting. Applications that merely refine existing technologies are considered non-responsive. Instead, CRI seeks bold approaches that can yield proof-of-principle data leading to breakthroughs in immunotherapy understanding and efficacy. Funding of up to $600,000 is available for projects lasting between two and four years, with an additional 10% indirect cost allowance provided to the applicant’s institution. Awards are intended as seed funding to initiate technology development rather than sustain existing lines of work. The CRI explicitly excludes funding for clinical trials, although the use of samples from other independently funded trials is permissible if relevant to the technological objectives of the project. Eligibility is limited to tenure-track investigators affiliated with nonprofit research centers or academic institutions. Collaboration between clinical cancer immunologists and technology developers is encouraged, and joint applications with co-principal investigators are welcome. Projects must demonstrate not only technical sophistication but also a clear pathway to advancing patient-focused immunotherapy outcomes. The application process follows a two-step structure: submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) by November 15, followed by an invitation to submit a full proposal by March 2 of the following year. Letters of Intent are submitted electronically through the CRI online portal, where applicants must create or log in to a personal account. Applicants advancing to the full proposal stage will be notified by mid-February. Awards typically activate on July 1. All submissions must comply with CRI formatting guidelines and include specific supporting materials such as a research concept, investigator CV, and bibliography. Applications are evaluated based on innovation, technical sophistication, and transformative potential. CRI seeks to identify ideas capable of driving the next generation of immunotherapy tools. Inquiries or technical issues with submission should be directed to grants@cancerresearch.org. The program is a recurring annual opportunity, reaffirming CRI’s mission to fund ideas that push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer immunotherapy research.

Submit early to avoid disqualification; ensure file format and page limits compliance; proposals applying existing technologies without innovation will be non-responsive.