We fund All Types of Research
The American Cancer Society (ACS) funds a wide range of investigator-initiated cancer research. We believe that the best science will provide the greatest benefit. That’s why the goal of our Extramural Discovery Sciences program is to fund the most creative, innovative, and promising projects from the grant applications we receive, for any type of cancer and within any part of the research continuum.
Grant applicants may propose projects focused on any of these areas:
* Basic discovery science, where the goal is to uncover fundamental mechanisms of biology, cancer, or behavior
* Development of novel therapeutics
* Translational cancer research, where the goal is to further demonstrate how a discovery can be moved into the clinic
Proposals can include the use of diverse preclinical cancer models (i.e., in silico/computational, cells, organoids and/or animals). Research can also focus on clinical research with people to better understand a disease and to test and refine new treatments and technologies. This includes clinical trials, epidemiologic and behavioral studies, and health services research. Our portfolio reflects this diverse scope.
Each of our Scientific Research Programs accepts applications from most grant mechanisms (exceptions are made for some special initiatives). Beginning in 2021, some restrictions will be applied to certain areas of cancer research for which the ACS has made substantial investments within the Data Science and Population Science ACS research programs.
Learn about the recent restructuring our scientific programs and peer review committes: FAQs: ACS Extramural Program Changes and Grant Application Submissions.
Biochemistry and Immunology of Cancer
This program accepts grant applications that focus on:
- Genes involved in cancer and the roles alterations in those genes (mutations, deletions, and amplifications) play in cancer processes
- Molecules involved in cancer (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates) and how alterations in those molecules affect the disease
- Potential targets for new treatments of cancer and mechanisms of signal transduction
- Investigations of the immunology of cancer including blood cell development, immunotherapy, inflammatory responses, immunosurveillance, and innate and adaptive immunity
- Investigations of oncogenic viruses, microbial pathogens, or the microbiome, and their involvement with molecular processes and pathways within cancer cells including tumor antigens and immunity
Cell Biology and Preclinical Cancer Research
This program accepts grant applications that focus on:
- Fundamental controls that dictate cancer cell development and regulation of cell growth, division, migration, and fate
- Investigations of oncogenic viruses, microbial pathogens, or the microbiome, and their involvement with cellular processes and pathways within cancer cells and between cancer cells and normal cells
- Mechanisms driving cancer progression (including initiation, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and treatment resistance) and therapy-associated morbidities
- Cancer biomarker discovery and development
- Discovery, synthesis and delivery of cancer drugs and biologics
Scientific Director: Lynne Elmore, PhD
Program Manager: Kimberly Clarke, PhD
For all questions, contact: Kimberly.clarke@cancer.org
Associated Peer Review Committees
Clinical and Cancer Control Research
This program accepts grant applications that focus on qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, multi-level research, clinical studies and clinical trials involving human subjects. Specifically:
- Clinical research to test novel interventions, methods, and technologies to prevent, detect, treat, or survive cancer
- Translating evidence from preclinical research and clinical trials into medical practice
- Innovative methods and technologies to promote and sustain behavioral change
- Advanced statistical methods and machine-learning to interrogate multiple large databases
- Access to care, cancer care delivery, and palliative care research
- Health equity research to uncover the root cause of inequities based on the social determinants of health and testing strategies to achieve health equity
Priority Focus on Health Equity:
ACS Extramural Discovery Sciences identifies research addressing cancer health equity as a priority within the Clinical and Cancer Control Research Program. For more information see the grant mechanism for Health Equity Research.
Senior Scientific Director: Elvan (Ellie) C. Daniels, MD, MPH
Program Manager: Chanda Felton, MPH
For all questions, contact: chanda.felton@cancer.org
Associated Peer Review Committees