Lung Cancer Discovery Award

The American Lung Association's Lung Cancer Discovery Award supports innovative research intended to significantly improve morbidity and mortality associated with lung cancer. The American Lung Association describes its nationwide research program as building on more than 120 years of work and investing in pioneering researchers who can drive innovation, discover new knowledge, and improve the lives of people living with lung cancer. Projects may address basic biology, including host and tumor genetics, as well as screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Priority areas include transforming diagnostic and therapeutic paradigms, improving understanding of lung cancer in never smokers, investigating EGFR-driven and other genetic forms of lung cancer, developing novel screening and prevention strategies, fostering innovative approaches, and accelerating research that improves patient care and saves lives. The award provides $100,000 per year for up to two years. Awards are made in one-year increments, with second-year funding contingent upon sufficient progress and availability of funds. No more than 75 percent of the requested budget may support the awardee's salary and fringe benefits, and no more than 30 percent of the total award budget may be used for permanent equipment. An institutional salary limitation of $212,000 applies to the applicant, while there is no salary cap for other personnel. Up to $2,500 per year may be used for travel or publication costs directly related to the funded project. Indirect costs are not allowed. Funds may not be used for furniture, computers, construction or renovation, honoraria, membership dues, tuition, textbooks or periodicals, or secretarial support. The guidelines do not state a required cost share or matching contribution. Applicants must hold a doctoral degree at the time of the Letter of Intent, have completed a training fellowship, and hold a full-time faculty or professional appointment at an academic institution or an equivalent appointment at a research institution not formally associated with a university. Applicants may be at any level of research experience but must be independent, self-directed researchers whose institutions provide the space and resources customary for independent investigators. Applicants must certify that they are authorized to work in the United States, and the institutional Signing Official must certify that employment is expected to continue throughout the grant period. The research institution must be a nonprofit organization located in the United States, owned and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes. Eligible institutions include nonprofit colleges or universities and domestic nonprofit scientific and research institutions. Applicants are limited to one American Lung Association Awards and Grant LOI and one application per annual cycle, and an applicant may receive this grant only once. A Letter of Intent is mandatory and must be submitted through ProposalCentral. LOI submissions are accepted beginning August 5, 2026 and must be submitted by September 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The LOI consists of a one-page letter describing the rationale and significance of the project, specific aims and hypotheses, and overall experimental approach, together with the applicant's biographical sketch and proposed budget. Full applications are by invitation only. Applicants whose LOIs are approved are notified by email and may submit the full proposal through ProposalCentral. The full application deadline is December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. For electronic application process questions, applicants may contact ProposalCentral at pcsupport@altum.com. The invited full application includes applicant and institutional information, key and other personnel, mission significance, resubmission information when applicable, general and technical project summaries, scientific and research categories, facilities and resources, detailed budget information and justification, Other Support, assurances, publications, an applicant biographical sketch, and the Research Plan and supporting documents. The Specific Aims document is limited to one page and the Research Strategy to six pages, organized under Significance, Innovation, and Approach. References may be up to five pages and are placed in the appendix. A Department Head Statement on institutional letterhead is required. Recommendation letters are not required, although letters of support may be included in the appendix. Applications must comply with specified formatting requirements, and attachments must be uploaded as PDF files. Human subjects, animal use, and biohazard activities are subject to applicable assurances and approvals. Applicants must also disclose material use of AI tools in preparing an application. Administratively eligible applications proceed to external peer review. Review considers scientific rigor and feasibility, including study design, methods, analysis, and the likelihood of completing the work during the project period; relevance to the American Lung Association mission; the importance and innovation of the proposed research; the applicant's education, experience, faculty or permanent research status, and institutional commitment; and the project's potential impact on lung health and the applicant's likelihood of making significant contributions to the field. Applicants are therefore expected to present rigorous, feasible, innovative work with a clear connection to lung health and strong institutional support. LOI notifications are scheduled for October 23, 2026. Invited applications are due December 1, 2026, followed by peer review from January through April. Outcome notifications are scheduled for June 2027, and the research term begins July 1, 2027. The stated award period is July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2029, subject to the annual renewal and progress requirements. The guidelines expressly refer to an annual application cycle, so the opportunity is treated as recurring. Based on the August 5 opening of the current cycle, the next cycle is projected for August 2027 unless the American Lung Association publishes a different schedule.

Emphasize scientific rigor and feasibility, including strong study design, methods, analysis, and ability to complete the project within the award period; clearly connect the project to the American Lung Association mission and lung health impact; demonstrate significance and innovation; document applicant qualifications and continuing institutional commitment; address potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success; ensure budgets comply with salary, equipment, discretionary-cost, and indirect-cost restrictions; completely disclose Other Support and avoid budgetary overlap; follow page, font, margin, PDF, assurance, and attachment requirements to avoid administrative withdrawal; validate the application and review uploaded files before final submission