This week’s OncoGrants spotlight is anchored by major European Commission investments alongside U.S. institutional seed funding and oncology venture competitions. The funding spectrum ranges from $10K survivorship pilots to Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions allocating €35M and €22.19M across large-scale collaborative cancer projects.
Two Horizon Europe Mission Cancer calls stand out—one advancing Virtual Human Twin models to deepen mechanistic understanding and personalise treatment, and another supporting pragmatic immunotherapy trials in refractory cancers with survival and patient-reported outcomes as core endpoints. Together, they signal sustained EU commitment to data-driven, real-world oncology innovation.
On the U.S. side, this week features interdisciplinary seed grants, colorectal and ovarian cancer pilot programs, host-response-to-therapy research, pediatric neuro-oncology fellowship training, and oncology-focused startup competitions targeting underserved populations and women scientist-entrepreneurs.
Below are this week’s top funding opportunities.
1. Horizon Europe Mission Cancer: CANCER-01 Virtual Human Twin Models for Cancer Research
This Horizon Europe Mission Cancer topic funds work to develop and advance multiscale Virtual Human Twins (VHTs) to expand mechanistic understanding of cancer onset and progression. The call targets VHT-based solutions that support researchers and healthcare professionals and improves personalised treatments over time. Outputs are intended to be accessible via EU platforms such as UNCAN.eu and the advanced VHT platforms, with an emphasis on enriching and making data/model assets available following open science principles.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must submit an eligible proposal under a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA) topic and comply with the call’s conditions (see Work Programme and the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page).
- Proposal must align with the stated expected outcomes and scope for VHT cancer research.Funding Details:
- Action type: RIA.
- Total topic budget: €35.00M.
- Expected EU contribution per project: €8.00M–€9.00M.
- Indicative number of projects funded: 4.
Deadline:
Where to go for further information:
2. 2026 AIM-HI BRACE Award Venture Competition
The BRACE Award competition aims to identify and invest in innovative oncology startups that can impact cancers prevalent in underserved populations. It is part of AIM-HI’s annual oncology venture competitions intended to accelerate life-saving innovations through seed support, coaching, and network access. Winners can receive honorariums and may be considered for further investment after due diligence.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Oncology startup aligned with addressing cancers prevalent in underserved populations.
- Must fit AIM-HI’s oncology scientist-entrepreneur/venture competition scope.
Funding Details:
- AIM-HI provides seed funding, coaching, and continuous access to its global network.
- Top winners: honorariums, certificates, and potential further investment consideration.
Deadline:
- Applications accepted until: March 15, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
3. SickKids Meagan Bebenek Neuro-Oncology Fellowship
This SickKids fellowship offers 1–3 years of academic clinical and/or research training in paediatric neuro-oncology within a major paediatric brain tumour program. Fellows can pursue a 12-month clinical track with options for additional research training and are mentored through clinical trials involvement and scholarly output. Applications are submitted via the Haematology Oncology Fellowship application portal and are currently open for the July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028 academic year.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Certified or board-eligible in Paediatric Haematology/Oncology or Paediatric Haematology.
- Applicants may be Canadian or International.
Funding Details:
- Fellowship duration: 1 to 3 years.
- Opportunities to pursue additional research training; fellows may be considered for research funding pathways through the Garron Family Cancer Centre (as described on the program page).
Deadline:
- Submission deadline: April 30, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
4. 2026 AIM-HI Women’s Venture Competition
AIM-HI runs annual venture competitions to support scientist-entrepreneurs in the oncology arena with seed support and acceleration resources. The Women’s Venture Competition is designed to empower women scientist-entrepreneurs in oncology addressing unmet patient needs and is run in partnership with the National Foundation for Cancer Research. The competition offers feedback from oncology key opinion leaders and can lead to honorariums and further investment consideration.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must align with oncology-focused entrepreneurship (scientist-entrepreneur in oncology).
- Women scientist-entrepreneurs (Women’s competition focus).
Funding Details:
- AIM-HI provides seed funding, coaching, and access to a global network.
- Top winners: honorariums, certificates, and consideration for further investment (subject to due diligence).
Deadline:
- Applications accepted until: March 15, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
5. 2026 Cancer Center at Illinois Seed Grant Program
The Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) solicits interdisciplinary, team-based seed projects to develop new cancer-focused collaborations and generate preliminary data for external grant submissions (e.g., NIH R01-level). The RFP emphasizes cancer relevance and encourages involvement of assistant professors and CCIL shared resources. Funding is phased across two years with continuation expectations tied to milestones and external proposal submission.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Lead PI must be a CCIL member at submission (or apply for membership) .
- Team must include multiple investigators from different disciplines/departments; at least two team members must be current CCIL members.
- Research teams must host a CCIL trainee/student from specified CCIL education/training programs.
- PI may submit as PI on one project per cycle.
Funding Details:
- Up to $200,000 total / up to 2 years (up to $100,000 Year 1 + up to $100,000 Year 2).
- Funds cannot support tenure-track faculty salaries (and other restrictions apply).
Deadline:
- Proposal due: March 11, 2026 (11:59 PM).
- Award notification: May 13, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
6. Horizon Europe Mission Cancer: CANCER-03 Pragmatic Clinical Trials for Refractory Cancers
This Mission Cancer topic supports pragmatic clinical trials aimed at improving immunotherapeutic interventions for patients with refractory cancers, focusing on effectiveness in real-world settings and evidence directly applicable to practice. The call text emphasizes randomised or cluster-randomised, academic investigator-initiated pragmatic trials that benefit patients with refractory cancers across stages, subtypes, age groups, and societal contexts. Endpoints should include overall survival and patient-reported outcomes/quality of life defined together with patients and caregivers/families.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must submit an eligible proposal under this RIA topic and comply with Horizon Europe call conditions (see Work
- Programme and the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page).
- Proposal should include randomised or cluster-randomised academic investigator-initiated pragmatic clinical trials for patients with refractory cancers.
- Trial endpoints should target overall survival and patient-reported outcomes/quality of life important to patients and caregivers/families.
Funding Details:
- Action type: RIA.
- Total topic budget: €22.19M.
- Expected EU contribution per project: €7.00M–€8.00M.
- Indicative number of projects funded: 3.
Deadline:
- Deadline(s): 15 Sep 2026.
Where to go for further information:
7. New Pilot Funding Opportunity in Colorectal Cancer (Johns Hopkins CRC CORE)
Johns Hopkins’ Colorectal Cancer Center of Research Excellence (CRC CORE) is offering pilot funding for novel developmental colorectal cancer research programs with translational potential. The goal is to support projects that lack sufficient preliminary data for a peer‑reviewed external grant. Projects are evaluated on potential impact, feasibility within one year, and plans to leverage results for larger external funding. Two awards are available in this cycle.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Open to faculty, including research associates.
Funding Details:
- $60,000 each for 1 year.
- 2 awards anticipated.
- No faculty salary support.
Deadline:
- Application due: Monday, March 2, 2026 (8:00 am).
- Funding decisions announced by: April 3, 2026.
- Funding period starts: May 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
8. Ovarian Cancer Research Funding Opportunity FY 2026 Award Cycle (University of Colorado Cancer Center) — Collaborative Pilot Grants
The University of Colorado Cancer Center is offering internal funding to support innovative ovarian cancer research enabled through philanthropic support. The RFA is intended to stimulate impactful translational, clinical, or basic science projects that advance understanding, treatment, or prevention of ovarian cancer. Collaborative Pilot Grants are designed to stimulate multi‑investigator work likely to lead to a multi‑PI NIH or other national grant submission within ~15–18 months. Projects are reviewed using an NIH‑style peer review process.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must involve two or more co‑PIs, with at least one Cancer Center member.
- Cancer Center membership is required to submit under this RFA (membership is voluntary, but required for submission).
- Only one proposal per contact/lead PI.
Funding Details:
- Up to $100,000 requested (issued for a 24‑month period).
- Budgets $75,000–$100,000 anticipated; higher with justification may be considered.
- No indirect costs funded.
- Funds may not be used for faculty salaries or equipment.
Deadline:
- Proposal deadline: March 31, 2026 (5:00 pm MST/MT).
- Study section review: May 14, 2026.
- Anticipated award start date: July 1, 2026.
Where to go for further information:
9. 2026 Pilot Project Program (UAMS COBRE Center for Studies of Host Response to Cancer Therapy)
The UAMS COBRE Center for Studies of Host Response to Cancer Therapy is funding pilot projects aligned to understanding, predicting, and minimizing early and delayed adverse side effects of cancer treatment. The program targets basic and translational research projects and provides access to COBRE core facilities. Awardees are expected to engage in COBRE/IDeA meetings and provide progress reporting. The call explicitly prioritizes projects with a clear path to subsequent independent (ideally national) funding.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicant must hold a faculty position at UAMS or another academic institution in Arkansas.
- Proposed research should focus strongly on acute or chronic side effects of cancer therapy (mechanisms, socioeconomic impacts, prediction/mitigation strategies, etc.).
- Application should indicate a clear path to subsequent independent follow‑up funding.
Funding Details:
- Up to $100,000 direct costs for 1 year.
- Access to Center core facilities free of charge (Bioanalytical Core; Radiation and Imaging Core).
- Budget limits/restrictions include: no PI/key personnel salary; no subcontracts; no patient care costs; travel only for COBRE/IDeA meetings.
Deadline:
- Applications due: March 15, 2026 (by midnight).
- Anticipated project period: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Where to go for further information:
10. Markey Cancer Survivorship Research Initiative Pilot Award (Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky)
This pilot supports research related to cancer survivorship by providing small funds to strengthen competitive extramural grant applications. The program is designed to help Markey investigators generate or extend data collection/analysis relevant to survivorship and outcomes. The announcement lists permissible uses including core/shared resource costs, project management, supplies, and participant compensation. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are allocated.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Designed to support Markey members conducting cancer survivorship research.
Funding Details:
- $10,000 award amount.
- Rolling applications until funds have been allocated.
- Permissible uses include data collection/analysis, UK core/shared resources, project management, supplies, and participant compensation.
Deadline:
- Application: Rolling basis until funds are allocated.
Where to go for further information:
Mid-March is particularly dense, with multiple pilot and venture deadlines converging within days of each other. Institutional seed grants and startup competitions require near-term action, while the Horizon Europe calls demand early consortium planning given multi-million-euro scopes and collaborative requirements.
If you are pursuing interdisciplinary pilot data, oncology entrepreneurship, or large-scale EU translational infrastructure projects, this cycle offers meaningful entry points across funding tiers.
We’ll continue tracking high-value global oncology funding opportunities each week in OncoDaily’s OncoGrants.