Applications due July 17
This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.
Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC, collaboratively) may select one nominee for the Curing Kids Cancer Innovative Research Award.
Overview
The single nominee may apply in either the Collaborative or Individual program type. The goal of these grants is to overcome barriers to the clinical application of new treatment approaches for childhood cancer. A priority is to fund projects that have already shown great promise, but that have a specific funding need to move forward.
Focus Areas:
- Cancer immunotherapy or targeted therapy
- High-grade brain tumors or other difficult-to-treat pediatric cancers
- Epigenetic modifying therapy or gene therapy
Applications of novel technologies (e.g. nanotechnology, omics, gene editing, bioinformatics, and AI) in these areas are welcome.
Please review each award type below and submit internal proposals for either program by July 17, 2025.
Award Types and Eligibility:
- Collaborative Grant: Up to one multi-institutional collaborative grant of $300,000 will be awarded
- Must have at least two collaborating divisions of pediatric hematology/oncology from separate institutions
- Collaborative project can either include a new proposal or a proposal where preliminary data has already been collected.
- Individual Grant: One to two individual grants of $150,000 each will be awarded
- Applications to fund correlative studies associated with clinical trials in the focus areas will be considered. Funding for the associated clinical trial must have already been secured and applications must include a description of the developmental pathway for the therapeutic approach.
- The NIH salary cap must be employed
- 10 percent indirect costs from the total award will be allowed (e.g., maximum $15,000 indirect and $135,000 direct costs per award)
- Must be North American Children’s Oncology Group (COG) institutions (no citizenship requirements)
- Open to PIs at all academic ranks with M.D. and/or Ph.D.
- A second year of funding may be applied for but will require a full review
View the full RFP for additional guidance.
Internal Application Process
Anyone interested in being considered as Vanderbilt’s nominee for either of the Curing Kids Cancer award types above must submit the following (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 11:59 p.m. on July 17, 2025.
- Brief (two-page maximum) research plan including summary budget;
- NIH Biosketch or five-page CV
- Letter of support from department chair/center director (optional)
Submissions should reference the award type (Collaborative or Individual) in the subject line of the email.
The selected Vanderbilt candidate will need to submit a full application to the foundation by September 15, 2025. An endorsement letter from the Division Director of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (Dr. Debra Friedman) will be required for either type of application.
Please contact us at LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions about the program, foundation, or internal review process.
