ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, will present more than $11 million in funding through more than 400 grants and awards spanning multiple areas of cancer care, including precision medicine, palliative care, and breast cancer. These awards will be given in conjunction with the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois, June 2 – 6.

Conquer Cancer’s grants and awards support oncology professionals at every career stage, along with medical students and residents, to help accelerate breakthroughs in research and build an oncology workforce that more fully represents the diverse population affected by cancer. This year’s recipients represent 33 countries around the world.

“We’re grateful for the generous Conquer Cancer donors who are supporting the outstanding group of individuals we are honoring today,” said Howard A. Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, who serves as Chair on the Conquer Cancer Board of Directors. “These rising leaders, whose projects offer a range of promising approaches to cancer care, are working to accelerate breakthroughs in lifesaving research and empower people everywhere to conquer cancer. While these grants and awards provide funding to explore innovative research ideas and opportunities to build meaningful careers, they are also designed with patients in mind, providing support for oncologists whose research is patient-oriented and focused on improving clinical care.”

Advanced Clinical Research Awards for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer

The Advanced Clinical Research Award (ACRA) for Diversity and Inclusion aims to increase diversity in the oncology workforce and breast cancer research. The 2023 Conquer Cancer - Breast Cancer Research Foundation® ACRA recipients are Veronica Jones, MD, FACS, from City of Hope and Jose Pablo Leone, MD, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Jones will receive $450,000 to further the project, “UBE2C as a biomarker of endocrine therapy resistance among Black women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer,” and Dr. Leone will receive $450,000 to further the project, “Endocrine therapies for male breast cancer.”

Career Development Awards

The Career Development Award (CDA) is a three-year grant that funds clinical investigators in the first to third year of faculty appointment to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. At the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, 21 promising clinicians will be presented with CDAs.

Young Investigator Awards

The Young Investigator Award (YIA) provides research funding to promising young physicians during the final years of training to support their transition to faculty appointments and to encourage quality research in clinical oncology. At the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, 91 investigators will be presented with YIAs.

Global Oncology Young Investigator Awards

The Global Oncology Young Investigator Award (GO YIA) provides research funding to early career investigators to encourage and promote quality research in global oncology and to develop the next generation of researchers to address global health needs. At the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, five investigators will be presented with GO YIAs.

Long-Term International Fellowship

The Long-term International Fellowship (LIFe) provides early career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the support and resources needed to advance their training by deepening their relationship with a mentor at a host institution in the United States, Canada, or Europe. At the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, one researcher will be presented with a LIFe grant.

International Development and Education Awards

The International Development and Education Award (IDEA) provides support for early career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries and facilitates the sharing of knowledge between these oncologists and ASCO members who serve as scientific mentors to each recipient. This year, 16 early-career oncologists will be presented with IDEAs.

International Development and Education Awards in Palliative Care

The International Development and Education Awards in Palliative Care (IDEA-PC) provides medical education in palliative care, assists with career development, and helps establish strong relationships with leading ASCO members in the field of palliative care who serve as scientific mentors to each recipient. This year, five researchers will be presented with IDEA-PCs.

International Innovation Grants

The International Innovation Grant (IIG) provides research funding in support of novel and innovative projects that can have a significant impact on cancer control in low- and middle-income countries (LMCs). It supports promising research projects with the potential to reduce the cancer burden in local communities, while also being potentially transferable to other low- or middle-income settings. This year, five researchers will be presented with IIGs.

Annual Meeting Research Awards

The Annual Meeting Research Award (AMRA) offers an opportunity for non-oncology medical residents from populations underrepresented in medicine to meet oncologists at the ASCO Annual Meeting and to learn more about career options in the field of oncology. This year, 10 recipients will be presented with AMRAs.  

Click here for the full list of recipients.

Supporters:

ACRA donors: These awards are generously supported by Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

CDA donors: These awards are generously supported by AbbVie, Inc., AstraZeneca, Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Bristol Myers Squibb, DMV Conquerors, Genentech BioOncology™, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Lilly, Walther Cancer Foundation, and Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer.

YIA donors: These awards are generously provided by Anonymous, AbbVie, Inc., AbbVie Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Association for Value-Based Cancer Care, Association of Northern California Oncologists, AstraZeneca, Dr. Charles M. Baum and Carol A. Baum, Franci Blassberg and Joe Rice, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Nina Lesavoy Brady, Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Bristol Myers Squibb, Howard A. Burris, III, MD and Karen Y. Burris, Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, Casdin Family Foundation, Celgene Corporation, Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Trisha Elcan, Epiphany Partners, Inc., F Cancer, Florida Society of Clinical Oncology, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Frist, Jr., Gateway for Cancer Research, Genentech BioOncology™, GlaxoSmithKline Oncology, HELSINN, Friends and Family of Dr. Arti Hurria, Illumina, Janssen Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Judith and Alan Kaur, LA Kunkel Foundation, The John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation, Lilly, Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance, Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists, Georgia and Michael Michelson, Estate of Mike Miller,  Victoria H. Montgomery, Dr. Anne Moore, New Rhein Foundation, Novartis Oncology, Dr. Debra Patt, Pediatric Oncologists and Friends of Conquer Cancer, Pfizer Oncology, The QuadW Foundation Inc, The Norman & Ruth Rales Foundation, Thomas G. Roberts, Jr., MD, FASCO, and Susan M. DaSilva, DNP, Colleagues, Friends, and Family of Dr. Gladys Rodriguez and Dr. Narjust Florez, Sapiente Family Foundation, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Aaron and Barbro Sasson, Friends and Family of Hattie Sherman, The Sontag Foundation, Strike 3 Foundation, Swim Across America, Texas Society of Clinical Oncology,  Tomasello Family, Vaniam Group LLC, Wawa Foundation, Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer, and Women Leaders in Oncology LLC.

GO YIA donor: These awards are generously funded through Amy Peterson, MD and Anonymous.

LIFe donor: These awards are generously supported by Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.

IDEA donor: These awards are generously supported by AbbVie, Inc.

IDEA PC donor: These awards are generously funded through Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.

IIG donor: These awards are generously supported by Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.

MSR donors: These awards are generously supported by AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai Inc., and Pfizer Oncology.

AMRA donors: These awards are generously provided by Association of Northern California Oncologists, Eisai Inc., and Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists.

All listings are as of May 15, 2023, and reflect institutions at the time of award. See ASCO.org/grants-awards for an up-to-date list of grant and award recipients.