For mid-career professionals, the commitment to research often conflicts with the daily responsibilities of teaching, mentoring, and clinical practice. Given their demanding schedules, there is often limited time available to pursue new studies.
In response, the IASLC has launched its Career Advancement Grant, which is designed to address this challenge by providing financial support and resources for researchers at this critical juncture in their careers.
The program aims to bridge the gap between early-career funding opportunities and more targeted support for research initiatives in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and other aspects of lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. Proposals focusing on multidisciplinary and global research collaborations are particularly welcomed, as are applicants from underrepresented specialties and those in low- and middle-income countries.
This grant is available worldwide to IASLC members who are mid-career professionals (MD, DO, PhD, PharmD, or equivalent) within 6 to 15 years of their initial faculty appointment. Applicants must not have previously received a single, independent major award valued at $250,000 or more. Prior mentored awards must be completed before the start of the grant term, and applicants may not concurrently hold multi-year mentored funding.
Candidates who believe they should be eligible but do not meet the provided criteria are encouraged to submit a letter of intent (LOI) explaining why they believe they are eligible for the grant. Eligibility will be assessed during the review process.
Grant Timeline
Applicants should be aware of the following deadlines for the upcoming grant cycle:
- Application Portal Opens: September 1, 2025
- LOI Submission Deadline: October 15, 2025
- Applicants Notified of LOI Decision: December 1, 2025
- Full Proposal Submission Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Notification of Award: May 15, 2026
- Project Start/End Date: July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027
Applications will be accepted through the IASLC’s online Research Grant Application Portal. After logging in with IASLC Member credentials, applicants can submit an LOI, followed by a full application, if selected to advance. Complete details on the two-phase process, eligibility, and review criteria can be found at the IASLC Career Advancement Grant Guidelines.
