Research Funding
Explore available funding opportunities in Manchester and beyond
Manchester sits at the heart of one of Europe’s most integrated cancer research ecosystems. By uniting the academic power of The University of Manchester, the clinical expertise of The Christie, and the pioneering discovery science of Cancer Research UK, we provide a seamless bridge from the lab to the clinic.
This page is a live directory for researchers seeking financial support, from local pump-priming grants to major international awards. As the funding landscape evolves, so does this list. please check back regularly for the latest opportunities.
You can also sign up to receive our funding bulletin by emailing: MCRCResearch@manchester.ac.uk
Open funding opportunities
Explore the range of funding opportunities that are currently open to application.
Lloyd J. Old STAR Programme
This scheme provides long-term, flexible funding to mid-career scientists, giving them the freedom to pursue high-risk, high-reward research at the leading edge of cancer immunotherapy. These awards are not tied to a single research project. Instead, they are designed to support outstanding investigators whose body of work demonstrates exceptional promise and the potential for transformative impact.
Amount: Up to £929,000 approx. (U$D1,250,000)
Duration: Up to 5 years
Application Deadline: 15 January 2026
Eligibility Criteria:
- Nationality of applicant is unrestricted.
- Be based at a Non-Profit organisation or institution.
- Mid-Career Researchers, Senior & Established Researchers.
- The applicant must have an M.D., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D. (or equivalent).
- Candidates must hold a tenure-track position. Assistant professors with a minimum of 3 years in that role and associate professors with a maximum 3 years may apply.
Contact details: grants@cancerresearch.org
See link for details: https://www.cancerresearch.org/lloyd-j-old-star-program
Career Development Awards to Foster Diversity and Inclusion
The AACR Career Development Awards to Foster Diversity and Inclusion in Cancer Research encourages and supports early-stage scientists engaged in cancer research. Proposed projects may be in basic, translational, or population sciences related research and must have direct applicability and relevance to the understanding, detection, diagnosis, interception, treatment, or prevention of cancer.
Amount: Up to £222,900 approx. (U$D300,000)
Duration: 3 years
Letter Of Intent: 27 January 2026
Application Deadline: 19 May 2026
Eligibility Criteria:
- Nationality of applicant is unrestricted.
- Be based at a Non-Profit organisation or institution.
- Early Career and Mid-Career Researchers.
- Applicants must have a doctoral degree (including PhD, MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent) in a related field and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral or professional degree. Applicants cannot have clinical responsibilities.
- Candidates hold a faculty position with the title of assistant professor, instructor, research assistant professor, or the equivalent.
Contact details: grants@aacr.org
See link for details: https://www.aacr.org/grants/aacr-career-development-awards-to-foster-diversity-and-inclusion/
Rising Tide/LUNGevity Team Award Programme to Target Mechanisms of Resistance Award
The Rising Tide Foundation and LUNGevity Foundation are offering awards totalling up to $1,000,000 (over 4 years) for early-phase interventional clinical trials focused on overcoming treatment resistance or detecting recurrence in lung cancer. Successful applications must address one of three areas: treatments for resistance, validation of lab-developed tests for monitoring resistance/treatment response, or validation of tests for minimal residual disease detection.
Amount: Up to £748,000 Approx. (U$D1,000,000)
Duration: Up to 4 years
Application Deadline: 15 February 2026
Eligibility Criteria:
- Early Career Researchers, Mid-Career Researchers and Senior & Established Researchers.
- Applicants must hold a doctoral degree and faculty appointment (or equivalent) with an academic institution, including research institutions that are not formally associated with a university, and have completed a postdoctoral training fellowship.
- This is a team award and at least two institutions are required to be involved right from the LOI stage.
- The programme has no geographical restrictions and is open to non-US applicants.
Contact details: https://www.lungevity.org/contact-us-0
See link for details: https://www.lungevity.org/learn-about-lungevity/scientific-research/applying-for-lungevity-research-award
Interdisciplinary Research Funding – Pump Priming Call
This pump priming call will fund interdisciplinary research projects which are aligned to one of the priority areas of the four research platforms: Healthier Futures, Sustainable Futures, Digital Futures and Creative Manchester. This funding supports the University’s strategic ambition to accelerate the path from research excellence to impact and to be known for outstanding interdisciplinary research. Projects are expected to lead to external research funding applications.
Amount: Up to £60,000
Duration: 1 year
Application deadline: 13 March 2026
Eligibility criteria:
- Sought from researchers across all UoM discipline areas.
- To be led by an applicant who is eligible to apply for external research funding.
- Research Associates and research fellows may be included as Co-PIs.
- External partners, academic and non-academic, can be included in the application.
- Encouraged to include early career researchers.
Contact details: Healthier Futures (healthierfutures@manchester.ac.uk), Sustainable Futures (sustainablefutures@manchester.ac.uk), Digital Futures (digitalfutures@manchester.ac.uk) and Creative Manchester (creative@manchester.ac.uk)
See link for details: https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/rbe/rs/finding-funding/umri/pump-priming-call/
Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst
This scheme aims to de-risk early therapeutic opportunities to facilitate further drug discovery activity. We are seeking projects with strong potential to deliver novel therapeutics for children and young people with cancer. Activity that would be considered eligible for support through this award includes: (a) Deconvolution and validation of novel targets and pathways (b) Novel therapeutic approaches to validated targets (d) Development of platforms, assays and screens to identify novel therapeutics and (d) Drug discovery feasibility.
Amount: Up to £250,000
Duration: Up to 18 months
Application deadline: April 2026 (actual date to be confirmed)
Eligibility criteria:
- Early career and Emerging in Field, Mid-Career to Established researcher in Field.
- Be an academic researcher based at any university or research institute world-wide.
- Have your own lab and/or have undertaken a significant period of postdoctoral research.
Contact details: therapeutic.catalyst@cancer.org.uk
See link for details: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/childhood-cancer-therapeutic-catalyst
Discovery Awards
Apply for the CRUK Discovery Awards. See details below.
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Discovery Programme Award
This scheme provides long-term support for established researchers to pursue an ambitious and creative programme of work addressing key questions in the cancer field. Proposals should be centred on a core overarching vision, explored via a set of connected aims. We encourage collaborative teams and multidisciplinary approaches.
Amount: Up to £2,500,000
Duration: Up to 5 years
Outline deadline:
Eligibility criteria:
- Mid-Career to Established researcher in Field.
- Academic Institution; Commercial or Private Sector; Government or Public Sector; Non-profit.
- Should be a scientist, clinician or healthcare worker based in a UK university, medical school, hospital, or research institute.
- Supporting roles from international and commercial organisations may be included as co-investigators.
Contact details: discovery@cancer.org.uk
See link for details: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/discovery-programme-award
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Discovery Programme Foundation Award
This award is aimed at mid-career researchers seeking to further develop their independent research programme and scientific leadership. It is designed to support the development of a strong foundation for future internationally leading research and often serves as a pathway to the Discovery Programme Award.
Amount: Up to £1,500,000
Duration: 6 years
Outline deadline:
Eligibility criteria:
- Mid-Career to Established researcher in Field.
- Academic Institution; Government or Public Sector; Non-profit.
- Should be a scientist, clinician or healthcare worker based in a UK university, medical school, hospital, or research institute.
- Meet the range of skills & experience as outlined in the ‘Transition to Scientific Leadership’ career stage in the CRUK Competency framework.
Contact details: discovery@cancer.org.uk
See link for details: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/for-researchers/apply-for-and-manage-your-funding/our-funding-schemes/discovery-programme-foundation-award
Transformational Research Awards
These awards aim to support larger-scale research projects or programmes that have significant potential to be transformative for people with blood cancer. Blood Cancer UK invites applications for high-quality, ambitious, and innovative research that aims to make substantial progress towards a transformational step change for people with any form of blood cancer in these areas: Prevention, Early Detection & Diagnosis, and Treatment.
Amount: Up to £1,000,000
Duration: Up to 5 years
Application Deadline: 03 April 2026 (forecast date)
Eligibility Criteria:
- Early Career and Emerging in Field; Mid-Career to Established in Field.
- Applicants must be based at a UK institution (Government or Public sector, Non-profit)
- Have some postdoctoral research experience, or equivalent, and be scientists, clinicians, or healthcare professionals.
- Early/mid-career researchers as lead applicants or co-investigators are welcome but must be supported by a supervisor.
- Lead applicants should usually have a permanent or long-term rolling contract, with their salary paid by the host organisation for the duration of the award.
Contact details: research@bloodcancer.org.uk
See link for details: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/research/for-researchers/funding-calls/transformational-research-awards/
The Prevention and Cure Scheme – Project Grant
This scheme aims to support scientific excellence and innovative research that will lead to quicker, earlier diagnosis to save and improve lives, and new and better treatments that pave the way for cures.
Amount: Up to £400,000 (if more, contact research team)
Duration: 3 to 4 Years
Application opens: 09 February 2026
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants must be based at a recognised university, research institution or NHS trust in the UK or Ireland.
- Early Career and Emerging in Field; Mid-Career to Established in Field.
- Lead Applicants should hold employment or honorary (if a clinical academic) contracts that extend beyond the period of the grant.
- Co-Applicants and Collaborators may be based at institutions outside the UK/Ireland and/or at pharmaceutical or biotech companies
Contact details: grants_admin@breastcancernow.org
See link for details: https://breastcancernow.org/our-research/information-for-researchers/funding-opportunities/the-prevention-and-cure-scheme