ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, is set to present more than $11 million through the distribution of more than 400 grants and awards. Spanning multiple areas of cancer care, this funding will be awarded during the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting held in Chicago, Illinois, May 31 – June 4.

“We are so proud of this year’s recipients, of the work they’re doing, and of the impact they’re making around the world,” said Howard A. Burris III, MD, FACP, FASCO, who serves as Chair on the Conquer Cancer Board of Directors. “The diversity, expertise, and innovation demonstrated in their work reflects Conquer Cancer’s deep-seated commitment to making an impact on every cancer, for every patient, everywhere.”

Conquer Cancer’s grants and awards support oncology professionals at every career stage, including 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 42 countries around the world.

“By funding such a broad range of projects and professionals, our hope is to see the outcomes of their work benefitting patients of all backgrounds,” Dr. Burris said. “Conquer Cancer is dedicated to funding work with the greatest potential of accomplishing that end, as are the donors who make these grants and awards possible.”

Advanced Clinical Research Awards for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer

The Advanced Clinical Research Award (ACRA) for Diversity and Inclusion in Breast Cancer aims to increase diversity in the oncology workforce and breast cancer research. The 2024 Conquer Cancer – Breast Cancer Research Foundation® Advanced Clinical Research Award recipients, each receiving $450,000 over three years, are Cesar Santa-Maria, MD, MS, Johns Hopkins University and Roberto Leon-Ferre, MD, Mayo Clinic, Minnesota. The ACRA will support Dr. Santa-Maria’s project, “Early dynamics in FDG-PET/ctDNA to predict pCR in early-stage TNBC,” and Dr. Leon-Ferre’s project, “Optimizing systemic therapy for patients with early-stage triple negative breast cancer by leveraging proliferation biomarkers and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.”  

Career Development Awards

The Career Development Award (CDA) is a three-year grant that funds clinical investigators in their first to fourth year of faculty appointment to establish an independent clinical cancer research program. At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, 18 clinicians will be presented with CDAs.

Young Investigator Awards

The Young Investigator Award (YIA) provides research funding to promising young physicians during their final years of training to support their transition to faculty appointments and to encourage quality research in clinical oncology. At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, 88 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 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, six investigators will be presented with GO YIAs.

Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship

The Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship provides funding to a physician investigator, who is committed to conducting breast cancer research. The 2024 Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship Award recipient is Hanan Alebachew Yimam, MD, from St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  

Long-term International Fellowships

The Long-term International Fellowship (LIFe) provides early career oncologists in low- and middle-income countries 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 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, Daniella Audi Blotta, MD, from Beneficencia Portuguesa de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be presented with this fellowship. She will conduct her fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

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, 24 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 to support novel and innovative projects that can have a significant impact on cancer control in low- and middle-income countries. 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, two researchers will be presented with IIGs.

Annual Meeting Research Awards

The Annual Meeting Research Award (AMRA) is a supplemental award for ASCO’s Medical Student and Resident Abstract Forum participants who are underrepresented in medicine (UIM) and offers an opportunity for these awardees 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.

Medical Student Rotation for Underrepresented Populations

The Medical Student Rotation (MSR) provides support for clinical or clinical research oncology rotations to U.S. medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine and who are interested in pursuing oncology careers. This year, 25 students will be awarded with MSRs and will be attending next year’s ASCO Annual Meeting following completion of their rotations.

Oncology Summer Internships

Launched in 2021, the Oncology Summer Internship (OSI) is an immersive, paid internship designed to introduce rising second-year medical students from populations underrepresented in medicine (UIM) to the field of oncology. This year, 73 students from 15 medical schools were selected to participate in the program.  

Click here for the full list of recipients.

Supporters:

Research Professorship donor: This award is generously supported by Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.

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

CDA donors: These awards are generously supported by Anonymous, AbbVie, Inc., AstraZeneca, Harold A. Barfknecht Trust, Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, Fleur E. Fairman, Genentech BioOncology™, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Rising Tide Foundation, Walther Cancer Foundation, and Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer.

LIFe donor: This fellowship is generously supported by Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.  

YIA donors: These awards are generously provided by Anonymous, AbbVie, Inc., AbbVie Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Amgen, Association for Value-Based Cancer Care, Association of Northern California Oncologists, AstraZeneca, Dr. Sumeet and Sumeeta Bhatia, Franci Blassberg and Joe Rice, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Dr. Linda Bosserman, Nina Lesavoy Brady, Breast Cancer Research Foundation®, Bristol Myers Squibb, Howard A. Burris, III, MD and Karen Y. Burris, Casdin Family Foundation, Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD, FASCO , Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Trisha Elcan, 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, Johnson & Johnson, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Judith and Alan Kaur, Lori A. Kunkel, MD, The John and Elizabeth Leonard Family Foundation, Lilly, Raj Mantena, RPh, The Page & Otto Marx, Jr. Foundation, Massachusetts Society of Clinical Oncologists, Merck & Co., Inc., Georgia and Michael Michelson, Moderna, Victoria H. Montgomery, Nebraska Oncology Society, New Rhein Foundation, Novartis Oncology, Dr. Debra Patt, Pfizer Oncology, The QuadW Foundation, 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, Aaron and Barbro Sasson, Alexandra Shapiro and Adam Aron, The Sontag Foundation, Strike 3 Foundation, Texas Society of Clinical Oncology, Three Opinions Foundation, Tomasello Family, Vaniam Group LLC, Generous Supporters of the Women Who Conquer Cancer, Women Leaders in Oncology LLC, Zentalis Pharmaceuticals.

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

Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Research Fellowship donor: This award is generously supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline Oncology.

IDEA donor: These awards are generously supported by Premia Precision Medicine Asia and Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.

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

IIG donor: This award is generously supported by ASCO Employees and Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation.

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

AMRA donors: These awards are generously provided by AbbVie, Inc., Eisai Inc., and Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society.

OSI donors: These awards are generously supported by McKesson Foundation and R & D Impact Foundation.

All listings are as of May 23, 2024, and reflect institutions at the time of award. Click here for an up-to-date list of grant and award recipients.