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AACR grant recipients were acknowledged during a special reception at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025.The AACR grants program has distributed more than $551 million in grants to more than 3,500 researchers at all career levels since 1993. This critical funding sustains the pipeline of progress and drives innovation across the continuum of basic, translational, and clinical research to benefit all patients with cancer.
AACR’s grant portfolio expanded significantly in 2025 with a host of new supporters and new funding mechanisms:
53
Grants were awarded in 2025 to meritorious scientists from 39 institutions to support innovative cancer science.
507
Expert scientists served on 20 scientific review committees to select the 2025 grant recipients. AACR is a trusted administrator of research grants, providing fair, rigorous, and transparent peer review.
$9.7 million
Amount awarded to 60 independent investigators at all career levels—including young investigators, mid-career researchers, and established scientists—to support meritorious cancer research.
$1.8 million
Amount of research grant funding awarded to 16 postdoctoral and clinical fellows to advance their career development in 2025.
1,396
Applications for AACR grants from the United States and 63 other countries were evaluated in 2025.
A supporting organization to the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) supports collaboration and innovation in translational cancer science to accelerate the development of new cancer treatments. As the Scientific Partner to SU2C, AACR provides expert peer review, scientific oversight, and grants administration to ensure that SU2C’s investment in groundbreaking cancer science delivers outstanding results for patients.
On August 15, with the support of the AACR, SU2C produced its ninth biennial telecast. The telecast featured powerful performances by celebrities and musicians as well as touching patient stories. It aired on twenty-two networks and streaming partners, including all four broadcasting networks and over thirty streaming partners, such as Prime Video, MAX, Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+.
