The Melanoma Research Program (MRP) released program announcements for the following funding opportunities:
· Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas
This award supports a multidisciplinary research program of at least two, but not more than three, distinct but complementary research projects addressing an overarching question relevant to rare melanomas.
· Idea Award
The Idea Award supports innovative, exploratory, high-risk/potentially high-reward research. Novelty and innovation are expected to be key aspects of the proposed project. By the end of the Idea Award funding period, the anticipated outcomes of successful efforts should establish proof of principle and obtain preliminary data to secure follow-on funding.
· Melanoma Academy Scholar Award
Supports the addition of independent, early career investigators (Scholars) who are no more than seven years from their initial faculty appointment to the Melanoma Research Program (MRP) Melanoma Academy. The Melanoma Academy is a unique, interactive virtual academy focused on bringing together established investigators and Scholars to develop a network of successful, highly productive melanoma researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment.
· Survivorship Research Award
The award addresses the relatively new and underfunded area of melanoma-specific survivorship by supporting a broad range of innovative and impactful research that has the intended outcome of improving the health and well-being of melanoma survivors, their families and/or their care partners in the near term. Proposed studies focusing exclusively on animal models or considering survival only without consideration of quality of life, overall health and/or function are not responsive to this funding opportunity.
· Team Science Award
Supports a broad range of hypothesis-driven, multidisciplinary studies that have a short-term goal of advancing the state of the science in melanoma research and/or patient care. Team science is a synergistic effort that harnesses techniques, approaches and perspectives from multiple disciplines and/or therapeutic areas to address complex, multi-dimensional problems that will impact patient outcomes.
Key Dates:
Submission Deadline (Pre-application-Pre-Proposal): 13 July 2026
Focused Program Award – Rare Melanomas
Idea Award
Team Science Award
Submission Deadline (Pre-application-Pre-Proposal): 22 September 2026
Melanoma Academy Scholar Award
Survivorship Research Award
Application Submission Deadline: 14 October 2026