Damon Runyon aims to address the critical shortage of physician-scientists in the field of cancer research. By encouraging physicians to pursue research careers, the Foundation seeks to accelerate the translation of scientific discovery into more effective patient therapies, ultimately improving survival and quality of life among cancer patients.
The grant program is designed to support postdoctoral researchers undertaking cancer research in areas that may lead to significant breakthroughs in understanding and treating the disease. Fellows are required to work under the mentorship of a Sponsor who will assist in planning and executing the proposed research, developing the Fellow’s knowledge, technical skills, and scientific inquiry capacity. The program emphasizes the importance of a conducive research training environment that broadens the candidate's abilities and prohibits projects that are direct extensions of the candidate's graduate work. Awards are institution-based, with direct supervision by the Sponsor. Selection is based on the quality of the research proposal, the qualifications of both the candidate and the Sponsor, and the research training environment's potential to contribute to the Fellow's independent research capabilities. Funding is awarded for a four-year term, contingent on satisfactory progress.