U.S. Researchers Invited to Apply for Early-Stage Research Grants

Letters of intent must be received by April 24, 2026.

Send to: grants@gastriccancer.org

The Gastric Cancer Foundation has announced the opening of its 2026 grant program. The foundation will award $200,000 in seed funding to U.S-based researchers focused on discovering early detection diagnostics and developing innovative therapies for treatment of gastric (stomach) cancer. GCF is now accepting letters of intent from interested researchers.

The Foundation's grant program is designed to provide early-stage funding for promising research projects. Applications are open to all eligible researchers, with a special emphasis on junior faculty who have earned their final degree within the last 10 years. Each recipient will be awarded a one-time grant of up to $100,000.

The Foundation's grant program is part of its larger mission to fund research that leads to new treatments and cures for gastric cancer. Past recipients of seed grants have used their funding to generate critical preliminary data, enabling them to submit competitive applications for larger research grants.

Since its founding in 2009, the Gastric Cancer Foundation has awarded more than $4.1 million in funding for gastric cancer research, providing critical support for a cancer that receives less than 1% of all federal funding for cancer research. In addition to seed grants, the Foundation established the first HIPAA compliant Gastric Cancer Registry and a Research Scholar Award to support talented young scientists pursuing research that could lead to new cures.

Last Year's Grant Recipients

Pradeep Chaluvally-Raghavan, PhD

Medical College of Wisconsin

Developing an antibody-drug conjugate that targets stomach tumors.

“I’m very grateful for the generous support and trust in our research. In the current environment, federal funding is very difficult to get, so this grant will be essential for developing strong preliminary data that would help us to attract big funding mechanisms and take our project to the next level.”

U.S. Researchers Invited to Apply for Early-Stage Research Grants

Letters of intent must be received by April 24, 2026.

Send to: grants@gastriccancer.org

"Gastric Cancer Foundation is committed to accelerating stomach cancer research. Early stage research is vital to the development of scientific breakthroughs that will lead to better treatment options and ultimately better quality of life for people living with gastric cancer and their families."

Last Year's Grant Recipients