The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research is partnering with the DeGregorio Family Foundation and the Torrey Coast Foundation, both funders of research focused on gastric and esophageal cancers, to launch a Spring 2024 ASPIRE Award: Breaking Ground in Targeting Gastric and Esophageal Tumors. Together we are holding a request for proposals for projects focused on tumors of the upper GI tract. Proposals should aim to drive disruptive research, with the goal of advancing the field of gastric and esophageal cancer research and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

The Mark Foundation ASPIRE Awards are designed to enable innovative approaches to solving high-impact problems in cancer research that tend to fall outside the scope of other funding opportunities. These awards support high-risk, high-reward projects with research plans designed to answer key feasibility and proof-of-concept questions in an accelerated timeframe.

Here are some details about this call for proposals:

• The awards are $250,000 total over a 12-month term, beginning fall 2024.
• Proposed projects must address gastric or esophageal cancers.
• Letters of intent will be accepted through 5 PM Eastern Time on Monday, May 27, 2024.
• We encourage interdisciplinary collaborations and welcome proposals from independent investigators at all career stages, especially those new to the field of upper GI cancers. To facilitate this, preclinical resources (cell lines, organoids, and mouse models) will be made available to researchers who request them.

Visit the RFP webpage for guidelines, link to the submission portal, and webinar schedule.