The National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) is planning to release two new Notice of Funding Opportunity announcements (NOFOs) for the NCI Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32). These announcements will support early postdoctoral fellows in cancer research beginning with the June 12, 2025 application deadline. One version of the announcement will be for projects that require an independent clinical trial, while the other—covered in this notice—will support research that does not allow independent clinical trials.

The CURE ACE Award aims to support individuals transitioning from predoctoral to postdoctoral stages in cancer research by providing structured research training opportunities. It emphasizes enhancing diversity in the biomedical workforce, specifically targeting applicants from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. The program seeks to enrich the cancer research experiences of trainees and improve their capacity to pursue impactful scientific careers. Applicants are not required to have preliminary data at the time of application.

Applicants must apply during the late predoctoral or early postdoctoral stages and are required to identify a postdoctoral research mentor. A robust research and training plan must be developed prior to or immediately upon beginning the postdoctoral mentorship. The program supports research across all areas of cancer and cancer health disparities and is open to a wide range of research disciplines, including basic biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and translational sciences.

This funding opportunity is forecasted and not yet open for applications. It is intended to provide advance notice to potential applicants so they can prepare strong submissions. Applications must be submitted through the institution where the postdoctoral research will take place, and the applicant must be affiliated with the institution at the time of application.

The estimated post date for the funding opportunity is April 1, 2025, with an estimated application due date of June 12, 2025. Selected applicants will be notified around March 1, 2026, and funded projects are expected to begin on that date. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement associated with this award.