The Gray Foundation has issued two new requests for applications for BRCA research:
Gray BRCA Pre-Cancer Atlas Discovery Program
- Purpose: To fund highly innovative research utilizing data collected by our research partners on prevention, interception, and early detection of BRCA-related cancers. Program interests include data-driven studies of the biological underpinnings of the earliest lesions in BRCA mutation carriers and elucidation of changes in the immune surveillance and microenvironment. Topics of interest include:
- Development or application of computational methods and data science tools (i.e. artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, or deep learning) for improved biomarker detection or immune targets
- Integration and analysis of multimodal data
- Generation of computational modeling and/or AI-based technologies for risk stratification or early detection
- Eligibility: Principal Investigators must hold a medical or other doctoral degree and have a faculty appointment equivalent to an Assistant Professor or higher.
- Budget and Project Period: Up to $250,000/year for 2 years, including up to 10% indirect costs.
Special consideration will be given to team projects which collaborate with researchers or utilize samples collected at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the affiliated hospitals.
Team Science Program
- Purpose: To fund research projects that bring together the best minds in cancer research to study BRCA-associated pre-cancer and early cancerous lesions in order to develop new prevention, early detection, and interception approaches. The funded research projects are expected to be multidisciplinary and highly innovative. The Team Science Program will fund projects led by multidisciplinary teams of researchers that will perform highly innovative research focused on prevention, interception, and early detection of BRCA-related cancers in at least one of the following areas:
- Understanding the biology of early lesions and carriers (including the microenvironment) to determine targets for interception and prevention
- Understanding immune surveillance
- Study of immune targets (for preventative vaccine)
- Generation of new technologies (imaging, pathological, genetic, immune health, etc.) for risk stratification and early detection
- Development of novel or improved biomarkers
- Improvement of risk reduction strategies
- Collaborate with researchers or utilize samples collected at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the affiliated hospitals
- Utilizes or analyzes data shared in the Gray BRCA Pre-Cancer Atlas (https://www.graybrcaatlas.org/)
- Contributes new or complementary data to the Gray BRCA Pre-Cancer Atlas
- Eligibility: Applicants must be multi-disciplinary teams of researchers. Principal Investigators must hold a medical or other doctoral degree and have a faculty appointment equivalent to an Assistant Professor or higher.
- Budget and Project Period: Up to $1,000,000 per year for 3 years, including up to 10% indirect costs.
Special consideration will be given to team projects which:
Due to the Foundation’s interest in early detection, interception, and prevention of BRCA-associated cancers, proposals with a sole focus on therapeutics or treatment of late-stage cancers will not be considered.
To Apply:
- This is an open RFP (UCSF may submit an unlimited number of applications).
- Follow application instructions in RFP, conferring with your Grants Officer as needed. Please notify your Grants Officer as soon as possible of your intention to apply to ensure that they will have enough time to support your application.
- LOI deadline for both opportunities is January 9, 2026. If you are invited to submit a full application, the deadline will be April 2, 2026.
For more information and to review complete application instructions and eligibility requirements, please visit https://www.grayfoundation.org/brca-initiatives.
Due Date