Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro ETS (AIRC) is inviting applications for Next Gen Clinician Scientist (Next Gen CS) Grants in the area of cancer research. This grant is intended to foster a new generation of talented physician scientists wishing to optimize clinical practice.
The scientific activity must be carried out in a research organization located in Italy, organized under public or private law, whose primary goal is to independently conduct biomedical research (university, hospital or other research center).
This grant will start on July 1st, 2026 and will provide support for a period of 5 years.
The grant is up to € 1.500.000 in 5 years (with an average of € 300.000/year) and will be awarded once in a lifetime.
A pre-submission inquiry is mandatory. The pre-submission must contain a 3- page Letter of Intent (LOI).
Applicants cannot have more than one active AIRC individual grant at the same time.
Only one application per applicant can be submitted within the 2025 AIRC Calls for individual grants.
PIs must be involved in the project for at least 50% of their time.
To submit a proposal, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Have obtained a medical degree (MD);
• Hold a PhD or a Specialty degree attained in June 2010 or after. For applicants with both PhD and Specialty, the date when the first degree was attained will count for elegibility. Exceptions to the age limit are allowed only in case of research interruptions;
• Have a strong track record, including at least 5 primary research papers as first/co-first,
last/co-last or corresponding/co-corresponding author, in press or published in the last 5 years
in peer-reviewed journals.
The research project must be carried out in a Hosting Institution, i.e. a research organization, located in Italy, whose primary goal is to independently conduct non-economic biomedical research and to disseminate its results.
By signing the application, the Legal Representative of the Hosting Institution declares that the PI will be allowed to carry out the proposed research project for the entire duration of the grant, remaining affiliated with the Hosting institution.
AIRC will not fund proposals from PIs who, although jointly affiliated to an Italian institution and an institution abroad, do not meet criteria for substantial presence (at least 70% of their time) in the institution in Italy during the funding period.
Projects must have a duration of 5 years, with a budget consistent with this time frame.
Grants awarded within this Call are for a 5-year period: they will officially start on July 1, 2026 and terminate on June 30, 2031. Funding for the 4th and 5th year will be granted, provided AIRC has available funds and a positive outcome of the mid-term review, planned within the third year. The grant covers up to € 1.500.000 in 5 years (with an average of € 300.000/year).
AIRC supports 100% of the additional costs generated by a funded project.
Deadlines for applications (by 17:00 Central European Time, of the indicated dates):
Online submission June 17, 2025
Online submission with digital signatures of the PI and Legal Representative July 1, 2025
Full proposal (only if pre-submission is approved)
Online submission November 13, 2025
Online submission with digital signatures of the PI and Legal Representative November 27, 2025