Clinical Trial Principal Investigator Grant Program
Funding protected research time for the physicians leading tomorrow’s lung cancer trials. Nominations open October 1.
Program Overview
LCFA’s Scientific Advisory Board created the Clinical Trial Principal Investigator Grant Program to address a critical need in thoracic oncology: ensuring that promising junior-career clinical investigators have the protected research time necessary to lead practice-changing clinical trials.
Over the past two decades, investigator-led clinical trials in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have transformed outcomes for many lung cancer patients. We fund research because sustained investment turns breakthroughs into new standards of care, and a single well-designed study can change treatment for thousands.
LCFA will award two $150,000 grants to junior-career clinical investigators. Each grant will be for $50,000 per year for three years to subsidize the protected research time of junior investigators who serve as National Principal Investigators on National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) therapeutic trials (including those sponsored by NCTN group foundations) in thoracic malignancies. Eligible disease areas include non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, thymoma/thymic carcinoma, and pulmonary carcinoid.
ZERO OVERHEAD. FULL COMMITMENT.
What CTPI Provides
2 Awards available this cycle
$150,000 per award, $50,000 per year for three years
0% Overhead. Every dollar goes to direct costs.
Nomination Requirements
- M.D., D.O., or equivalent degree
- Assistant Professor rank with fewer than six years at rank at the time the trial activates
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- National PI on a fully approved NCTN Phase II/III or Phase III thoracic oncology therapeutic trial that is about to activate, or will activate within six months
- Eligible groups: Alliance, ECOG-ACRIN, SWOG, NRG
- Eligible disease areas: non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, thymoma and thymic carcinoma, pulmonary carcinoid
Exceptions to the rank requirement may be considered after prior consultation with LCFA.
Funds are designated by default for salary support covering the National PI’s protected research time.
$50,000 per year for three years; $150,000 per award. Two awards are made annually.
No institutional indirect or overhead charges. Funds may not be used for unrelated projects.
Reallocation to other direct costs, or any purchase above $5,000, requires prior written approval from LCFA. Requests need a brief justification and revised budget, and are reviewed within 15 business days.
This award is not a W-2 payment. Discuss tax implications with the NCTN financial office.
Chairs of NCTN lung cancer or thoracic oncology committees submit nominations exclusively.
Assemble as a single PDF named LastName_FirstName_NCTN.pdf and email it to grants@lcfamerica.org
- Nomination letter from the committee chair (1 page)
- Group Chair support letter (1 page)
- Candidate CV or NIH biosketch (up to 6 pages)
- Candidate statement on how protected time will be used and expected impact (max 2 pages)
- Trial summary with protocol number, phase, approval status, estimated activation date, and the nominee’s National PI responsibilities (1 page)
- Institutional commitment letter from an authorized official confirming acceptance of award terms, including no overhead (1 page)
- Budget justification showing percent FTE funded, start date for funds, and other salary support sources (1 page)
- Optional: one additional support letter from a mentor or division chief (1 page)
Contact grants@lcfamerica.org to confirm eligibility before submitting.
Nominations open on October 1, 2026.
Applications are due December 1, 2026.
Two awards will be made. Recipients are announced at the IASLC Targeted Therapy Meeting in February 2027.
Selection criteria:
- Trial impact and relevance to thoracic oncology
- Candidate leadership, potential, and need for protected time
- Institutional commitment and feasibility of trial activation within the window
- A clear, realistic plan for use of funds and career development
Annual report, due within 30 days of each grant anniversary: a 1–2 page investigator progress report plus institutional financial certification showing funds used as budgeted, including trial activation and enrollment status. Year two and year three payments are released after LCFA receives these.
Final report, due within 60 days after grant end: up to 5 pages covering activation, enrollment, and results if available, along with publications, abstracts, subsequent funding, career impacts, final financial reconciliation, and an updated CV.
LCFA may request interim updates as needed.
Institutions must comply with all IRB, NCTN, sponsor, and regulatory requirements. Noncompliance or late reporting may result in suspension or termination of funding and return of unspent funds.
LCFA may publicly announce the awardee’s name, institution, and trial title. LCFA will coordinate additional publicity with the awardee and NCTN. LCFA will withhold sensitive or proprietary trial details upon request.
Ready to Nominate a Candidate?
Two awards are available, and nominations close Dec. 1.
Assemble the complete package as a single PDF, named LastName_FirstName_NCTN.pdf, and email it to grants@lcfamerica.org.
Reach out before you submit. We can confirm candidate eligibility and talk through timing.
