Cancer Research UK

Prevention and Population Project Award

Cancer Research UK's Prevention and Population Project Award funds high quality, hypothesis-driven research with clear objectives in primary cancer prevention and population research, including prevention intervention studies. Awards are flexible, up to £500k over up to 3 years, for scientists, clinicians and healthcare workers based at UK universities, medical schools, hospitals or research institutes. Applications are considered twice a year; the current round closes on 4 December 2026, with committee review in May 2027, and the five-year success rate is 32%.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £500,000
Deadline: 47 days left; 4 December
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

A scientist, clinician or healthcare worker based at a UK university, medical school, hospital or research institute (including CRUK Institutes), with some postdoctoral experience or equivalent, who in most cases is fully funded by the host institution for the duration of the award
All career stages are welcome; an early-career lead is strongly encouraged to include an established co-applicant for mentorship
Teams may span UK institutions, and international and commercial organisations may take supporting roles as co-investigators or collaborators
The host institution must approve the application before the deadline
CRUK Institute-funded researchers may apply as joint lead applicants but must explain the extra support needed and distinguish it from their core-funded work
Parallel applications to other funders are allowed, but only one award can be accepted
Career breaks, part-time work and changes of discipline are taken into account; contact the team before starting a part-time application

What it funds

High quality, hypothesis-driven research with clear objectives in primary prevention and population research, with a line of sight to population impact:

Population-based studies (classical, clinical and molecular epidemiology) of risk, aetiology and prevention or control strategies
Cancer incidence trends over time and across geographies
Changes in cancer survival driven by risk or other factors
Methodological and statistical research in prevention and population sciences
Population-level studies of secondary physical effects of cancer treatment
Risk stratification and associated prevention studies
Exploratory and confirmatory trials of chemopreventive agents
Behavioural and lifestyle interventions (for example tobacco, alcohol, physical activity, obesity, UV exposure)
Screening as prevention, including population-level trials
Policy-focused research, including tobacco control
Salaries for postdoctoral researchers and technical staff
Associated running costs
Equipment up to £50k (contact the team for more)

Salaries for lead, joint lead or co-investigators only for eligible early- to mid-career researchers who meet the salary funding policy, complete the Skills and Experience form and contact the team first; such awards are capped at three years. Academically sponsored studies with industry educational grants or free drugs can seek endorsement via an expression of interest.

What it will not fund

Infrastructure support for clinical trials units or centres
Research on prevention of relapse or recurrence
Projects that audit or evaluate existing clinical pathways
Industry-sponsored trials
Resubmissions, unless recommended by the committee

How to apply

Contact the team (pprc@cancer.org.uk) at least one month before the deadline for an informal, confidential discussion, and tell your host institution you intend to apply
For interventional trials, submit an expression of interest first; an outline application is usually then needed before a full application
Start the application on CRUK's Flexi-Grant system and add joint lead applicants, co-investigators and named research staff in supporting roles
Have your host institution approve the application online and submit it by 4 December 2026
The Expert Review Panel peer-reviews it and you can respond in writing to reviewers' comments; the Patient and Public Review Panel also reviews it
The Prevention and Population Research Committee makes the final funding decision (May 2027 for this round)

Outline applications go to the full application stage in the following round. Feedback is given but decisions are final; do not contact committee members directly. Commercial collaborators should contact Cancer Research Horizons (horizons@cancer.org.uk).

Have ready

Research proposal on the Flexi-Grant template (no more than 2,500 words, single-spaced Calibri 11)
Lay summary and research abstract
Narrative CVs for lead and joint lead applicants, with five-year publications
Skills and Experience form (max 4 pages), for eligible salaried leads, co-investigators and early-career researchers
Patient and Public Involvement plan with budget (or justification for leaving it out)
Justification appendix
Letters of support on headed paper from host institutions, collaborators and advisory bodies (plus a group leader's letter for early-career researchers)
Data sharing plan
Costs, other funding (including parallel applications) and the AMRC full economic costing form
Up to 10 reviewer nominations
Research declarations (ethics and regulatory approvals)
Generative AI tools declaration

Outline applications for interventional trials need a research proposal, trial schema, Gantt chart, a signed one-page cover letter on headed paper, narrative CVs, a declaration of competing interests and a generative AI declaration.

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