AACR-AstraZeneca Fellowship for Physician-Scientists for Digital Pathology and AI Training

AACR-AstraZeneca Fellowship for Physician-Scientists for Digital Pathology and AI Training is sponsored by American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). This fellowship supports physician-scientists for digital pathology and AI training relevant to cancer research.

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Patient / Caregivers / Public Researchers / Professionals Information for Current Grantees Research Training and Fellowships Career Development Awards Independent Research Grants AACR-AstraZeneca Fellowship for Physician-Scientists for Digital Pathology and AI Training Grant Amount $200,000 USD Start of Grant Term December 1, 2026 Application Deadline September 29, 2026 1:00 PM Decision Date November 2026 Additional Information Additional details regarding this grant can be found in the Program Guidelines and Application Instructions .

Final determinations of eligibility will not be completed until the AACR is in receipt of the submitted application. The AACR-AstraZeneca Fellowship for Physician-Scientists for Digital Pathology and AI Training represents a joint effort to support the training and career development of pathologists with a strong interest in digital pathology, artificial intelligence, and/or computational pathology.

This fellowship provides physician-scientists with integrated research experiences across academic and industry settings, offering a unique opportunity to gain practical, real-world experience in AI-driven cancer research and diagnostics. The program is intended to provide fellows with a comprehensive research experience that supports their scientific development and builds expertise in digital and computational pathology.

Through mentored research in both academic and industry settings, fellows will develop the skills and perspective needed to pursue independent careers in academic research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, or related fields, contributing to advances in cancer research at the intersection of technology and oncology.

Proposed research may be basic, translational, or clinical in nature and must be focused on digital and/or computational pathology. Applicants are required to complete two years of research training, consisting of one year at their academic institution and one year with their assigned AstraZeneca team.

The AstraZeneca training component is intended to provide an immersive experience in an industry setting, with strong preference for onsite work at the company’s Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Cambridge, Massachusetts locations.

The structure and scheduling of the industry-based training period may be flexible and will be determined through mutual agreement among the fellow, the fellow’s institution, and AstraZeneca, provided that a cumulative total of one year is completed with the industry partner. Hybrid and remote work arrangements may be considered, as appropriate to the fellow’s project and training plan.

Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. Please read all program guidelines and instructions carefully before submitting an Application. Research Project Criteria The proposed research project should align with the fellowship’s goal of training future leaders in artificial intelligence–driven cancer research and diagnostics.

Projects should focus on the development and application of advanced computational methods, including deep learning approaches for biomarker discovery, multimodal modeling for the integration of genomics and histopathology data, and the implementation and validation of computational pathology systems within clinical and research workflows.

Projects may involve the use of digital pathology and spatially resolved ‘omics technologies and may also incorporate additional data types, such as clinical or single-cell data, as appropriate to the proposed research. Projects that leverage these approaches to define or elucidate mechanisms of disease are also appropriate.

At the start of the grant term (December 1, 2026), applicants must : Have a medical degree (MD, DO, MD/PhD, or the equivalent) in a related field. Be enrolled in an accredited pathology fellowship or residency program at an academic, medical, or research institution within the United States and be authorized to work in the United States.

Applicants who require a visa must ensure that their visa status and/or work authorization will permit them to complete the project and grant term. If eligibility is based on a future fellowship or residency position, the position must be confirmed at the time of submission and CANNOT be contingent upon receiving this grant.

Applicants are advised to contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration (RGA) at [email protected] before submission to confirm they will hold an eligible position. Have at least two years of protected research time. Have a mentor in the proposed research field from the sponsoring institution.

At the start of the grant term (December 1, 2026), applicants cannot : Be a candidate for a further doctoral degree. Be an employee or subcontractor of a U.S. federal government entity or for-profit private industry or be clinical fellows applying from a U.S. government laboratory (e.g., NIH, CDC, FDA, etc.) Concurrently hold another AACR grant.

Current AACR grantees may apply only if their current grant ends before the start of the grant term for this funding opportunity (i.e., December 1, 2026). Also, the terms of their current grant must stipulate that the final progress reports be approved by the AACR before December 1, 2026.

All applicants with questions about eligibility should contact the AACR’s Research and Grants Administration at [email protected] before submitting an application. There are no citizenship requirements. However, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited pathology fellowship or residency program at an academic, medical, or research institution within the United States.

By submitting an application for this grant, applicants on a visa confirm that their work status will allow them to complete the project and grant term.

AACR Membership Requirements By the submission deadline, applicants must be AACR members in good standing (dues paid for the current year): Information on AACR membership, including membership categories, due rates, and steps for lapsed or nonmembers, can be accessed on our membership website .

Assistance with membership can be requested by submitting a myAACR help form or by contacting our Membership Department at [email protected] Applicants whose membership is not in good standing or nonmembers who do not apply for membership by the submission deadline will be considered ineligible. The AACR requires applicants to complete an online Application submission by 1 p. m.

U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, using the ProposalCentral website . Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available in PDF format. block needs to be placed in the location where the link block will be displayed--> The Progression of Cancer Research Funding, Prestigious Research Grants Professional Development Opportunities