Medical Student Research Grants

Medical Student Research Grants is sponsored by Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF). These grants promote research opportunities for medical students early in their careers by funding clinical or laboratory-based research projects focused on understanding melanoma prevention, early detection, risk biology, and treatment.

Research Grants & RFPs – Melanoma Research Foundation Committed to advancing research across the spectrum of melanoma and supporting researchers at every stage of their careers Established in 1998, the MRF research grants are a competitive, peer-reviewed program for investigator-initiated research conducted under the purview of our Scientific Advisory Committee.

MRF-supported research is open to medical students through senior investigative teams and encompass not only cutaneous melanoma, but also the rare melanoma types such as uveal, mucosal and pediatric melanoma.

The MRF proactively partners with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Congress, the Department of Defense (DoD), Society of Melanoma Research (SMR), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), other foundations and pharmaceutical companies to develop and collaborate on a broad agenda for melanoma research that takes full advantage of all opportunities, while also sharing challenges.

Grant & RFP Opportunities MRF Breakthrough Consortium Pilot Translational Award RFP Application Submission Deadline: August 15, 2026 at 11:59PM ET Award Notification: September 2026 Opportunities Under Review • Established Investigator Award (EIA) • Career Development Award (CDA) Peer-Reviewed Research Opportunities The MRF has been funding peer-reviewed research since 1998.

The foundation provides emerging and established scientific investigators with highly sought-after grants that allow them to explore new, high-impact avenues in melanoma research. The types of grants offered are noted below: The largest grant offered by the MRF, a Team Science Award, encourages collaboration across academic disciplines in an institution or among multiple institutions.

Team Science Awards are required to address an unmet need or Special Topic area, as defined by the MRF’s Scientific Advisory Committee. Established Investigator Awards (EIA) Applicants must have at least a position of Associate Professor and a demonstrated research track record. This award encourages proven researchers to continue research on emerging challenges in melanoma.

Ideally, this award will generate data that can justify a much larger competitive grant. Career Development Awards (CDA) This award enables young researchers to generate the groundwork that can leverage additional grant funding from other funding bodies. As such, recipients must be either postdoctoral fellows with less than five years of postdoctoral experience or a research associate, instructor, assistant professor, or the equivalent.

The goal of this award is to create findings that could then lend themselves to larger, multicenter grant proposals. Both tenured and non-tenured track faculty are encouraged to apply. This grant is designed to fund clinical or laboratory melanoma research projects for resident/ fellows under the mentorship of a melanoma investigator.

The MRF is committed to introducing students early in their careers to the clinical or research opportunities under the mentorship of an investigator engaged in melanoma research. View MRF-Supported Institutions Supported Research Centers Please hover over state to view Supported Research Centers Occasionally, we also have special opportunities available that do not adhere to our usual categories.

Specific details and application instructions for each MRF research opportunity will be available in the relevant RFP. Questions regarding the research opportunities above can be directed to the Chief Science Officer at research@melanoma. org