The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize provides early-career scientists the freedom to take risks and pursue their boldest research at a stage when traditional funding is lacking.
Donor Name: Pershing Square Philanthropies
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 11/03/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance (PSSCRA) is dedicated to accelerating cures for cancer by advancing the pursuit of innovative cancer research and by facilitating collaborations between the science and business communities. PSSCRA seeks to guide philanthropic funds to feed critical scientific discoveries, attracting like-minded investors to the cause of fighting cancer and creating a pipeline for early-stage biomedical investments. While the Prize initially focused on the greater New York City area, as of 2026, applicants and winners will now represent institutions from across the United States.
In addition to receiving funding, Prize winners are given access to a unique network and are invited to participate in select programs, including:
- Facilitated partnerships with other researchers within and across institutions
- Networking programs (including: collaborations/discussions amongst Prize winners and industry mentors, introductions to philanthropic and for-profit investors in the business community, and invitations to special industry networking and entrepreneurship events)
- Annual retreat and symposium
- Ability to present the best ideas at conferences and events (hosted by PSSCRA and other organizations)
Prize
Prize winners each receive $250,000 a year for three years.
Key Criteria
- Radically innovative and scientifically sound research: Novel approaches in cancer research characterized by a strong scientific rationale and novel methodologies. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, basic research and technological applications. PSSCRA is seeking high-risk, high-reward proposals characterized by radically novel scientific approaches that would otherwise not be funded. The objective is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a likelihood of producing important findings. It should be a unique project for scientists, who are encouraged to stretch their imagination into areas that can substantially change their area of research. Scientific merit will be evaluated and determined by the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize Scientific Review Council and Prize Advisory Board.
- Quality of the applicant: Applicants must display creativity, adaptability, strong written communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with others. They embody an entrepreneurial spirit for driving impact and scale.
- Potential impact on the cancer field: Proposals that articulate a clearly defined impact on/importance to the cancer field will be favored. The goal is to advance research in new ways that will have an impact on understanding, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of cancer. Consider the significance of the research question being asked, and the potential to shift paradigms or address unmet needs.
Eligibility Criteria
- An MD, PhD, or MD-PhD degree (or equivalent) is required. Applicants must have at least two (2) years of experience running their own laboratories but no more than six (6) years of experience by the start date of the Prize (July 2026). Exceptions due to prolonged medical or family leave will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold faculty appointments at academic research institutions in the United States of America at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor (or equivalent). Multiple applicants from the same institution may apply as long as eligibility criteria are met. Applicants may only apply to the Prize a total of two (2) times.
- Applicants to The Pershing Square Foundation prize programs (the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, MIND Prize, and Ovarian Cancer Challenge Grant) can only apply to one program at a time. For example, if you apply to the 2026 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, you cannot apply to the 2026 MIND Prize that same year.
- Current grantees may not apply to another Foundation prize program until they are in their third and final year of the award, or their award term has concluded.
- An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, by submitting an application for this funding, assures that his/her visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term within the United States. Investigators need not be specifically trained in cancer research; however, they should be working in an environment capable of conducting high-quality, high-impact cancer research.
- The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other legally protected characteristics.
For more information, visit Pershing Square Philanthropies.
