NIH Opens Five Research Education and Training Funding Opportunities Across Cancer, Down Syndrome, and Biomedical Sciences

Youth Cancer Education and Early Career Pipeline

The National Cancer Institute's Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Program (RFA-CA-24-026) offers awards with a ceiling of $400,000 to support institutional programs that engage grades 6–12 and/or undergraduate students in cancer research experiences. According to the notice, the proposed programs may also provide research experiences for grade 6–12 teachers and undergraduate faculty members. The stated goals are to inspire interest in biomedical sciences, help students envision research as a career path, and strengthen practical research and career skills. The notice explains that NCI's overarching aim is to encourage individuals who have not had substantial biomedical research experience, or who have the potential to significantly benefit from additional biomedical research experience, to pursue further studies or careers in research. The funding supports educational activities focused on research experiences, curriculum or methods development, and outreach. The notice specifies that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components are not allowed. The deadline for this opportunity is September 28, 2026.

Predoctoral Training in Basic Biomedical Sciences

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences Predoctoral Basic Biomedical Sciences Research Training Program (T32, PAR-23-228) provides support to eligible domestic institutions to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to biomedical graduate training and mentoring. The notice states that NIGMS expects the proposed programs to incorporate didactic, research, and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the nation. The program's goal, as the notice describes it, is to develop a pool of well-trained scientists available to address the nation's biomedical research agenda, keeping pace with the rapid evolution of the biomedical research enterprise. Non-domestic entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. The deadline is September 25, 2026.

Down Syndrome Research: Predoctoral-to-Postdoctoral Transition

The INCLUDE (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00, RFA-OD-24-007) is designed to recruit exceptional graduate students from a variety of research fields to pursue postdoctoral training focused on Down syndrome–related research. The notice identifies eligible disciplines as including, but not limited to, genetics, biochemistry, data science, imaging, engineering, and neurobiology. Unlike the NCI YES and NIGMS T32 programs, this opportunity permits foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, though non-domestic entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations remain ineligible to apply. The notice strongly encourages prospective applicants to contact INCLUDE Program Staff prior to initiating plans for application submission. The application deadline is July 1, 2026.

Population-Level Approaches to Alcohol and Cancer Risk

Under opportunity PAR-25-221, NIH is soliciting R01 applications for research on interdisciplinary population approaches to reducing alcohol-related cancer risk. The notice states that the program aims to support research on increasing awareness of the relationship between alcohol and cancer risk, understanding and changing social norms related to alcohol consumption, developing and/or evaluating alcohol policy approaches, and developing, testing, and implementing population-level interventions. The notice identifies applications addressing multiple levels of consumption — such as moderate and heavy drinking — as of particular interest, as well as those focusing on alcohol use disorder from the perspective of cancer prevention and control. Clinical trials are optional under this announcement. The deadline is January 7, 2027.

Dissemination and Implementation Research

NIH's Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health program (R03, PAR-25-233) supports studies that identify, develop, and/or test strategies for overcoming barriers to the adoption, adaptation, integration, scale-up, and sustainability of evidence-based interventions, practices, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies. The notice also identifies a benefit in understanding circumstances that create a need to stop or reduce — what the notice terms "de-implement" — the use of practices that are ineffective, unproven, low-value, or harmful. Studies to advance dissemination and implementation research methods and measures are also encouraged, according to the notice. All applications must be within the scope of the mission of one of the participating NIH Institutes/Centers. Clinical trials are not allowed. The deadline is January 7, 2028.

What to Watch

• July 1, 2026 — INCLUDE F99/K00 Down syndrome transition award deadline (RFA-OD-24-007); prospective applicants advised to contact program staff in advance.
• September 25, 2026 — NIGMS T32 Predoctoral Basic Biomedical Sciences Research Training Program deadline (PAR-23-228).
• September 28, 2026 — NCI YES Program deadline (RFA-CA-24-026); award ceiling $400,000.
• January 7, 2027 — Population Approaches to Reducing Alcohol-related Cancer Risk R01 deadline (PAR-25-221).
• January 7, 2028 — Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health R03 deadline (PAR-25-233).