Damon Runyon awards $4.5M to 19 young scientists driving next-gen cancer breakthroughs

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has awarded $4.5 million in new funding to 19 early-career scientists through its Fellows and Frey Award programs, supporting cutting-edge cancer research across leading U.S. institutions. Fellows receive four-year, $300,000 grants, while six Breakthrough Scientists receive an additional $100,000 each to accelerate independent research. Recipients include Fangtao Chi (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Catherine Triandafillou (University of Pennsylvania), and Youngmu Shin (University of California, San Francisco). Funding targets tumor biology, immunotherapy, and cancer metabolism, aiming to uncover mechanisms driving cancer initiation, progression, and treatment resistance through innovative, high-risk, high-reward science.