The Robert A Welch Foundation Catalyst for Discovery Program is intended to accelerate progress in fundamental chemistry research by supporting research teams in Texas aimed at significant problems at the leading edge of chemistry. Annually, up to 2 grants of $5,000,000 each will be awarded to highly meritorious proposals. The level of support is calibrated to reduce barriers to discovery and provide flexibility in the manner of experimentation with minimal administrative burden. Catalyst for Discovery Program Grants are intended to support fundamental chemical research at institutions in Texas aimed at solving significant problems for the benefit of humankind.

UTMB Internal RFA 2026

The American Diabetes Association's Pathway to Stop Diabetes provides crucial support to individuals focusing on innovative ideas and transformational approaches that will lead to groundbreaking discoveries in diabetes prevention, management, and cures. The program aims to build a pathway to tackle the toughest questions in diabetes by driving research innovations through 1:1 mentorship and building a brain trust in diabetes. The ideal applicant will propose innovative research that will be an important step toward the eventual goal of improving the lives of people at risk of or living with diabetes.

The Initiator Award is designed to support the transition of scientists from mentored training to independent research.
The Accelerator Award is designed to support promising early career researchers in the beginning stages of establishing successful, sustainable diabetes research programs.

2026 Internal RFA

The purpose of the GCC John S Dunn Foundation Collaborative Research Award Program is to foster new, exemplary inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional engagement in the quantitative biomedical sciences by providing research seed grants. The goal of this program is to fund new projects with high potential for future competitive research funding within 2.5 years of project start and a "best case scenario" plan for transitioning to clinical studies within 5 years. 

Funds will be awarded to NEW collaborative teams in which the PI and co-PI are from different GCC member institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, University of Houston, UT Health Science Center at Houston, UTMB, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, The Texas A&M (TAMU) Institute of Biosciences and Technology (IBT) in Houston, and Houston Methodist Research Institute. 

2026 UTMB Internal RFA

2026 Sponsor RFA

The purpose of the Brain Research Foundation’s Seed Grant is to provide start-up money for new research projects and innovative programs that have the potential of becoming competitive for an NIH grant or other external funding sources. Our goal is to have this initial effort succeed in opening future opportunities for research, collaboration, and scientific advancement. The BRF Seed Grant Program awards start-up funding for neuroscience research. The Foundation is committed to funding research in all areas of the brain, whether cognitive, neurodegenerative, related to learning and development or diseases. Pi must be a full-time Assistant or Associate Professor working in the field of neuroscience, neurology, neurobiology, physiology, psychiatry, psychology, or related disciplines, proposing scientific projects with a focus on brain health and disease, including cancer.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Robert J Kleberg, Jr and Helen C Kleberg Foundation Medical Research Grant funds highly innovative and groundbreaking medical research proposals from top tier institutions in both basic biological and applied research that will have the greatest impact on scientific knowledge and human health. Proposals should be distinctive and novel in their approaches, bot being done elsewhere, question the prevailing paradigm, and lead to advancement in knowledge in the field.  In general, the Kleberg Foundation has a strong preference for projects based in or studying topics of particular relevance to South Texas. Areas of particular interest to the Kleberg Foundation include cancer, especially glioblastoma and lung cancer; neurodegenerative disease, especially Alzheimer's; and vaccine development toward diseases that are prevalent in South Texas. Applications that address COVID-related research, aging-related research, ovarian cancer, and rare diseases are not responsive to this funding opportunity.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Searle Scholars Program makes grants to selected academic research institutions to support the independent research of outstanding early-career scientists who have recently been appointed as assistant professors on a tenure-track appointment. The Searle Scholars Program supports high risk, high reward research across a broad range of scientific disciplines. Candidates should be currently pursuing an independent research career in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences.
Candidates must have started their academic appointment as an independent investigator at the Assistant Professor level on or after May 1, 2024*. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position or its nearest equivalent.
*In past cycles, sponsor eligibility criteria has varied between 1-year and 2-years since appointment as an independent investigator at the assistant professor level--clarification for the 2027 cycle is pending.

Internal RFA release delayed, pending update of Sponsor Guidelines. Sponsor update anticipated June 1, 2026; Internal RFA to follow shortly after.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars Fellowship Award enables postdoctoral researchers to advance to become full-time faculty members at the Assistant Professor level or higher, and to promote the development of a laboratory program that will lead to independent funding. The Award will support individual postdoctoral scientists of exceptional creativity in the field of neuroscience.
Candidates must have a minimum of 3 years and no more than 6 year of post-doctoral experience by July 1, 2027.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation's Clinical Investigator Award supports independent early career physician-scientists conducting disease-oriented research that demonstrates a high level of innovation and creativity. The goal is to support the best early career physician-scientists doing work aimed at improving the practice of cancer medicine and to increase the number of physicians capable of moving seamlessly between the laboratory and the patient's bedside in search of breakthrough treatments. The applicant mut be involved in patient care and conducting research that has the potential to be translated to impact patients. 

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Mark Foundation Endeavor Awards support collaborative research projects that bring together investigators with diverse areas of expertise to tackle challenges in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. These grants are awarded to teams of 3 or more investigators to generate data from diverse lines of research and transform those insights into advances for cancer patients that could not be achieved by individual efforts. UTMB is allowed 1 submission that addresses any cancer type; and 1 submission that addresses one of the following four cancer types: upper GI, glioblastoma, triple-negative breast cancer, or pancreatic cancer.

Internal RFA release delayed pending update of Sponsor Guidelines--anticipated late June 2026.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Mary Kay Ash Foundation Cancer Research Grant focuses on funding research for innovative grants for translational research of cancers affecting women (ovarian, uterine, breast, endometrial or cervical cancer among others). Translational research is broadly defined as research that will provide a scientific link between laboratory research and the clinic. Ultimately, such research would lead to improvement in diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, or treatment of cancer.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists recognize the country's most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. These awards celebrate the past accomplishments and future potential of young faculty members working in the 3 disciplinary categories of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)