The Brain Research Foundation’s Scientific Innovations Award Program provides funding for innovative science in both basic and clinical neuroscience. This funding mechanism is designed to support creative, exploratory, cutting-edge research in well-established research laboratories, under the direction of established (Associate and Full Professor) investigators. The objective of the SIA is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings. It is expected that investigations supported by these grants will yield high impact findings and result in major grant applications and significant publications in high impact journals.

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

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 Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the Assistant Professor level. Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. 
As of September 3, 2026, candidates must run an independent lab and hold a full-time appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor. Candidate must not have been appointed as Assistant Professor and run an independent lab at any institution prior to June 10, 2023. Current appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible. 

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research is a national initiative designed to support promising early career scientists whose research will accelerate discovery and advance progress to a cure for cancer. The program is funded by The Alexander and Margaret Stewart Trust and administered by Pew. In line with The Alexander and Margaret Stewart Trust's mission to invest in innovative, cutting-edge cancer research that may accelerate and advance progress toward a cure for cancer. The program is distinct from the Pew Biomedical Scholars Program and follows a different, but parallel set of guidelines and procedures for nominating an applicant whose research is related to cancer. Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged.
As of August 27, 2026, candidates must run an independent lab and hold a full-time appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor. Candidate must not have been appointed as Assistant Professor and run an independent lab at any institution prior to June 10, 2023. Current appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible. 

Example UTMB Internal RFA (EXPIRED)

The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation aims to advance knowledge in the life sciences by sponsoring scientific research that will benefit mankind. Basic scientific research, with potential translational application, is central to this goal, and fundamental to our operating principles. Examples of current research areas supported include immunology, microbiome, structural biology, cellular physiology, cancer biology, genetics, genomics, microbiology and infectious diseases, stem cell biology, and neuroscience. In general, the Mathers Foundation reviewers look for innovative, novel proposals, which have scientific merit with an established published proof of concept, and which may not be fundable at the federal level.
Research areas that will not be considered for support include: Covid-19 related research projects (aims or sub-aims), Plant Biology Research, Oceanography, Space Exploration, Global Warming related, medical imaging technology related and/or electrical engineering technology projects, research conducted in human subjects (no clinical trials, drug discovery, or anything the Foundation deems pre-clinical drug development). 

The Mathers Foundation holds 2 cycles per year (Fall/Spring)

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, 2025. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position or its nearest equivalent.

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.

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)