Damon Runyon Foundation Awards $4.5M to Emerging Cancer Scientists

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced on April 10, 2026, that it has awarded $4.5 million to support early-career scientists. The funding is distributed among 13 new postdoctoral fellows and six researchers recognized for their potential to create paradigm-shifting breakthroughs in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

The foundation’s funding strategy prioritizes the identification of promising scientists early in their careers, enabling them to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects that may not receive traditional support.

Support for Early-Career Researchers

The 13 newly named Damon Runyon Fellows are postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research. These researchers operate within the laboratories of leading senior investigators to explore the fundamental mechanisms of cancer biology.

Each fellow is provided with $300,000 in total independent funding over a four-year period. This financial independence is designed to encourage the nation’s most promising young scientists to commit to careers in cancer research by allowing them to investigate cancer causes, therapies, mechanisms, and prevention.

The Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists

Alongside the new fellowships, the foundation named six recipients of the Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists. This specific award recognizes former Damon Runyon Fellows who have exceeded the foundation’s highest expectations.

The award is intended for individuals most likely to make breakthroughs that transform the way cancer is treated and prevented. To facilitate their transition to independence, the foundation provides these exceptional researchers with an additional investment of $100,000.

Researching Diet and Intestinal Cancer

Among the recipients of the Dale F. Frey Award is Dr. Fangtao Chi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Chi’s research focuses on how cellular metabolism and dietary nutrients influence tumorigenesis and intestinal regeneration.

The intestine utilizes intestinal stem cells to repair damage caused by inflammation, infection, or cancer therapy. Dr. Chi is discovering that specific nutrients act as signals that boost the activity of these stem cells to accelerate the repair of tissue.

However, the research also indicates that these same regenerative programs can be hijacked to support abnormal growth and increase the probability of tumor formation under specific conditions.

By systematically dissecting these nutrient-metabolism pathways, Dr. Chi aims to establish dietary strategies that can optimize tissue repair while mitigating the risk of colorectal and other intestinal cancers.

Other award recipients include Dr. Cayla E. Jewett at the University of Colorado, Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, who is investigating a paradox presented by multiciliated cells.

Foundation Mission and Impact

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation operates on the principle that following a well-trodden path will not lead to new discoveries. The organization encourages young scientists to break ground through innovative research.

The foundation states that its model of identifying talented researchers early and enabling high-risk projects has contributed to nearly every major breakthrough in cancer research over the past 80 years.