MISSION
The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize provides young, greater New York area-based scientists the freedom to take risks and pursue their boldest research at a stage when traditional funding is lacking. In the quest for cures, the Prize accelerates the collaboration between academia and industry. Prize winners each receive $250,000 a year for three years, totaling $750,000.
KEY CRITERIA
Radically innovative and scientifically sound research: Novel approaches in cancer research characterized by a strong scientific rationale and novel methodologies. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, basic research and technological applications. PSSCRA is seeking high-risk, high-reward proposals characterized by radically novel scientific approaches that would otherwise not be funded. The objective is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a likelihood of producing important findings. It should be a unique project for scientists, who are encouraged to stretch their imagination into areas that can substantially change the area of research. Scientific merit will be evaluated and determined by the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize Scientific Review Council and Prize Advisory Board. For more insight, please review our panel of board members and archive of past winning proposals on our website: http://psscra.org.
Quality of the applicant: Applicants must display creativity, adaptability, strong written communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with others. They embody an entrepreneurial spirit for driving impact and scale.
Application to cancer: Proposals that articulate a clearly defined application to cancer will be favored. The goal is to advance research in new ways that will have an impact on understanding, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of cancer.
Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit proposals that leverage a multidisciplinary approach.
ELIGIBILITY
An MD, PhD, MD-PhD degree (or equivalent) is required. Applicants must have at least two (2) years of experience running their own laboratories but no more than six (6) years of experience by the anticipated start date of the research project (July 2025). Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold faculty appointments at academic research institutions in the greater New York City area at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor (or equivalent). The greater New York City area includes New York City’s five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester County, New Jersey, Western Connecticut (Fairfield and New Haven Counties), and select institutions in Philadelphia, PA. Applicants may only apply to the Prize a total of two (2) times.
An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, by submitting an application for this funding, assures that his/her visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term within the United States. Investigators need not be specifically trained in cancer research; however, they should be working in an environment capable of conducting high quality, high impact cancer research.
2025 Prize Application Guidelines
The application portal for the 2025 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize has closed. The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent application was October 28, 2024 by 5:00pm EDT. Selected applicants have been invited to submit a Full-Length Proposal (FLP). The deadline to submit a proposal was Friday, January 24th, 2025 at 5:00pm EST.
All applicants have been notified about the status of their application. (If you have not heard from us, please check your spam folder for info@psscra.org.)
Please be sure to thoroughly read the above application guidelines. Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions here.
Please check back in summer 2025 for information on our 2026 application cycle.
If you have any questions regarding the Prize, please contact us at info@psscra.org.
Visit: www.psscra.org to learn more.
2025 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize
MISSION
The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize provides young, greater New York area-based scientists the freedom to take risks and pursue their boldest research at a stage when traditional funding is lacking. In the quest for cures, the Prize accelerates the collaboration between academia and industry. Prize winners each receive $250,000 a year for three years, totaling $750,000.
KEY CRITERIA
Radically innovative and scientifically sound research: Novel approaches in cancer research characterized by a strong scientific rationale and novel methodologies. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, basic research and technological applications. PSSCRA is seeking high-risk, high-reward proposals characterized by radically novel scientific approaches that would otherwise not be funded. The objective is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a likelihood of producing important findings. It should be a unique project for scientists, who are encouraged to stretch their imagination into areas that can substantially change the area of research. Scientific merit will be evaluated and determined by the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize Scientific Review Council and Prize Advisory Board. For more insight, please review our panel of board members and archive of past winning proposals on our website: http://psscra.org.
Quality of the applicant: Applicants must display creativity, adaptability, strong written communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with others. They embody an entrepreneurial spirit for driving impact and scale.
Application to cancer: Proposals that articulate a clearly defined application to cancer will be favored. The goal is to advance research in new ways that will have an impact on understanding, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of cancer.
Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit proposals that leverage a multidisciplinary approach.
ELIGIBILITY
An MD, PhD, MD-PhD degree (or equivalent) is required. Applicants must have at least two (2) years of experience running their own laboratories but no more than six (6) years of experience by the anticipated start date of the research project (July 2025). Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold faculty appointments at academic research institutions in the greater New York City area at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor (or equivalent). The greater New York City area includes New York City’s five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester County, New Jersey, Western Connecticut (Fairfield and New Haven Counties), and select institutions in Philadelphia, PA. Applicants may only apply to the Prize a total of two (2) times.
An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, by submitting an application for this funding, assures that his/her visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term within the United States. Investigators need not be specifically trained in cancer research; however, they should be working in an environment capable of conducting high quality, high impact cancer research.
2025 Prize Application Guidelines
The application portal for the 2025 Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize has closed. The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent application was October 28, 2024 by 5:00pm EDT. Selected applicants have been invited to submit a Full-Length Proposal (FLP). The deadline to submit a proposal was Friday, January 24th, 2025 at 5:00pm EST.
All applicants have been notified about the status of their application. (If you have not heard from us, please check your spam folder for info@psscra.org.)
Please be sure to thoroughly read the above application guidelines. Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions here.
Please check back in summer 2025 for information on our 2026 application cycle.
If you have any questions regarding the Prize, please contact us at info@psscra.org.
Visit: www.psscra.org to learn more.