New challenges
Explore our newest challenges. Shorlisted teams will be notified in July.
Challenges
What is a Cancer Grand Challenge?
A Cancer Grand Challenge represents one of the most complex problems in cancer research — an obstacle that continues to impede progress and that no one scientist, institution or country will be able to solve alone.
From identifying the most complex problems in cancer research to awarding funding
Every two years, working with the Scientific Committee, we convene the global community to identify some of the most complex problems in cancer research. We engage with and shape ideas from researchers, patient advocates, partners and innovators.
The Scientific Committee then recommends to Cancer Research UK the most important challenges with the greatest potential benefit for the public and people affected by cancer. As our founders, Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute make the final decision on which challenges should be posed to the research community.
We then have an open call, inviting the global research community to self-assemble interdisciplinary teams and submit their innovative ideas to take one on of these challenges. Finally, the successful teams are selected and awarded up to $25m each, beginning their work solving some of cancer's toughest problems.
Learn more about our active challenges, concluded challenges and unfunded challenges below.
Publications
Our teams are making important and transformative discoveries against cancer. Explore their published papers.
