GO8540: MRFF - Australian Brain Cancer Mission - 2026 Brain Cancer Research Grant Opportunity

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Australian Brain Cancer Mission aims to support transformative improvement to the quality and length of life of people with brain cancer, with the longer-term aim of defeating brain cancer.

The intended outcome of the research is to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by demonstrating innovative approaches to addressing challenges in brain cancer that have high translational potential, forming interdisciplinary collaborations, and building of critical mass in the Australian brain cancer research workforce.

Applicants to this grant opportunity are expected to describe how their proposed project aligns with the objectives and outcomes of the MRFF Australian Brain Cancer Mission as described in the Roadmap and Implementation Plan and the Measures of Success as described in the Evaluation Strategy.

This grant opportunity is being administered by NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and Cancer Australia.

Further information on the Medical Research Future Fund is available from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's website.

A list of Mission Funding Partners can be found on the Australian Brain Cancer Mission website.

A list of Eligible Organisations can be found on the NHMRC List of MRFF Eligible Organisations webpage.

The applying lead organisation must be an MRFF Eligible Organisation approved by NHMRC.

Joint applications are permitted where an eligible lead organisation is the main driver of the project.

Applicants must nominate a Chief Investigator A (CIA), who leads the application, research and reporting, and may include up to 15 Chief Investigators.

At least 30% of the Chief Investigator team must be Early- to Mid-Career Researchers, defined as individuals within 10 years of their first PhD award date excluding career disruptions.

The CIA must generally be an Australian citizen or permanent resident at application submission; if not, they must have the required work visa when accepting the grant.

The CIA must be based in Australia for the grant period, except for reasonable eligible overseas travel.

The proposal must conduct innovative, interdisciplinary, collaborative and translational pre-clinical and/or early-stage clinical brain cancer research, advance knowledge in at least two specified brain cancer research areas, meet the grant objectives, request funding between $1 million and $3 million, and comply with application, budget, formatting and submission requirements.