Call for EOIs: Cancer Reasearch Fellowships Victoria (Australia and New Zealand)

By combining resources, this collaboration strengthens Victoria’s cancer research landscape, fosters innovation, and accelerates the translation of research into improved outcomes for people with cancer.

Objectives

• The objectives of Cancer Research Fellowships Victoria are to:
  • Support high-quality translational cancer research conducted by early-career and mid-career researchers based in Victoria,
  • Support early-career and mid-career researchers to establish themselves as future cancer research leaders,
  • Retain talented researchers in the field of cancer research; and
  • Enhance competitiveness of Fellows to enable them to leverage further funding from other funding bodies or industry

Aims

• The aims of each fellowship are to:
  • Support the salary of the Fellow
  • Support the direct research costs of undertaking the cancer research project
  • Support the dissemination costs of sharing the research with peers

Types of Streams

• Early-Career Fellowships:
  • Applicants can apply for either the Biomedical Research Stream or the Non-Biomedical Research Stream.
  • In addition to general fellowships, targeted Biomedical fellowships are available for research:
    • that supports the diagnosis and/or treatment of mesothelioma;
    • into non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Special consideration will be given to applicants researching gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• Mid-Career Fellowships:
  • Applicants can apply for either the Biomedical Research Stream or the Non-Biomedical Research Stream.

Funding Information

• Early-Career Fellowships are available with a maximum of $150,000 available per year, per fellowship, for three years (maximum $450,000 per Fellowship).
• Mid-Career Fellowships are available with a maximum of $175,000 available per year, per fellowship, for four years (maximum $700,000 per Fellowship).

Eligibility Criteria

• The Applicant must satisfy all the points below:
  • Is an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or has permanent residency in Australia at the time of EOI closing date;
  • Has an existing appointment with a Victorian Administering Organisation in the event the Applicant is successful or has formal support from a Victorian Administering Organisation that the Applicant will be provided an appointment at the organisation in the event the Applicant is successful.
  • Commits to undertaking the Fellowship with a primary appointment (see section Limitations
  • Each Applicant may submit one application per funding round.
  • Cancer Council Victoria employees are eligible for inclusion as a Mentor providing the project will not be led by Cancer Council Victoria and Cancer Council Victoria is not the Administering Organisation.
  • With the exception of services provided by Victorian Cancer Registry and Victorian Cancer Biobank under their cost recovery models, no grant funding may be redistributed to Cancer Council Victoria by the Administering Organisation or intermediary.
  • Time commitment) in a research role at a Victorian Administering Organisation.
  • Has support from an Administering Organisation who agrees to be responsible for grant administration and covering any funding gaps and Head of Department of where the research work will take place.
  • Has not previously held or currently holds any funding that will duplicate the proposed research costs requested in this application.
  • Does not hold funding that provides salary support at any time during the Fellowship period for the Applicant (see note in Mid-Career Research Fellowships regarding Victoria Cancer Agency Early-Career Fellowships and Cancer Council Victoria Postdoctoral Research Fellowships).
  • Does not have an appointment to a full Professorial position (inc. Adjunct, Clinical, Conjoint, Honorary) or hold a full Professorial title at time of EOI close.
  • Projects that are not laboratory-based but are dependent on outsourcing of laboratory-based services for the conduct of the research proposal (e.g., bioinformatics, imaging or radiotherapy-based projects) should apply through the Biomedical Research Stream.
• Early-Career Fellowships:
  • Awarded a PhD or equivalent research doctorate less than five years at the EOI close date. Evidence of award date (e.g., a certified copy of notice of award) will be required at Stage 1. Career interruptions will be considered if applicants provide details of the interruption.
  • Has not held or does not hold a Victorian Cancer Agency Early-Career Fellowship, Victorian Cancer Agency Early Career Seed Grant or Cancer Council Victoria Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
  • Has not held or does not hold as Chief Investigator “A” or lead applicant any nationally competitive funding (e.g. NHMRC Fellowship, NHMRC Investigator Grant, NBCF PostDoctoral Fellowship, Leukemia Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship) of equal or greater value than this Fellowship (that is, $150,000 per annum or an equivalent pro rata of this award).
  • Must have a designated Supervisor and Mentor (who may be the same person) for the duration of the fellowship. The Supervisor must be based at the same organisation as the Fellow. A maximum of two Mentors may be identified.
• Mid-Career Fellowships:
  • Awarded a PhD or equivalent research doctorate at least five years but not more than fifteen years at the EOI close date. As of the date of EOI close, applicants will have held their research degrees for no more than fifteen years from the date of the letter advising that their thesis or equivalent was passed (including any career interruptions). Career interruptions will be considered if applicants provide details of the interruption.
  • Has not held or does not hold an NHMRC Investigator Grant (Emerging Leadership 1-2 or Leadership Levels 1-3)
  • Has not held or does not hold a fellowship or grant as CIA of equal or greater value than this Fellowship (that is, $175,00 per annum or an equivalent pro-rata of this award)
  • Has not held or does not hold a Victorian Cancer Agency Mid-Career Fellowship
  • Does not hold a Victorian Cancer Agency Early-Career Fellowship as of 31 March 2026 or a Cancer Council Victoria Postdoctoral Research Fellowship as of 1 February 2026 (note: this includes no-cost extensions)
  • Must have at least one Mentor for the duration of the Fellowship, noting that the Fellow does not need to be under direct supervision or line-management of the Mentor. A maximum of two Mentors may be identified.

For more information, visit Cancer Council Victoria.