Sontag Foundation
/OVERVIEW: Sontag runs three awards programs to support promising cancer and arthritis research. It also invests in the development of promising technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of brain cancer.
IP TAKE: The Sontag Foundation giving is highly specific. Its Distinguished Scientist Award is a generous five-year award for the most promising researchers in the field of brain cancer. Other awards are administered by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Each progra accepts applications but eligibility, guidelines and due dates vary significantly. Overall, Sontag is an accessible source of support for early- and mid-career researchers in its fields of interest.
PROFILE: The Sontag Foundation is a family-based charity that was founded in 2002, after Rick Sontag and his wife, Susan (no relation to renowned writer and activist Susan Sontag), sold their profitable aviation parts business, Unison, to investors. In 1994, Susan was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given less than two years to live. Through care and determination, she lived for another 28 years.
The Sontag Foundation “is dedicated to advancing brain cancer research by investing in brilliant scientists who are committed to the pursuit of bold, innovative, and transformative ideas.” Its philanthropy consists of awards for cancer and arthritis research and investments in technology related to the diagnosis and treatment of brain cancers.
Grants for Diseases, Brain and Cell Research
The Sontag Foundation gives through four stated programs.
The Distinguished Scientist Award “ the scientific careers of young investigators pursing high-risk projects at a critical stage in their research.” Eligible applicants must hold “a doctoral degree in a discipline with applicability to brain cancer research” and a full-time faculty position at a university or research institute in the U.S. or Canada, although citizenship to the U.S. or Canada is not required. The award is geared toward researchers whose work shows exceptional promise in basic or applied research relating to brain cancer research. Awards are disbursed over a five-year period in amounts of $150,000 per year, for a a total award of $750,000.
This program accepts applications through the foundation’s online grant portal, which opens early in January each year. Applications are generally due in the middle of march, with awards announced in the fall. The foundation does not limit the number of Distinguished Scientist Awards each year and has awarded as many as six in a given year. Profiles of past awardees are available here.
The ASCO Conquer Cancer Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award supports “a promising investigator who has shown an interest in brain tumor research” as they transition “from a fellowship program to a faculty appointment.” Awarded in collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, this $50,000 award has gone to early-career scientists who hold M.D. and/or PhD. degrees. Applications are are accepted through ASCO. See past awardees here.
The ANRF Sontag Foundation Fellow Award is a collaboration between the foundation and the Arthritis National Research Foundation and is awarded annually to a single fellow working in the field of arthritis research. The Sontag Foundation endowed the award with a donation of $1 million, but the amount of the annual award is unclear. Pat awardees hold M.D. and/or PhD. degrees in relevant fields. Applications are accepted through the ANRF’s website.
The Sontag Foundation’s Innovation Fund makes “loans and equity investments” for technologies relating to the diagnosis and treatment of brain cancers. The program is willing to “take chances in pursuit of impact” but also seeks “overall return of principal so we can recycle capital and maximize our long-term effectiveness.” Support has gone to nonprofit and for-profit projects and enterprises. The foundation does not appear to accept applications for these investments.
Past recipients include Telo Therapeutics, ModifiBio and Kiyatec, which received support for its work using “3D cell culture technology that can be utilized for gliomas in clinical and preclinical settings.”
Important Grant Details:
The Sontag Foundation’s grants are awarded in amount set by each program.
Sontag accepts applications for its Distinguished Scientist Award, with due dates generally falling in March of each year.
Application for ASCO and ANRF awards are accepted by these collaborating organizations.
Sontag’s awards programs support researchers who hold M.D. and/or PhD. degrees in relevant disciplines and who hold faculty positions at leading research universities and institutes in the U.S. and Canada.
See individual program pages for examples of past awardees.
PEOPLE:
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