National Decade Against Cancer: Guidelines for funding projects on the topic of "Gender-sensitive cancer research"

The aim of this funding guideline is to advance preclinical, clinical and socio-cultural knowledge in biomedical research, taking into account gender-sensitive aspects, and thus to open up an innovative field of research.

The funding guideline can be found under this link.

Funding is primarily provided for interdisciplinary collaborative research projects in medical oncology. Individual projects are possible in justified individual cases. Funding in a targeted manner for postdocs and clinician scientists is possible and appropriate.

Research alliances should consist of a maximum of four working groups that collaborate on an interdisciplinary basis at the interfaces of basic research and clinical research. Possible subject areas: Biology, clinical oncology, metabolic research, immunology, endocrinology, epidemiology, pharmacology, public health, social sciences.

A gender-sensitive approach to cancer includes preclinical and/or clinical research. Possible examples of this are

• Elucidation of gender-related tumor biology (for example, molecular mechanisms of gender-specific tumorigenesis, epigenetic influences, immune responses) in tumors that affect all genders;
• Analysis of the influence of sex and gender on treatment response, side effect profiles, participation in clinical trials, consideration of fertility preservation;
• Development of preclinical models that take gender-sensitive aspects into account;
• Investigation of the influence of sex and gender on prevention, diagnosis, utilization of screening examinations, dealing with cancer, outcome of cancer or quality of life;
• Investigating the influence of exogenous factors on the gender-sensitive prevention or treatment of cancer: such factors include toxins, medication, hormones, physical activity, sleep, nutrition and stress.

This is a one-stage procedure with a submission deadline of 30.06.2026.

The project management agency is offering an online information event on 02.06.2026 at 13:00, for which you can find the access data under this link .