2025 ASTRO-AstraZeneca SCLC Therapy Challenge
View the Challenge Program Announcement (PA) for detailed instructions.
Please visit the ASTRO Proposal Central Portal to submit your research proposal.
All entries are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 30, 2025.
Purpose
To advance collaborative research in the treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC), fostering leadership in radiation oncology through multimodality combination therapies, with a special focus on integrating immunotherapy and innovative radiation techniques.
Challenge Statement/Research Areas of Interest
How can treatment and outcomes for LS-SCLC be improved through the combination of immunotherapy (IO) and advanced radiation therapies?
Research proposals in the following topic areas are encouraged:
- Analyzing care patterns for multimodality concurrent chemo-radiation (cCRT) combined with IO
- Exploring optimal workflows for administering cCRT + IO in clinical settings
- Identifying prognostic biomarkers for predicting patient response to treatment
- Investigating disease relapse patterns and treatment efficacy (cCRT + IO vs. cCRT alone)
- Managing toxicities associated with combined treatments
- Pilot studies using novel radiation methods (e.g., SBRT, hypofractionation) alongside cCRT + IO
- Leveraging AI for SCLC detection and predicting complications like pneumonitis
- Evaluating the role of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in the era of combined therapies
Studies of interest may evaluate the following:
- Clinical outcomes (i.e., PFS, MFS, local control, etc.)
- Biomarker identification
- Safety/Adverse Events (AEs)
- Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs)
- Translational research such as exploratory biomarkers and mechanistic studies
Topic Areas Out-of-Scope Include:
- Research outside the U.S.
- Extensive-stage SCLC
- Studies involving other tumor sites
Geographic Scope
United States
Eligible Organizations
- Higher Education Institutions
- Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
- Community Cancer Centers
Budget
The target budget for each individual project grant is between U.S. $175,000 to $375,000 (total costs, which include both direct and indirect costs). However, individual projects requesting higher amounts will be considered based on scientific merit and funding availability. Overhead (indirect cost) rates of up to 28% of the total proposed project budget are allowed.
The amount of the AstraZeneca funds for any project will depend upon the expert review panel’s (ERP) evaluation of the proposal and costs involved and will be stated clearly in the approval notification.
Funding for the 2025 ASTRO-AstraZeneca SCLC Therapy Challenge is up to $750,000, across two to four projects.
Number of Grants
Two to four awards as selected by the expert review panel
Entry Due Date
April 30, 2025; 11:59 p.m. Eastern time
Grantor
AstraZeneca
Grant Agreement Requirements
If your entry is recommended by the ASTRO Challenge Judging Panel, your institution will be required to enter into a written grant agreement with AstraZeneca in order that support can be provided. View the core terms of the agreement (though note that this is not the complete contract template). AstraZeneca does not have the resources to negotiate grant agreements, so please ensure that your institution is able and willing to abide by these terms before proceeding with your application.
Program Contact
For questions about this PA or to request preliminary feedback on research alignment with the challenge goals, contact the ASTRO Department of Scientific Affairs.
