Apply for Support

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                    Funding Opportunities
              

        

  

          
            



  
	
If you are interested in applying for support from UICentre, but are not sure where to start, we are glad to start a discussion with you!


Please contact us at centre@uic.edu to set up a Zoom meeting regarding funding mechanisms or with any other questions.



  



  



    

    
      




  
  

  
    

                  

  

    

      

                    U2D2: University of Illinois Cancer Center-UICentre Drug Discovery Program
              

        

  

          
            



  
	
Currently Closed. The 2026 (FY27) U2D2 RFA will be issued in Fall 2026 with a deadline in early December 2026.


The U2D2 is a collaborative seed grant program funded by the University of Illinois Cancer Center (UICC) and managed by UICentre.


Eligibility: 1) Applicant PI must be a member of the UICC. 2) Applicant PI must not have received a previous U2D2 award (i.e., from the FY23-FY26 RFA rounds).


Awards up to $25K may be requested, and the detailed instructions can be found at the link below.



      
  



  



    

    
      




  
  

  
    

                  

  

    

      

                    “Launch Seed Grant” Program Request For Applications (RFA)
              

        

  

          
            



  
	
The 2026 (FY27) Round is now open; the due date is Friday, May 29, 2026. Open to all UIC Faculty. 


UICentre is the campus-wide drug discovery enterprise of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Our mission is to catalyze the formation of multidisciplinary teams of scientists and physicians, that collaborate to translate scientific discoveries and clinical observations into new therapies for areas of unmet medical need.


To form such multidisciplinary teams, UICentre offers seed funding through several mechanisms. The Launch Seed Grant mechanism is open to all UIC faculty and seeks to fund projects focused on finding new drug-like small molecules, which can comprise robust assay development, high throughput screening (HTS), and/or hit-to-lead medicinal chemistry projects. Proposed target validation studies using synthetic chemical probes are also considered receptive to this RFA.


Funding via this mechanism can range from $10K- $50K for one year. Successful applications will present not only compelling preliminary data, but also provide a credible plan towards a specific milestone, that if achieved would position the project to receive external funding. The detailed instructions can be found at the link below.



      
  



  



    

    
      




  
  

  
    

                  

  

    

      
        

  

          
            



    

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