Eligibility

Individuals with an M.D., Ph.D. or equivalent degree are eligible to be invited to submit an application. Applicants must be affiliated with an accredited academic center or research institute (domestic or foreign). Individuals must have demonstrated experience in CLL research as well as an adequate research environment. An application may have collaborators from multiple institutions. In any given funding cycle, an individual may be the principal investigator on only one application.

2026 Research Priorities

As part of our ongoing commitment to advancing the treatment and understanding of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we invite researchers to align their applications with the following research priorities:

1. BTK and BCL-2 Inhibitor Refractory Disease
   Investigate mechanisms of resistance and develop novel strategies to treat BTK and/or BCL-2 inhibitor–refractory CLL, including rational combinations and sequencing approaches.
2. Immune Dysfunction and Restoration
   Examine the causes of immune dysregulation in CLL and develop approaches to restore immune function, reduce infection risk, and improve response to vaccines and immunotherapies.
3. Novel Therapeutic Targets and Approaches
   Identify and validate new molecular targets and innovative therapeutic strategies for CLL, including agents with new mechanisms of action and biomarker-driven approaches to patient selection.
4. High-Risk and Genomically Complex Disease
   Develop and translate strategies that address early relapse and poor durability in TP53-Disrupted and genomically complex CLL, including TP53-independent therapies and rational combinations.

Please ensure your submission clearly addresses one or more of these priorities. Proposals that demonstrate high potential for clinical impact and innovation are strongly encouraged.

Review Process

Letters of Intent will be reviewed by independent reviewers and the CLL Global Scientific Advisory Board who will make recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will make the final selection of applications to be invited to submit a full proposal. Applications will be evaluated on their relevance to the defined research priorities, strength of the scientific rationale, and likelihood to lead to advances in treatment, diagnosis, or monitoring of CLL in the near-term. Applicants will be notified via email as to whether they have been selected to submit a full application.

Completing the LOI

The following information is required to complete the application form:

1. General information including the project title, name of the Principal Investigator (PI), recipient institution address, and PI contact information. 
2. Selection of the primary research priority that the proposal addresses. Only one priority may be selected.
3. The amount of funding requested up to $150,000.
4. Status of IRB or IACUC approval as appropriate.
5. PI biographical sketch using the standard NIH format.
6. A scientific abstract (up to 1500 words) that describes the working hypothesis, scientific rationale, experimental design, and expected outcomes. One figure, image, or data table may be included.

Considerations

• Awards are for a period of 12 months with a budget of up to $150,000. This amount is inclusive of up to 5% that may be used for institutional overhead.
• Funds may not be used for secretarial or office expenses.
• Co-investigators are permitted.
• Reviewers’ comments are considered confidential.