Based on funding availability, a limited number of Merit Awards will be awarded to eligible trainees and students whose research is addressed in high-quality abstracts submitted to an ASCO Meeting and recognized for its scientific merit.

Merit Award recipients are honored with the opportunity to present their abstract at the Meeting, receive $1,000 in monetary support, complimentary registration for the Meeting, and access to reserved Meeting hotel reservation blocks. Merit Award candidates must apply for this award at the time of abstract submission.

For the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting Merit Awards, generous funding has been provided by donors who requested the following funding preferences and restrictions:

• acute ​leukemia, biology in head and neck cancer, breast cancer, developmental therapeutics, early drug development, endometrial cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, genitourinary cancer, geriatric oncology, glioblastoma multiforme, gynecologic cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer, medical education, melanoma, neuro-oncology, pancreatic cancer, pediatric oncology, prostate cancer, rare malignancies, rare renal cell carcinoma, real-world evidence/data, sarcoma, symptoms and survivorship 
• researcher holding a PharmD
• female researchers focusing on liver cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, renal cell carcinoma, or uterine cancers
• researchers from populations underrepresented in medicine (UIM)
• researchers from Florida, Maryland/Washington DC, and Northern California 
• researchers from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
• researchers focusing on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and or overall management of cancer in patients within the LGBTQ+ community

Abstracts in other types of oncology-related research are also highly encouraged.

Eligibility:

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for a Merit Award:

• Be the First Author on the abstract submission and agree to present the abstract if selected for presentation at the Meeting
• Be enrolled in a fellowship/residency/advanced degree training program or in a medical or doctoral degree program at the time of abstract submission
• Provide a letter from their training program director or faculty advisor confirming the candidate is enrolled in the training program at the time of submission
• Provide a curriculum vitae

Special Merit Awards

Special Merit Awards are presented each year to eligible First Authors who have the top-ranking abstracts for the ASCO Annual Meeting. In addition to the stipend, recipients receive a plaque and are recognized at the ASCO Annual Meeting.

Bradley Stuart Beller Endowed Merit Award ($2,000)

This award is given to the eligible First Author who has the highest-ranking abstract overall in the Merit Award category as determined by the Scientific Program Committee.

Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award ($1000)

This award is given to the eligible First Author who submitted the top abstract in Pediatric Oncology as determined by the Scientific Program Committee.

Pain and Symptom Management Special Merit Award ($1000)

This award is given to the eligible First Author who submitted the top abstract in Pain and Symptom Management Research as determined by the Scientific Program Committee.

Allen S. Lichter, MD Endowed Merit Award ($1000)

This award is given to the eligible First Author who has the second highest-ranking abstract in the Merit Award category as determined by the Scientific Program Committee.

James B. Nachman Endowed ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology ($3,000)

This award was established in memory of James B. Nachman, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and an internationally renowned pediatric cancer expert. It is endowed through the James B. Nachman Pediatric Oncology Fund and will be given each year to a junior faculty member who submits the highest-ranking abstract in pediatric oncology for the ASCO Annual Meeting as determined by the ASCO Scientific Program Committee. The recipient will receive $3,000 in monetary support to attend the Annual Meeting, complimentary registration for the Annual Meeting, and access to reserved Meeting housing. Candidates must apply for this award at the time of abstract submission.

The First Author must meet all of the following requirements to be considered for the James B. Nachman ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology:

• Hold a medical or doctoral degree (MD, PhD, DO, or DNP)
• Be within 7 years of their first faculty appointment at the time of abstract submission
• Conduct laboratory, population-based, or clinical research focused on childhood cancer
• Agree to present the abstract at the ASCO Annual Meeting
• In addition, the abstract must be selected for presentation in an Oral Abstract Session

Application Instructions

Consideration for a Merit Award is available on the abstract submitter for the ASCO Annual Meeting and other ASCO thematic meetings.

For Merit Award eligibility and application questions, please contact our Abstracts team.