External Deadline: November 13, 2025
Internal Deadline: November 13, 2025
Nominations close on November 13, 2025
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), The Rockefeller University (RU) and Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) are now accepting nominations for the 2026 Tri-Institutional Breakout Prizes for Junior Investigators. These prizes were established by Drs. Lewis Cantley while at Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornelia Bargmann of The Rockefeller University, and Charles Sawyers of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Each of these faculty were recipients of the 2013 Breakthrough Prize for Life Sciences and contributed a portion of their award to establish this annual prize for exceptional postdoctoral trainees.
The Tri-Institutional Breakout Prizes for Junior Investigators will be given to at least three outstanding postdoctoral researchers every year, with each recipient receiving $25,000. At least one candidate from each of the three founding institutions will receive a prize.
Questions:
For inquiries, please contact Florencia Marcucci at flm4001@med.cornell.edu
Eligibility
- Currently hold a postdoctoral-rank position (postdoctoral associate or research associate) and remain in that position up until May 31, 2026, at Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Be <7 years from their terminal degree, PhD or MD, conferral on the application deadline*
- Be nominated for the prize by his/her postdoctoral advisor
- Have made significant research contributions
Please consult the Frequently Asked Questions below for additional information regarding eligibility.
*Extensions beyond the 7-year training maximum may be considered to accommodate family care responsibilities such as the birth or adoption of a child. Please contact your institutional award coordinator below to discuss eligibility.
Application Requirements
Nomination Procedure
One postdoctoral candidate may be nominated by each lab head at MSK, RU, and WCM.
The deadline for applications is November 13, 2025.
Nominations must include:
- A current CV or NIH Biosketch (Limit 4 pages)
- A 2-page summary of research accomplishments. This summary should include a brief introduction, a succinct description of research accomplishments, and a concluding statement about the significance and impact of the work. Up to two additional pages of figures and references may be included but are not necessary.
- A letter of support from the postdoctoral advisor (submitted directly to the award coordinator by using this link)
- Two additional letters of recommendation from individuals who are personally familiar with the nominee and knowledgeable about the nominee’s contributions to their field of research (submitted directly to the award coordinator by using this link)
- Up to 3 PDFs of the applicant’s top papers
Letter writers must submit the letters of support or the two letters of recommendation directly to this link by November 13, 2025. Nominations without 3 letters are considered incomplete.
How to Apply:
Click here to submit your application
Deadline:
Complete applications, including letters of support and recommendation, are due on November 13, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
Questions:
For inquiries, please contact Florencia Marcucci at flm4001@med.cornell.edu
Past Recipients
Frequently Asked Questions
I am an Instructor; would I be eligible for the Breakout Prize?
Instructors are not eligible to apply for the Breakout Prize.
Are NYP residents and fellows working as postdocs in WCM labs eligible for the Breakout Prize?
NYP residents and fellows seeking to apply for the Breakout Prize must contact Florencia Marcucci at flm4001@med.cornell.edu.
Are postdocs at the Weill Cornell affiliated Burke Neurological Institute eligible if their mentors are appointed through a department at WCM?
The Breakout Prize is a Tri-I award open to full-time WCM postdocs only.
Who should author the research summary, the PI or the candidate?
The research summary should be written by the candidate.
Can the PhD advisor provide one of the two letters of recommendation?
Yes. The letters of recommendation should be authored by individuals (i.e. previous advisors, mentors or collaborators) who can speak highly and in detail about the research, accomplishments, and trajectory of the candidate.
Can papers published during the PhD period be included?
Papers published during the PhD are accepted. Ideally, the applicant has at least 1 publication as a first author from the postdoctoral time.
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