Prostate Cancer Foundation Awards $6.3M to Young Investigators, Launches Awareness Campaigns
PCF invests $6.3M in 31 Young Investigator Awards, supports Creativity Awards, and hosts Home Run Challenge 2026 to raise awareness. The foundation has contributed to 15 FDA-approved therapies over its 30-year history.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation announced $6.3 million in funding for 31 early-career researchers through its 2025 Young Investigator Awards program. The investment supports the next generation of prostate cancer researchers advancing precision medicine and life-extending treatments.
The awards, announced February 17, 2026, received 151 applications from researchers in 14 countries, evaluated by a panel of over 185 experts. Past awardees have contributed to breakthroughs including the first genomic sequencing and precision oncology platform for prostate cancer, the first FDA-approved PSMA PET imaging agents, and a robust program to advance genetic testing for inherited prostate cancer risk genes. This year’s class includes the first-ever PCF Young Investigator working in France.
PCF also offers Creativity Awards providing two-year grants of $300,000 for exceptionally novel projects with great potential to produce breakthroughs. In the past, more than 70 percent of these awards converted into stand-alone research programs with multi-year funding.
On the awareness front, PCF’s 2026 Home Run Challenge concluded Father’s Day, featuring 502 home runs by Major League Baseball players at ballparks across 10 cities to highlight the disease that affects 1 in 8 men. PCF Founder Mike Milken and CEO Gina Carithers delivered a message urging men to know their risk, get screened, and detect prostate cancer early.
PCF has also partnered with the BIG3 professional 3‑on‑3 basketball league for the “Check the Box! Saving Lives Together” campaign to promote PSA testing. The first activation took place June 20 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, with the next stop July 12 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
Founded in 1993, PCF has invested over $1 billion in research worldwide, supporting more than 2,615 research projects at 312 leading cancer centers across 29 countries. These efforts have contributed to 15 FDA‑approved therapies and improved outcomes for patients globally.