The Medical Research Program seeks to advance the frontiers of the life sciences by supporting basic research that is high-risk and has the potential to transform its field. Successful projects are distinctive and novel in their approach to problems, push the edge of their field or question the prevailing paradigm. Past grants have been awarded to major research universities, medical schools and independent research institutions to support pioneering biological research, including the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation or methodologies. Historically, grants range from $500,000 to $5 million and are typically $2 million or less. In 2013, research grants will continue to be capped at $1 million.

Program Priorities

Funding is awarded to universities and institutions nationwide for projects in biomedical research that:

• Focus on important and emerging areas of research
• Have the potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation or methodologies
• Are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary
• Demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches, or by challenging the prevailing paradigm
• Have the potential for transformative impact, such as the founding of a new field of research, the enabling of observations not previously possible, or the altered perception of a previously intractable problem
• Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies
• Demonstrate that private philanthropy generally, and the W. M. Keck Foundation in particular, is essential to the project’s success