Below the Belt Research Fund

Since 2015, ANZUP’s Below the Belt Research Fund has raised over $2 million for urogenital cancer research and we are very proud of these efforts so far.

The Below the Belt Research Fund was established to support our members in the development of investigator-initiated studies. Proceeds from Below the Belt events and campaigns plus the generous donations or fundraising from our supporting community groups and consumers goes directly towards clinical trial research via this fund. It provides much needed seed funding to support ANZUP members to progress new trial ideas to the point of becoming full scale studies.

All of the major milestones in diagnosing, treating and caring for Below the Belt cancer patients worldwide have been due to the dedicated work on clinical trials. We still have a long way to go in terms of addressing obstacles, getting adequate funding and being able to provide sufficient treatment and supportive care to every patient.

Our Below the Belt Research Fund has majorly aided our clinicians with developing an idea and proceeding promising concepts into action. To date, seed funding has been awarded to 40 ANZUP members to support the gathering of crucial evidence that is necessary to develop full scale clinical research studies.

This grant is awarded at our Conference Dinner during the Annual Scientific Meeting and can see up to $50,000 presented to successful applicants.

The 2025 recipients of the Below the Belt Research Fund grants as below:

  • Andrew Redfern and Julien Van Damme – Validating tumour and stromal immune features that correlate with optimal benefit from BCG and Mitomycin: a translational study of patients in the BCG+MM Trial

  • Carole Harris – GUT biome and bladder cancer: a pilot study 

  • Harriet Herbison and Edmond Kwan – SPOTLIGHT: Serial Profiling of Oncogenic biomarkers through Treatment in Liquid biopsy for InvestiGating Heterogeneity and Treatment response in metastatic prostate cancer

  • Mitchell Lawrence – Using a living biobank to prioritise new treatments for penile cancer

Read more about the work they will be undertaking, as well as past successful applicants here.

, ANZUP
The 2025 recipients of the Below the Belt Research Fund grants.

Submitting An Application - What You Need To Know

Key Dates for the 2026 Below the Belt Grant Round

Grant round opens: Monday 16 March 2026
Grant round closes: Monday 13 April 2026 (5.00pm AEDT)
Applicants notified: Week commencing 1 June 2026
Award presented at ASM: 28–30 June 2026

Click here to download the application form.

  • Pilot studies (including generating data to support a larger research project)
  • Translational research that may lead to an ANZUP project or form part of an existing project
  • Innovative sub-studies e.g. psycho-oncology or nursing projects
  • Seed funding to start a high priority ANZUP study that has a high likelihood of receiving ongoing funding from another source.
  • Be an ANZUP member with a minimum of 12 months membership and an active contributor to ANZUP activities
  • Acknowledge ANZUP’s contributions towards ongoing development and any associated outputs of the funded research
  • Acknowledge ANZUP and the Below the Belt Research Fund in any publications or presentations as a result of the Below the Belt Research Fund
  • Attend relevant subcommittee meetings to provide updates on the project and present a final report at an Annual Scientific Meeting
  • Provide a formal written report at the completion of the project to the ANZUP SAC
  • Provide a summary report for use in ANZUP publications
  • As this research fund is supported by philanthropic funds, the successful recipients must ensure that any on-costs are not taken out of this grant.

To be updated at round opening.

Please find the Funding Agreement template here Toggle Content