The Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology (CSSO) is proud to support innovation and excellence in cancer care through its annual research funding opportunities. The CSSO Operating Grant and the BCC-CSSO Career Development Research Award in Breast Surgical Oncology are designed to advance high-impact research, foster emerging talent, and strengthen the future of surgical oncology in Canada. Together, these awards reflect CSSO’s commitment to improving patient outcomes by investing in the next generation of clinician-scientists and groundbreaking discoveries.
We invite you to read more about these research honours below and to learn about past recipients and their impactful work.
Want to support surgical oncology research in canada?
Individuals and organizations can further support progress in surgical oncology by contributing to the Surgical Oncology Research Fund, administered by the Canadian General Surgery Foundation. Donations to this fund directly enable critical research initiatives, helping to drive innovation, expand treatment options, and improve care for patients across Canada.
CSSO Operating Grant
The Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology is pleased to announce the establishment of the CSSO Research Fund. This fund is specifically designed to support innovative research by new and emerging surgical oncology researchers, to increase their ability to secure competitive external funding.
One grant valued at $20,000 will be provided per year to a member of the CSSO. Grant proposals covering all aspects of surgical oncology are eligible, including translational research, health services research, quality improvement, clinical trials, clinical epidemiology, surgical education, technology and innovation. Selection will take place through an internal review process, with an objective to provide constructive feedback that can be used to improve future grant applications.
Details concerning eligibility criteria and selection process can be found in the reference document available below. For additional details, please contact info@csso.surgery.
The on-line application form is also available below. The deadline for applications is January 30, 2026.
NOTE: For the purposes of assessing early-career investigator eligibility (defined as within five years of first independent appointment), applicants who held early-career status between March 1, 2020 and September 15, 2022, have their eligibility window extended by 24 months to account for disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This adjustment is intended to ensure equitable assessment of eligibility in light of pandemic-related impacts on early career development and research.
The Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology (CSSO) Research Grant was made possible through the generous donations of grateful patients, the medical community, and others. This grant is managed and administered by the Canadian General Surgery Foundation. For over 40 years, the Foundation has prioritized research, education, and advocacy to ensure that general surgeons in Canada can continue to undertake impactful activities that has optimal patient care at its core.
To learn more about the work of the Foundation, or to donate the CSSO Research Grant, visit: generalsurgeryfoundation.ca.
Grant Recipients
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Sentinel lympH node biopsy with INdocyaninE green in breast cancer (SHINE): A prospective clinical trial (pdf)
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Molecular profiling and characterization of the tumour-immune microenvironment in invasive lobular breast carcinoma (pdf)
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Identification of gaps and priorities in surgical NETs care - A CUTNETs group initiative (pdf)
BCC-CSSO Career Development Research Award
in Breast Surgical Oncology
Breast Cancer Canada and the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology created an innovative grant to encourage training Surgical Oncologist clinician researchers to retain or return to practice in Canada via a Canadian academic institution. The Career Development Research Award in Breast Surgical Oncology provides a matched salary subsidy and seed funding for a two-year research period that coincides with starting a position at a Canadian academic institution.
The award is presented to one recipient annually for five years beginning in 2026 to support five future clinician researchers. The funding of up to $200,000 per recipient is comprised of a one-time salary stipend of $50,000 and research seed funding of $150,000 ($75,000 disbursed annually for two years). At the end of the program, Canada will have benefitted from five highly trained surgical oncologists to care for Canadians and their insightful research.
The award encourages partnership and co-investment by host academic institutions and creates opportunities for Canadians working within or abroad to return to practice in Canada. The award aims to ensure continuity of excellence in Canadian breast surgical oncology expertise, maintain Canada’s competitive edge in breast cancer research excellence and build capacity by investing in the next generation of breast surgical oncology leaders.
Funding for this award is provided by Breast Cancer Canada (BCC) through public donations, with the specific purpose of advancing scientific knowledge in breast cancer and supporting knowledge transfer through publications and scientific communications. The Canadian General Surgery Foundation oversees the management and administration of the award.
Applications open January 1, 2026. The application deadline is March 15, 2026.
Due to an unexpected technical issue the submission portal closed early, so the deadline has been extended. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Application Form
Award Recipients
2026 - Dr. Matthew Castelo
Dr. Castelo, general surgeon and breast surgical oncology fellow at the University of Toronto, has been selected for his innovative project, PROTECT, which intends to use Ontario’s linked health administrative data to examine variation in breast cancer surgical care across surgeons, institutions, and regions.
His research will address three key areas: de-escalation of axillary surgery, access to autologous breast reconstruction and the plastic surgery workforce, and patterns of adjuvant endocrine therapy prescribing by surgeons versus medical oncologists. By identifying unwarranted variation, his work aims to improve equity, access, and adherence to evolving evidence-based standards in breast cancer care.
