Fellowship Resource Guide & Funding Updates

UNCF supports young African American postdoctoral researchers through the Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship. The fellowship provides up to $85,000, which includes a stipend of up to $70,000 and a research grant of up to $15,000 for the hosting department. Fellows will be mentored by Merck scientists.

Deadlines:

• August 8, 2008
• December 8, 2008
• April 8, 2009

NIH institutes, including the National Cancer Institute, fund individual postdoctoral fellowships through the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) grants. These grants provide support to promising postdoctoral fellows who have the potential to become independent research investigators.

The National Hemophilia Foundation provides support for aspiring postdoctoral researchers under the Dr. Judith Graham Pool Research Fellowship. Research topics include clinical or basic research on the genetic, hematologic, biochemical, orthopedic, psychiatric or dental aspects of the hemophilias or von Willebrand disease. The award amount is $42,000 per year for up to two years.

ACS supports the training of researchers who have just received their doctorate through grants that enable postdoctoral fellows to gain the research experience needed for an independent career in cancer research (including basic, preclinical, clinical, psychosocial, behavioral, and epidemiologic research related to cancer). Awards are made for periods of one to three years, with progressive stipends of $40,000, $42,000, and $44,000 per year, plus a $4,000 annual institutional allowance.

The PhRMA Foundation Post Doctoral program provides stipend support for young researchers to help develop their careers in health outcomes research. A $40,000 annual stipend is made to the institution on behalf of the fellow. A second year of funding is available and is reliant on a satisfactory progress report.

The Irvington Institute Fellowship Program of the Cancer Research Institute supports qualified young scientists at leading universities and research centers around the world who wish to receive training in cancer immunology or general immunology. The three-year grant provides $126,000 for salary support and $4,500 for institutional allowance/costs.

Letter of Intent Due: September 15, 2008

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers promising postdoctoral investigators with a three-year ($55,000 per year) award for research in, or related to lymphoma or myeloma. Annual renewals are based on a non-competitive progress report review.

The Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation support ambitious young investigators pursuing a career in cancer prevention. Total grant award is $80,000; $40,000 per year for a total of two years. Proposals will be considered for basic, clinical, translational, and population-based research projects.

LSRF awards fellowships for postdoctoral researchers throughout the field of life sciences, including biochemistry; cell, developmental, molecular, plant, structural, organismic population, and evolutionary biology; endocrinology; immunology; microbiology; neurobiology; physiology; and virology. The award is $51,000 per year, of which LSRF keeps $1,000 for administrative expenses. The salary scale begins at $40,000 for a first-year postdoctoral fellow, $42,500 for a second year, and $45,000 thereafter. The remaining funds can be used to support a fellow's research expenses.

The Pasteur Foundation, located in Paris, France, offers a three-year, $70,000 per year postdoctoral fellowship to young researchers. Fields of study include: cell biology and infection; developmental biology; genomes and genetics; immunology; infection and epidemiology; microbiology; neuroscience; parasitology and mycology; structural biology and chemistry; and virology.

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation fellowships support postdoctoral scientists as they embark on their research careers; the foundation encourages all theoretical and experimental research relevant to the study of cancer and the search for cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies, and prevention. Awards are made to institutions for the support of the fellow, who will work under the direct supervision of a sponsor. The three-year fellowship provides $140,000 for basic scientists and $174,000 for physician-scientists.

The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation provides a three-year fellowship for young postdoctoral researchers. The foundation's goal is to increase the number of well-trained, imaginative, and dedicated medical scientists. The expense allowance is $43,000 for the first year, $44,000 for the second year, and $45,000 for the third year. Additionally, a research allowance of $2,500 will be paid annually.

Deadlines

• June 15, 2008
• October 15, 2008

The HDF provides support through the John J. Wasmuth Postdoctoral Fellowship for research projects related to the understanding of the basic defect of Huntington's disease. Awards are restricted to research that is highly relevant to curing Huntington's disease. Grants amounts are dependent on years since receipt of doctoral degree and range from $40,500 to $56,000 plus $8,000 for supplies. Funded fellowships are eligible for funding for a second year depending upon a satisfactory progress report.

Deadlines for Revised Applications:

• March 12, 2008
• July 12, 2008
• November 12, 2008

New Applications:

• June 12, 2008
• October 12, 2008

The NIH Pathway to Independence Award provides up to five years of support for highly promising postdoctoral research scientists. Consisting of two phases, the award in its initial phase provides one to two years of mentored support followed by up to three years of independent support contingent on the candidate securing an independent research position.

The ASH Fellow Scholar Award is a two-year grant that supports hematologists (basic or clinical research scientists) with $50,000 annually.

• Deadline for Letter of Intent: May 2, 2008
• Deadline for Invited Applications: August 28, 2008

The International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program provides financial support for the postdoctoral research of promising young scientists who pursue research and advanced training in collaboration with mentors at major cancer centers in the United States and Italy.

The Era of Hope Postdoctoral Awards support exceptionally talented recent doctoral graduates who possess both the ambition and the ability to pursue highly innovative breast cancer research during their postdoctoral training. Proposed research projects should challenge current scientific dogma. The award provides $90,000 in annual support for up to three years.

The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program seeks to increase the number of medical faculty from historically disadvantaged backgrounds; four-year postdoctoral research awards are offered to physicians who are committed to developing careers in academic medicine. The program defines the term "historically disadvantaged" as the challenges facing individuals because of their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or other factors. Awards provide a $75,000 annual stipend and $30,000 annually for research support.

Young Investigator grants, which provide $50,000 per year for two years, support career development in the field of cancer survivorship research.

The Ladies Auxiliary VFW supports postdoctoral research directed at making new discoveries related to cancer. The $50,000 annual award provides salary/stipend support.

MMRF provides funding to researchers with less than five years' postgraduate experience and who are working under the supervision of a research sponsor. Proposals may request up to $75,000 for one year. The goal of this initiative is to help support young investigators studying in the field of multiple myeloma while advancing the understanding of myeloma disease biology, treatment, and drug resistance.