Duke University Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

Funding Opportunities
Post-Doctoral Fellowships in the Biological Sciences

This page provides information on some fellowships for postdoctoral researchers in the biological sciences. To search for other postdoctoral funding, see the Duke Database for funding opportunities.

Deadlines refer to sponsor receipt deadlines. In most cases a portion of the application must be completed by the faculty sponsor, and the entire application must then be processed first by Esther DeMarco and then to ORA. Please allow 10 business days from the deadline stated below for these activities.
Other funding information is available from the Office of Research Administration.
Agencies may change their programs, requirements, deadlines, location, and other information at any time. Please verify information from agency web sites.

Program	Deadline	Program Synopsis
National Institutes of Health
New and Early Stage Investigators		Resources for new investigators, including postdoctoral researchers.
Extramural Training Mechanisms Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)	Standard Due Dates	The Kirschstein NRSA for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows provides support to promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in scientific health-related research fields relevant to the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Applicant fellows must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or permanent residents.
Fogarty International Center Research Training Grants	varies	A list of training programs at the Fogarty International Center. Some are open to postdoctoral investigators.
Pathway to Independence Award	Standard Due Dates	Provides up to 5 years of support consisting of two phases. The initial phase will provide 1-2 years of mentored support for postdoctoral research scientists. This phase will be followed by up to 3 years of independent support contingent on securing an independent tenure-track or equivalent research position.
National Science Foundation
Program	Deadline	Program Synopsis
Specialized Info for Postdoctoral Fellows NSF FastLane Postdoctoral Research Fellowships		Resources for postdoctoral researchers seeking funding from NSF.
International Research Fellowship Program	Second Tuesday in September	Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and have been awarded a Ph.D. within two years of the application deadline or expect to receive the doctoral degree by the start of the project. Support may be requested for residence abroad for nine to 24 months in any field of science and engineering research or education supported by NSF.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology	Second Tuesday in October	Fellowships support recent recipients of the doctoral degree for research and training in selected areas supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowships	July 1	The Division of Earth Sciences awards fellowships to highly qualified investigators within 3 years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research	October for fellowship Travel Grant Proposals -- Submission at least 3 months before the Fellowship deadline is encouraged	The program supports training and research for recent doctoral degree recipients in any aspect of scientific study of the Antarctic and/or the Arctic within the Office of Polar Program program areas. The program also provides travel grants to those eligible for fellowships. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Nonprofit Agencies
Program	Deadline	Program Synopsis
American Association of University Women Fellowships	American - Nov 15 International - Dec 1 Career Develop. - Dec 15	AAUW offers five grant programs for women including American Fellowships, Career Development Grants, and International Fellowships.
American Association for Cancer Research Predoctoral Research Funding	varies	The AACR offers an outstanding array of support mechanisms for cancer researchers at various stages in their careers, from fellowships to career development awards to grants for independent investigators.
American Brain Tumor Association ABTA Basic Research Fellowships	January	Two-year training awards support the salaries of young researchers entering the field of brain tumor research.
American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowships	April 1, October 15	Supports postdoctoral training in cancer research, including basic, preclinical, clinical, cancer control, psychosocial, behavioral, epidemiology, health services and health policy research. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or permanent residents.
American Diabetes Association Postdoctoral Fellowships	January 15 for most postdoctoral programs	Multiple award mechanisms available for postdoctoral research, including fellowships. Applicant generally must be U.S. citizen or have (or have applied for) permanent resident status.
American Federation for Aging Research Grant Programs	December	AFAR offers several grant programs that support postdoctoral research in aging.
American Heart Association MidAtlantic Affiliate Postdoctoral Fellowship	January	Supports research related to cardiovascular function and disease and stroke, or to related basic science, clinical, bioengineering or biotechnology, and public health problems. Applicant must have less than six years of postdoctoral experience and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or have a specified visa type.
American Institute for Cancer Research Grant Application	January for letter of intent	Supports research on cancer prevention and cancer treatment. Applicants must have a Ph.D., or equivalent degree, or M.D. degree that was awarded no more than four years prior to the date of application. Applicants working at an institution in the U.S. must be a U.S. citizen, or foreign national with either permanent residence status or a visa that is valid for the duration of the grant award.
American Lung Association Grant Offerings	October	Senior Research Training Fellowships offer postdoctoral support for M.D.s and/or Ph.D.s. Research areas of particular interest are: adult pulmonary medicine, pediatric pulmonary medicine and lung biology. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals holding a specified visa type.
American Physiological Society Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics Travel Awards	January	Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics recognizes that many advances in genomics ultimately require a functional understanding in the context of the organism, and special training is needed to conduct this type of research.
American Society for Microbiology ASM/CDC Postdoctoral Program in Infectious Disease and Public Health Microbiology Career Development Grant for Women	January	The ASM/CDC Fellowship supports postdocs for up to two years to perform research in residence headquartered at a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention location.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association Milton Safenowitz Post-Doctoral Fellowship for ALS Research	January	The investigator-initiated grant program is now offering an annual postdoctoral fellowship award. The maximum amount awarded is $35,000-$40,000 annually for 2 years.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Grant Programs	varies	BWF makes grants within six focus areas: Biomedical Sciences, Infectious Disease, Interfaces in Science, Population and Laboratory Based Sciences, Reproductive Sciences, Science Education.
Cancer Research Institute Irvington Institute Fellowship Program of the Cancer Research Institute	April 1, October 1	Supports qualified young scientists at leading universities and research centers around the world who wish to receive training in cancer immunology or general immunology.
Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship	February 1	Supports full time postdoctoral studies in the medical and related sciences bearing on cancer. Applicants should not have more than one year of postdoctoral experience.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowships	First Wednesday in September	These awards are offered to MDs, PhDs and MD/PhDs interested in conducting basic or clinical research related to CF. U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status is required.
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Fellowship Award	August 15, March 15	The Foundation encourages all theoretical and experimental research relevant to the study of cancer and the search for cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies and prevention. Candidates who have already accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible.
Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Postdoctoral Program in Environmental Chemistry	August	Provides an award to a principal investigator of $120,000 over two years to appoint a Postdoctoral Fellow in environmental chemistry.
Dystonia Foundation Fellowships	December	A two-year fellowship of $50,000 per year is designed to assist post-doctoral fellows establish careers in research relevant to dystonia.
Earth Institute, Columbia University Fellows Program	December	Provides the opportunity to build a foundation in one of the core disciplines represented within the Earth Institute (social sciences, earth sciences, biological sciences, engineering sciences and health sciences), while acquiring the cross-disciplinary expertise and breadth needed to address critical issues related to sustainable development and reducing environmental degradation, poverty, hunger and disease.
Epilepsy Foundation of America Grant and Fellowship Opportunities	varies	Offers several postdoctoral fellowships: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Behavioral Sciences Post-Doctoral Fellowship, and Research and Training Fellowship for Clinicians.
Fondation Fyssen Postdoctoral Study Grants	March 31	Supports postdoctoral researchers under 35 years of age working in ethology, paleontology, archaeology, anthropology, psychology, epistemology, logic and the neurosciences. The award funds work at a French laboratory.
FRAXA Research Foundation Grants and Postdoctoral Fellowships	February 1	FRAXA's grants and fellowships program aims to encourage research aimed at finding a specific treatment for fragile X syndrome.
Grass Foundation Grass Fellowship	December	Provides an opportunity for neuroscientists during late stages of predoctoral training or during postdoctoral years to conduct independent research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA each summer. Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and J-1 visa holders.
National Hemophilia Foundation Research Grants Program	December for letter of intent	The Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowship supports basic science and pre-clinical research in bleeding disorders.
Human Frontier Science Program Research Grants and Fellowships	August for initializing application	The aim of the HFSP is to support basic research focused on complex mechanisms of living organisms; fields supported range from molecular and cellular approaches to biological functions to systems and cognitive neuroscience. Long-Term Fellowships and Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships support postdoctoral research training in a laboratory in another country.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International Information for Applicants	July, January	JDRF supports researchers interested in solving the clinical and scientific problems associated with type 1 diabetes. Funding opportunities include postdoctoral and advanced postdoctoral fellowships.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Funding Opportunities	September for preapplication	Postdoctoral fellowships support breast cancer research with four categories of grants: basic research, translational research, clinical research, and disparities research.
Lalor Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships	January 15	Fellowships support basic research in mammalian reproductive biology as related to the regulation of fertility. Potential fellows should not have held the doctoral degree more than two years.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Career Development Program	September 15 for letter of intent	Funding supports research on leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. Program categories include Fellows (less than two years postdoctoral experience) and Special Fellows (two or more years postdoctoral experience).
Life Sciences Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Program	October 1	LSRF awards three-year fellowships across the spectrum of the life sciences: biochemistry; cell, developmental, molecular, plant, structural, organismic population and evolutionary biology; endocrinology; immunology; microbiology; neurobiology; physiology; virology. There can be no more than one LSRF fellow in any one laboratory at a time.
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Research Fellowships	October 1	This travel award will be given to to fellows who wish to present their MG related research.
National Academies Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships	November	Seeks to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Only U.S. citizens or nationals are eligible to apply.
National Kidney Foundation Research Grants	March	The purpose of the Research Fellowships is to foster training of young and new investigators with the potential of making contributions to the understanding and cure of kidney diseases, to foster kidney-related research that is of high merit, and to encourage who want to make a career change into academic nephrology.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society Funding	August	Training grants and fellowships include Postdoctoral Fellowships that support training in studies related to MS. The Society supports fundamental as well as applied studies, non-clinical or clinical in nature, including projects in patient management, care and rehabilitation.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Research Foundation	September 1	Grants offered include fellowships for postdoctoral scientists, clinicians and engineers to encourage training and specialization in the field of spinal cord research. Postdoctoral individuals are eligible to apply within four years of receiving a Ph.D. or completing M.D. residency.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation	September 1 for Informatics and Pharmacology/Toxicology October 1 for Health Outcomes and Pharmaceutics	Grants support research and education related to drug discovery. Offers Postdoctoral Fellowships in four areas: Health Outcomes, Informatics, Pharmaceutics, and Pharmacology/Toxicology.
RAND Corporation Postdoctoral Training Program in the Study of Aging	February	Supports junior scholars in demographic and aging research. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Research Application and Guidelines	December 15	The foundation is committed to the goal of developing treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. Postdoctoral fellowships of up to $60,000 per year for up to two years are available.
Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, UCOP Call for Applications	January	TRDRP supports research on the prevention, causes, and treatment of tobacco-related disease and the reduction of the human and economic costs of tobacco use in California. Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards are for individuals to obtain research training under a designated mentor.
Tourette Syndrome Association Research and Training Grants	October 1 for preproposal	Funds research that has the potential to contribute to the understanding of Tourette Syndrome, including animal models, behavioral neurosciences, clinical trials, neurochemistry, neuroimaging, neuropathology, neurophysiology, epidemiology, genetics, molecular biology and pharmacology. Postdoctoral fellowships provide up to $40,000 for one year.
United Negro College Fund UNCF/Merck Postdoctoral Science Research Fellowship	December 15	Fellowships are intended to provide support to African American post-graduates to obtain postdoctoral training or continue to conduct postdoctoral, pre-professional research projects. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Research Fellowships	July	Supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences. Fellowships may be awarded to U.S. citizens planning to work in laboratories either in the U.S., Canada, or abroad and also to foreign citizens for research in laboratories in the U.S. only. Will not support more than two fellows per laboratory at one time.