Postdoctoral 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 Pivot funding opportunities database (accessible from berkeley.edu computers).

  • 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 the administering unit and then by SPO. Please allow time for these activities.
  • Other funding information is available from the Graduate Fellowships Office.
  • Agencies may change their programs, requirements, deadlines, location, and other information at any time. Please verify information from agency websites.

Federal Agencies

National Institutes of Health

ProgramDeadlineProgram Synopsis
Early Stage Investigator Policies, Next Generation Researchers InitiativeResources for new investigators, including postdoctoral researchers.
NIH Research Training and Career Development ProgramsThe Postdoctoral Training/​Clinical Residency section provides a list of NIH Programs for Postdoctoral Researchers and Clinical Residents.
Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service AwardStandard Due DatesThe purpose is to enhance the research training of promising postdoctoral candidates who have the potential to become productive, independent investigators in scientific health-related research fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. By the time of award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
Pathway to Independence AwardStandard Due DatesThis program is designed to facilitate a timely transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers or clinician-scientists from mentored research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions, and to provide independent NIH research support during the transition.
Fogarty International Center Research Training GrantsvariesFogarty International Center programs provide funding to perform research and to train researcher in a variety of global health topics. Some are open to postdoctoral investigators.

National Science Foundation

ProgramDeadlineProgram Synopsis
NSF Funding Search: Postdoctoral Fellows
Postdoctoral opportunities offered by NSF.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in BiologyDecemberFellowships support recent recipients of the doctoral degree for research and training in selected areas supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences. Applicants must be be a U.S. citizen (or national) or a U.S. permanent resident.
EAR Postdoctoral FellowshipsNovemberThe Division of Earth Sciences awards postdoctoral fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education.. Applicants must be U.S. citizens (or nationals) or legally admitted permanent residents of the U.S. at the time of application.
SBE Postdoctoral Research FellowshipsNovemberThe Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences offers Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in two tracks: Fundamental Research in the SBE Sciences, and Broadening Participation in the SBE Sciences. Applicants be a U.S. citizen, national, or legally admitted permanent resident alien.

Nonfederal Sponsors

ProgramDeadlineProgram Synopsis
American Association for Cancer Research, Current Funding OpportuntiesvariesAACR offers multiple programs for postdoctoral fellows in various cancer research fields.
American Association of University Women, Fellowships and GrantsvariesAAUW offers grant programs for women, including American and International Fellowships.
American Brain Tumor Association, Basic Research FellowshipNovember for letter of intentGrants are two-year, $100,000 grants supporting postdoctoral fellows conducting brain tumor research.
American Cancer Society, Postdoctoral FellowshipsApril 1, October 15Supports postdoctoral training in cancer research, including basic, preclinical, clinical, cancer control, psychosocial, behavioral, epidemiology, health services and health policy research.
American Diabetes Association, Postdoctoral FellowshipsvariesApplicants must be authorized to work in the United States or U.S. possessions.
American Epilepsy Society, Postdoctoral Research FellowshipsOctober for letter of intentFellowships support postdoctoral trainees conducting research into the causes, treatment, and consequences of epilepsy under the guidance of a mentor with expertise in epilepsy research.
American Federation for Aging Research, Funding OpportunitiesvariesAFAR offers several grant programs that support postdoctoral research in aging.
American Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research, Fellowship Grant for Alternatives to Animal Research in Human Health or Sex DifferencesOctober 1Offers a $40,000, one-year postdoctoral fellowship grant (with possible renewal) to a woman interested in developing, validating, or using alternatives to animal methods in the investigation of human health or sex differences.
American Lung Association, Awards and Grants OpportunitiesDecemberSenior Research Training Fellowships offer postdoctoral support for MDs and/or PhDs. Research areas of interest are adult pulmonary medicine, pediatric pulmonary medicine and lung biology. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or foreign nationals holding a specified visa immigration status.
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellows Award ProgramSeptemberThe program supports postdoctoral scholars with the highest potential for success in an independent academic career in chemistry and the life sciences. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Funding OpportunitiesvariesBWF is committed to supporting the early careers of promising scientists. Awards for Postdoctoral Fellows include Career Awards for Medical Scientists and Career Awards at the Scientific Interface.
Cancer Research Institute, CRI Irvington Institute Fellowship ProgramApril 1, October 1Supports 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, Fellowship InformationFebruary 1Supports postdoctoral research into the causes and treatment of cancer. Applicants should not have more than one year of postdoctoral research experience.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Postdoctoral Research FellowshipvariesFellowships support postdoctoral research training related to cystic fibrosis.
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Fellowship AwardMarch 15, August 15The 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.
Earth Institute, Columbia University, Fellows ProgramNovemberThe program provides postdoctoral scholars with the opportunity to build a foundation in one of the core disciplines represented within the Earth Institute (i.e. social, earth, biological, engineering, and health sciences), while acquiring cross-disciplinary expertise needed to address critical issues related to sustainable development.
Fondation Fyssen, Post-doctoral Study GrantsAprilStudy grants support postdoctoral researchers working on research disciplines such as Ethology, Paleontology, Archaeology, Anthropology, Psychology, Epistemology, Logic and Sciences of nervous system. The award funds work at a French laboratory.
FRAXA Research Foundation, FRAXA FellowshipsFebruary 1FRAXA funds medical research aimed at finding specific treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X syndrome.
Grass Foundation, Grass FellowshipDecemberFellowships provide early-career investigators with an opportunity to develop and conduct independent neuroscience research projects within the scientific community of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Hope Funds for Cancer Research Postdoctoral FellowshipSeptemberFellowships support work on highly innovative research projects that challenge the traditional paradigms of understanding the causes, mechanisms, progression, disease markers or risk factors of the most difficult-to-treat cancers.
Human Frontier Science Program, Postdoctoral FellowshipsAugustHFSPO offers 3-year postdoctoral fellowships to enable the most talented early career scientists, trained in the life sciences or in the physical sciences, to extend their scientific repertoire in laboratories in another country.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Grant Mechanism DescriptionsJuneJDRF supports researchers interested in addressing the scientific and clinical challenges and gaps to cure type 1 diabetes and its complications. Training opportunities include postdoctoral and advanced postdoctoral fellowships.
Lalor Foundation, FellowshipsJanuaryFellowships support research in the field of 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 ProgramvariesThe program supports basic, clinical or translational research to help understand and treat hematologic malignancies and relevant premalignant conditions. Categories include Fellows and Special Fellows.
Life Sciences Research FoundationOctober 1LSRF funds outstanding postdoctoral fellows in all areas of the life sciences. A laboratory may have only one LSRF fellow at a time.
National Academies, Ford Foundation Postdoctoral FellowshipsNovemberAwards will be made to individuals who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, are committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level, show promise of future achievement as scholars and teachers, and are well prepared to use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and U.S. permanent residents are eligible.
National Hemophilia Foundation, Fund Your ResearchFebruary for letter of intentThe Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowship supports basic science and pre-clinical research in bleeding disorders.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Postdoctoral FellowshipsAugustFellowships support 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 FoundationJuly 1Grants support innovative research and fellowships that improve the lives of those with spinal cord injury and disease.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America FoundationvariesPhRMA Foundation supports the research and early career endeavors of scientists in drug discovery and development. Postdoctoral Fellowship areas include: Health Outcomes Research, Drug Delivery, Drug Discovery, and Translational Medicine.
Prevent Cancer Foundation, FellowshipsAugustThe foundation is solely devoted to cancer prevention and early detection. Postdoctoral researchers from non-profit institutions (including academic institutions) are eligible to apply.
RAND Corporation, Postdoctoral Training Program in the Study of AgingJanuaryThe program supports junior scholars in demographic and aging research. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Simons Foudation Autism Research Institute, Bridge to Independence ProgramAugust for letter of intentThe program is aimed at senior postdoctoral fellows who intend to seek tenure-track faculty positions during the upcoming academic year. Awardees will receive a commitment of $495,000 over three years, activated upon assumption of a tenure-track professorship.
Tourette Association of America, Grants and FellowshipsNovember for preproposalThe Association funds basic and clinical research studies on all aspects of Tourette syndrome. Postdoctoral fellowships provide up to $50,000 for one year.
Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, UCOP, Call for ApplicationsvariesTRDRP supports investigators at eligible California institutions engaged in research that directly contributes to the elimination of smoking and tobacco use and mitigates its human and economic costs in California. The Postdoctoral Fellowship supports research training under a designated mentor.
Tourette Association of America, Grants and FellowshipsNovember for preproposalThe Association funds basic and clinical research studies on all aspects of Tourette syndrome. Postdoctoral fellowships provide up to $50,000 for one year.
Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, Research FellowshipJuneThe fellowship supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences.
Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program, Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars ProgramvariesThe program supports postdoctoral scholars from universities in the U.S. to do research at one of seven Israeli universities.

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