Support for Postdoctoral Researchers

The Research Administration and Development Unit in the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences provides comprehensive research development, pre-award, and post-award support to postdoctoral researchers. We assist with navigating funding opportunities, developing and submitting competitive proposals, and managing the resulting awards. New postdoctoral researchers are automatically subscribed to Research Bulletin — our bi-weekly newsletter in which we post announcements, funding opportunities, events, and workshops! Visit our archive to browse past announcements and opportunities. In addition, learn more about how the RAD Unit helps Dunlop School researchers.

Common Funding Opportunities

Below is a list common funding opportunities for postdoctoral researchers in the biological sciences. For even more opportunities, we recommend hopping over to Graduate Division’s fellowships webpage.

Sponsor	Program	Program Description	Eligibility	U.S. Citizenship Required
Alzheimer's Association	Research Fellowship (AARF)	Supports exceptional researchers who are engaged in their post-graduate work (i.e. postdoctoral fellows) and before they have their first independent faculty positions (i.e. Assistant Professor) and working in diverse areas of research, including basic, translational, clinical, functional and social-behavioral research.	Applications will be accepted from postdoctoral fellows (or an equivalent level position) with full-time positions at their respective academic institution and less than 10 years of research experience after receipt of their doctorate (Ph.D.) or terminal degree. Individuals currently enrolled as a student in an undergraduate, a master or a doctoral program are not eligible, regardless of prior degree status.	No
American Cancer Society (ACS)	Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF)	Supports new investigators in research training programs to position them for independent careers in cancer research. As part of their evaluation, peer reviewers consider how well the fellowship will broaden the applicant’s research training and experience.	Applicants must work at a U.S. academic institution or eligible non-profit. Applicants must have had their doctoral degree for less than 4 years; time spent in clinical-only training is not counted. Applicants must not hold a faculty appointment (e.g., Instructor, Research Assistant Professor).	No
A.P. Giannini Foundation	2025 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and Leadership Award	Supports innovative research in the basic sciences and applied fields and trains fellows to become established investigators and to pursue scientific leadership positions in academia, industry, public and non-traditional career pathways. Research projects should advance the translation of biomedical science into preventions, treatments, and cures for human diseases.	They must hold or complete an MD; MD/PhD; PhD or equivalent degree before they activate the fellowship. Applicants must arrange their research training before they apply to the 2025 program.	Yes
Damian Runyon Cancer Research Foundation	Damon Runyon Fellowship Award	Supports the training of the brightest postdoctoral scientists as they embark upon their research careers. This funding enables them to be mentored by established investigators in leading research laboratories across the country.	Basic and physician-scientists must have received their degrees no more than 18 months prior to the application deadline date. Applicants must not have been in their Sponsors' labs for more than one year prior to the application deadline date and are expected to devote 100% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities.	No
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)	Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program	Supports early career scientists as they launch careers in academic science, and equipping them to recruit, mentor, and inspire future generations. Fellows join a cohort of peers and receive funding up to $1.5 million.	Applicants may not have more than 24 months of postdoctoral research experience by the application due date.	No
Jane Coffin Childs Fund for Medical Research	Postdoctoral Fellowships	Provides three years of salary support to the best and brightest postdoctoral fellows, as selected by the esteemed Board of Scientific Advisors (BSA), pursuing fundamental biomedical research to advance human health.	Applicants should have no more than 18 months of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the application.	No
Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF)	Postdoctoral Fellowships	Provides three years of support to a named postdoctoral researcher at a non-profit university or research institution.	Applicants must apply within 5 years of receiving their PhD (or MD/DVM, whichever was awarded later). Applicants must complete their postdoctoral training in a lab different from that of their graduate (thesis) lab.	No
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	Kirschstein-NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32)	Enhances 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.		Yes
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	Pathway to Independence Award (K99)	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 that will help these individuals launch competitive, independent research careers.	Applicants may have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience.	No
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	Career Transition Award (K22)	Facilitates the transition of investigators to independent, productive research careers. One or two phase award; an initial period of mentored research, followed by a period of independent research at an extramural institution.		Yes
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01)	Provides support and protected time for an intensive, supervised career development experience in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences leading to research independence. Some NIH Institutes use the K01 to enhance workforce diversity, or for individuals who propose to train in a new field, or for individuals who have had a hiatus in their research career.		Yes
National Science Foundation (NSF)	Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology	Supports postdoctoral fellows in selected areas of the life sciences who focus on broadening participation of underrepresented groups in biology; study the rules governing interactions between genomes, environments and phenotypes; or study plant genomes.	Applicants must have earned their doctoral degree in an appropriate field prior to beginning the fellowship.	Yes
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)	Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Postdoctoral Fellowships	Supports post-graduate education in agriculture and related disciplines. Fellowship awards can also enable interested postdoctoral trainees to obtain training in industry and international research on issues relevant to U.S. agriculture.		Yes
University of California	President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program	Encourages outstanding women and minority Ph.D. recipients to pursue academic careers at the University of California. The current program offers postdoctoral research fellowships, professional development, and faculty mentoring to outstanding scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity at UC.	Applicants must hold or have received a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their discipline (JD, MD, MFA, DVM, EdD, etc.) from an accredited university before the start of their fellowship.	No
University of California, Irvine	Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program	Offers postdoctoral research fellowships and faculty mentoring to qualified scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to the diversity and equal opportunity at the University of California.	Applicants must hold or have received a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their discipline (JD, MD, MFA, DVM, EdD, etc.) from an accredited university before the start of their fellowship.	No
University of California, Los Angeles	LIFT-UP	Aims to diversify the California and the Pacific Islands scientific research workforce who are pursuing careers in biomedical research, behavioral research or health services research in nutrition, obesity, diabetes, and/or related conditions.	Applicants must be post-doctoral scholars, UCLA Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program fellows or junior faculty members at the Clinical Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor level.	No
Hevolution	Hevolution Foundation Postdoctoral Training in Geroscience Program (HF-PTG)	Provides funding for PhD and MD/PhD students who want to pursue postdoctoral research training in the biology of aging or geroscience.	Doctoral students who will complete their doctorate (PhD or MD/PhD) before the award start date (March 2025) or be recent PhD or MD/PhD graduates (earliest graduation date: May 2024, as stated on the certificate of doctorate) transitioning into postdoctoral training positions in the US, Canada, UK, or Europe.	No
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) for Training of Postdoctoral Fellows	Supports outstanding scientific training of highly promising postdoctoral candidates with outstanding mentors that will facilitate the development of the postdoctoral fellow into an outstanding scientist.	Candidates are eligible to apply for support from this program from ~12 months prior to the start of the proposed postdoctoral position to within 12 months (or 18 months of resubmissions) after starting in the proposed postdoctoral position.	No

Campus Resources

Click on a resource below to visit its website for more information.

Graduate & Postdoctoral Scholar Resource Center (GPSRC)

As part of Graduate Division, GPSRC offers workshops and programs designed to support professional development, communication, preparation of grant and fellowship funding applications, wellness and work-life balance, mentoring and much more. Programs are free and open to all domestic and international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

Corporate and Foundation Relations

The Corporate and Foundation Relations team works with foundations, nonprofit organizations, and corporations to build partnerships and advance UC Irvine’s teaching, research, and public services mission. They also help faculty and other researchers, including postdoctoral researchers, identify suitable funding opportunities and prepare competitive applications.

Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) K-Club Grant Writing Series

This structured workshop series is designed to assist junior faculty and fellows in preparing competitive career development grant applications for NIH submission. K awards aim to bring candidates to the point where they can conduct their research independently and are competitive for major grant support. K-Club typically begins in the spring, and candidates work toward the October NIH deadline. Visit the K-Club website to find slides and recorded presentations from past sessions.

Postdoctoral Association (PDA)

The PDA board is a group of enthusiastic volunteer postdoctoral researchers dedicated to supporting the postdoc community by providing professional development programs as well as social/networking events. Visit the PDA website to learn more and view upcoming events.

Center for Excellence in Writing and Communication (CEWC)

CEWC offers support at all levels of the writing process. Located in the Science Library, the center offers one-on-one appointments with peer tutors and writing specialists, workshops, and asynchronous feedback options. They assist with various writing tasks, from brainstorming to final drafts. The center aims to promote effective writing and communication as essential lifelong skills. Visit their website for helpful handouts and resources on writing.

Office of Research Funding Search Tools

Take charge of your funding search by using recommended funding search services and databases. Links and descriptions of these tools are found on the Office of Research’s website. You can also consult the Research Development Team for assistance.

The Graduate Writing Hub

Graduate students can book 50-minute appointments with our Graduate Writing Consultants (GWCs). Our GWCs are experienced graduate students who are able to help you work on a variety of writing concerns and genres, including articles for publication, grant and fellowship application materials, job market materials, and dissertation/theses. Graduate Writing Consultants have both in-person (at Science Library 193) and remote appointments available.

Postdoctoral Support