Apply Now: Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Deadline: 01-Mar-2028

The CRI Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides three years of financial support, research training, and professional development for early-career scientists conducting research in immunology and cancer immunology. The fellowship supports hypothesis-driven, mechanistic studies in fundamental and tumor immunology and is open to eligible researchers worldwide without citizenship restrictions. Fellows receive annual stipends of $74,000, $76,000, and $78,000 over three years, plus a $5,000 annual institutional allowance for eligible expenses. Additional support is available for participation in the CRI Bioinformatics Bootcamp. The CRI Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship Program has supported emerging scientific leaders in immunology and cancer immunology for decades. The programme is designed to provide early-career researchers with: Sustained financial support. Scientific mentorship. Professional development. Research training. Opportunities to work in leading research institutions. Support for innovative studies in immunology and cancer immunology. The fellowship focuses on research that can advance understanding of the immune system and its role in cancer. The fellowship is intended for early-career postdoctoral researchers conducting research in immunology or cancer immunology.

Applicants must:

Hold a doctoral degree by the award activation date. Conduct research under an eligible sponsor. Work at a non-profit institution. Propose research directly related to immunology or cancer immunology. Have fewer than five years of mentored research experience at the time of award activation. The five-year research experience limit does not include M.D. residency. There are no citizenship restrictions, so eligible researchers from any country can apply, subject to the programme’s institutional and research requirements. The proposed research must be conducted under a qualified sponsor at a non-profit institution.

Applicants should ensure that:

The sponsor has a formal faculty appointment that meets the programme requirements. The institution is a non-profit organization. The sponsor can provide an appropriate research and training environment. The sponsor has the expertise and resources necessary to support the proposed project. The quality of the sponsor and training environment is part of the fellowship evaluation process. The fellowship supports hypothesis-driven, mechanistic research in fundamental and tumor immunology. Research proposals should have a clear scientific hypothesis and investigate important mechanisms related to immunology or cancer immunology.

Relevant research areas can include:

Fundamental immunology. Tumor immunology. Cancer immunology. Immune-system mechanisms. Mechanistic studies of immune responses. Research with potential relevance to cancer treatment and immunotherapy. Applicants should clearly explain the biological question, hypothesis, research strategy, and expected scientific contribution. Applications are evaluated across several aspects of the proposed fellowship.

Key considerations include:

The applicant’s qualifications. Previous research experience. Research track record. Potential for future scientific impact. Significance of the proposed research. Feasibility of the research plan. Strength of the sponsor. Quality of the training environment. Scientific importance of the proposed work. A strong application should therefore present both a compelling research question and evidence that the applicant and sponsor have the expertise and environment needed to carry out the project. The CRI Irvington Fellowship provides three years of financial support.

Annual stipends are:

Year 1: $74,000.

Year 2: $76,000.

Year 3: $78,000.

Fellows also receive a $5,000 institutional allowance each year. The institutional allowance can be used for eligible costs such as: Research supplies. Conference travel. Health insurance. Childcare. Additional support is available for fellows to participate in the CRI Bioinformatics Bootcamp. The programme is designed to support researchers beyond their immediate research project. Professional-development opportunities can help fellows: Expand scientific expertise. Develop research skills. Build professional networks. Gain exposure to computational and bioinformatics approaches. Prepare for future careers as independent scientists. The CRI Bioinformatics Bootcamp provides an additional training opportunity for fellows interested in bioinformatics and computational approaches relevant to immunology research. The fellowship combines financial support with a structured research and training environment.

A successful fellow:

Conducts a hypothesis-driven immunology or cancer immunology project. Works under an eligible faculty sponsor. Receives annual financial support for three years. Has access to an institutional allowance for eligible expenses.

Participates in professional-development opportunities

Can receive additional support for the CRI Bioinformatics Bootcamp. Develops research expertise relevant to a future career in immunology or cancer research. Applicants should prepare all research, personal, institutional, and recommendation materials before submitting through the CRI Application Portal.

The application process involves:

Confirm eligibility. Check the doctoral degree, research experience, field, sponsor, and institutional requirements. Identify a sponsor. Select a suitable sponsor with the required faculty appointment at a non-profit institution. Develop the research proposal. Prepare a detailed hypothesis-driven research plan focused on immunology or cancer immunology. Explain the scientific significance. Describe the problem being investigated and why the research is important. Demonstrate feasibility. Explain the proposed methods and why the project can realistically be completed in the proposed research environment. Prepare the CV. Highlight relevant research experience, publications, scientific achiev