MRDO Post Doctoral Fellow Awards Program 2025


PURPOSE

The Medical Research Development Office Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) Awards Program will provide scholarship support for postdoctoral fellows working with faculty whose primary appointment is in Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine.

AWARDS AVAILABLE

In fiscal year 2025/2026, funding is available to support postdoctoral fellows in the following research areas:

·         Medical Research (any area)
·         Cancer
·         Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia
·         Cardiovascular
·         Ophthalmology
·         Mental Health -with preference for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Successful Postdoctoral Fellows will receive a one-year research award of $65,000 inclusive of benefits.  The award will be the responsibility of the postdoctoral fellow’s supervisor. Supervisors will manage and administer the employment contract for the named postdoctoral fellow. It is expected that the postdoctoral fellow will apply for external funding during the first year of the award; successful postdoctoral fellows are eligible to apply for a second year of funding.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Postdoctoral fellows within four years of receiving their PhD degree are eligible to apply. If applicable, training interruptions for parental leave or illness need to be detailed in the applicant's CV. Applicants cannot apply for this award through the department in which they completed their PhD.  Funding for this award will commence between September 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. The supervisor must hold a primary appointment in the Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University.

Successful post doctoral fellows who receive any external funding during their fellowship must inform MRDO immediately. Their award will be adjusted so they receive the maximum funding limit of $65,000 or modified to an honorary award.

Complete application packages must be compiled as a single .pdf document using the naming convention 2025 MRDO Postdoctoral Award Program_last name_first name and emailed to MRDO@dal.ca with the subject line 2025 MRDO Postdoctoral Award Program – last name_ first name. The application must contain the following materials:

  • Completed Application Form [Word - 74 KB] [PDF - 160KB]
  • Letter of Support from the primary Supervisor outlining:
     - Excellence of the candidate 
     - Research environment that will support the postdoctoral fellow
     - If there are funds to supplement salary/benefits, travel or professional development
  • Applicant’s Canadian Common CV- academic
  • Supervisor(s) Canadian Common CV – biosketch (if co-supervised, CCVs from both supervisors are required)

An academic letter of reference must be emailed to MRDO@dal.ca by May 12th, 5:00 PM.  Referees are asked to comment on the past research productivity and independent research potential of the applicant.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the letter of reference is sent to MRDO by the due date.

Applications are reviewed by a subcommittee of the Research Advisory Committee in the Faculty of Medicine. Applications will be evaluated based on the excellence of the applicant, research proposal, and proposed research environment.

The completed application package must be emailed to mrdo@dal.ca by 5:00 PM on May 12th, 2025. Incomplete applications or applications received after this date/time will not be considered.

APPLICATION FORM - Fillable Word Document [word - 74KB]

APPLICATION FORM - Fillable .pdf [PDF - 160KB]