MRDO Post Doctoral Fellow Awards Program 2026
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 2026/2027, applications are invited from postdoctoral fellows in the following research areas:
· Medical Research (any area)
· Cancer (any area, plus Melanoma specific research)
· Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia
· Cardiovascular
· Ophthalmology
· Mental Health (any area, with preference for Mood Disorders)
Successful Postdoctoral Fellows will receive a one-year research award of up to $65,000 (inclusive of benefits). The award will be administered through the postdoctoral fellow’s supervisor, who is responsible for managing and issuing the employment contract for the named fellow. Fellows are expected to apply for external funding during the first year of the appointment. Eligibility to request a second year of support does not constitute a guarantee of renewal; any extension is competitive and contingent upon both performance and the availability of funds at the time of adjudication.
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, 2026 and December 31, 2026. 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 2026 MRDO Postdoctoral Award Program_last name_first name and emailed to MRDO@dal.ca with the subject line 2026 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 15th, 2026, 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 15th, 2026. Incomplete applications or applications received after this date/time will not be considered.