Helen Hay Whitney Foundation (HHWF) Postdoctoral Fellowships

---

What is the HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowship?

The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation (HHWF) supports early postdoctoral research training in all basic biomedical sciences. The Foundation recognizes and encourages independent thinking, creativity, and passion for scientific discovery. For more details see HHWF 2025 summary  .

Who can apply for the HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowship?

Students who are in the final stages of obtaining a Ph.D. or postdocs of any nationality with a Ph.D. completed no more than 2 years prior to the application deadline (Mon 17 Jun 2024) and who have no more than 1 year of postdoctoral research experience. US citizens are eligible to work in US, Canada, abroad; non-US citizens must work in a US laboratory.

Why apply for the HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowship?

• It is an opportunity to do 3-year research in basic biomedical sciences at an excellent research institution in US.
• You should choose a mentor and a host institution that provide the best research support for your project.
• You can develop your professional career & improve your skills.
• You can get financial support of $220,500 per 3 years (stipend $70,000/Y1, $72,000/Y2, $74,000/Y3 & a research allowance of $1,500/year).
• You can get dependants’ allowance of $1,500 per year for each dependent child.
• Your travel costs will be reimbursed directly to you.
• Each year in November, all fellows are invited to attend a two-day Annual Meeting of Fellows, at which each third-year Fellow presents the results of his/her research.
This meeting is an important component of the Fellowship Program because of the opportunity it provides the Fellows for scientific interchange and exposure to biomedical fields other than their own.

When to apply for the HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowship?

The nearest HHWF 2025 deadline is on Mon 17 Jun 2024.

Please inform the Project Office about your intention to apply.     Do not hesitate to contact us anytime for consulting, discussion or help.

How to apply for the HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowship?

1. Find and read programme guidelines:
   • HHWF call
   • HHWF 2025 summary  
   • HHWF 2025 guidelines  
   • HHWF 2025 Application Items 1-6  
   • HHWF 2025 Reference Letter  
   • HHWF FAQs
2. Create your HHWF account.
3. Find a supervisor from an excellent host research institution in US (e.g. California Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Stanford University, The Rockefeller University, University of California Berkeley, University of California San Francisco, Whitehead Institute, etc.) who will provide the best research environment, support & mentorship for your project. Negotiate mentoring of your postdoctoral research project and the institutional support of the host institution. Ask your mentor to fill in the Prospective Supervisor´s Letter (not on the Reference Letter template).
4. Contact four referees (one has to be your Ph.D. advisor) and ask them for their willingness to critically appraise your research qualifications and to fill in a Reference Letter (use template  ).
5. Fill in name and contacts of a prospective supervisor in your HHWF account. Your supervisor is supposed to write the Prospective Supervisor´s Letter which should include a statement that the institution will administer the fellowship according to the Foundation´s guidelines. The Letter has to be sent directly to the Foundation (letters@hhwf.org) before Mon 17 Jun 2024 17:00 EST.
6. Fill in names and contacts on three referees and mentor(s) in your HHWF account. Referees should have received an e-mail from the HHWF with detailed information on how to submit a confidential Reference Letter. Referees have to send the Reference Letter directly to the Foundation (letters@hhwf.org) before Mon 17 Jun 2024 17:00 EST.
7. Complete and finalise your online application on your HHWF account:
   • 2-page Application Cover (applicant)
   • Application (do not use font size any smaller than 11pt Arial or 12pt Times New Roman, margins no smaller than 0.4 inches on all sides):
     1. summary of research proposal (max 200 words);
     2. summary of prior research (max 500 words);
     3. bibliography;
     4. autobiographical sketch (max 1 page);
     5. research proposal (max 5 pages);
     6. professional interests, goals, long-term career objectives (max 1 page) (use template  , submit in PDF) (applicant & supervisor)
   • Up to 3 significant publications in PDF, if not readily available online (applicant)
   • Financial Officer´s Letter (depending on whether your prospective supervisor includes the administrative clause in his/her letter, in PDF) (applicant & host institution)
   • Collaboration Letter(s) in PDF (applicant & partners)
   • Copy of Proof of US Citizenship (only for US citizens working outside USA)
8. Submit your online application in your HHWF account before Mon 17 Jun 2024 17:00 EST.
9. Be prepared for a personal interview with a Committee in October 2024. Interview travel expenses from points in the US, Canada, and Mexico are paid for by the Foundation.

HHWF will announce evaluation results on 11 November 2024.
Successful applicants may start their research projects between 01 Apr 2025 and 01 Sep 2025.

The Helen Hay Whitney Foundation (HHWF)
20 Squadron Boulevard, Suite 630, New City, New York 10956, USA
☎: 845 639 6799, hhwf@earthlink.net

If you are experiencing technical problems with the online application, please email the application’s IT administrator, dave.conorozzo@formrouter.com, AND cc Robert Weinberger at office@hhwf.org. For all non-technical application issues, only email Robert Weinberger.

---

IOCB participation (1) in HHWF Postdoctoral Fellowships:

• Tomáš Pluskal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, web info