The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship is one of the most respected postdoctoral funding programs in cancer immunology, providing $243,000 over three years to support early-career scientists who aim to become independent leaders in cancer immunotherapy research. The fellowship supports innovative, mentored postdoctoral research at any non-profit research institution worldwide, and is open to applicants from any country without citizenship restrictions. CRI explicitly welcomes fellows who are entering cancer research from adjacent fields such as immunology, molecular biology, or computational biology. Applications are now open for the September 1, 2026 cycle — the spring cycle (March 2, 2026) has passed.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral degree; degree does not need to be conferred prior to application, but must be conferred before the grant activates
- Must be within the first 5 years of postdoctoral research at time of application (with exceptions for documented career interruptions)
- Must be undertaking research in immunology or cancer immunology; project must have direct relevance to cancer immunotherapy
- Must have a designated Sponsor (postdoctoral mentor) at a non-profit research institution
- No citizenship or geographic restrictions — applicants from any country may apply, and research may be conducted at institutions worldwide
- Applicants who have held or are holding a major postdoctoral fellowship from another private source may still be eligible; check CRI guidelines
Funding Details:
- $243,000 total over 3 years (stipend + $4,000/year research allowance)
- Stipends are progressive; specific annual amounts confirmed in award letter
- Funds cover the fellow’s salary/stipend; the host institution holds the award
- No indirect costs allowed
Deadline
- September 1, 2026 at 12:00 PM (noon) Eastern Time
- Applications submitted via ProposalCentral
- Award notifications approximately 5 months after the submission deadline
Where to Go for Further Information
- Program overview and full guidelines: https://www.cancerresearch.org/cri-irvington-postdoctoral-fellowship
- Application portal: ProposalCentral — search “Cancer Research Institute Irvington Fellowship”
- Contact: grants@cancerresearch.org