FUNDING MEMO

Title: LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship (Updated)

Funding Agency: Life Sciences Research Foundation

External Deadline(s):

10/31/2025 05:00 PM PDT (Full Proposal)
11/01/2025 05:00 PM PDT (Proposed supervisor and reference letters deadline)

Cognizant Office: Office of Sponsored Research/Office of Foundation Relations

Description:

The Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF) supports exceptional postdoctoral researchers in all areas of basic life sciences discovery. LSRF seeks out and partners with biotech and pharma companies, foundations, and philanthropic individuals who recognize the value and importance of basic scientific research. These contributors fund one or more researchers for the duration of their three-year award.

Note: Guidelines and deadlines have been updated for the current cycle.

Frequency: Typically annual

Total Award: $255,000

• (Updated) The total award amount is $255,000 ($85,000/year).
  • The awardee’s salary/stipend total is $237,000 ($79,000/year) and a research allowance of $18,000 ($6,000/year) is provided.
  • If necessary, the salary may be supplemented by the University or mentor to meet the University’s stipend levels but LSRF must be an awardee’s main source of support.
• It is expected that the host institution will cover the institution’s cost of the awardee’s health and/or fringe benefits.
  • It will be the responsibility of the faculty sponsor or division to commit funds to cover awardee’s health benefit costs.

Indirect Costs: Not Allowed

• This award is considered a “true fellowship” and will not be subject to Caltech’s minimum overhead requirements. An approved MORA and DAF are still required.

Duration: 3 years

• Award activates on August 1, 2026. This is not flexible.

Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences

Eligibility: Postdoc

• The award is open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.
  • U.S. citizens are eligible to work in any geographic location. Non-U.S. citizens must work in a U.S. laboratory to be eligible for an award.
• Applicants must apply within 5 years of receiving their PhD (or MD/DVM whichever was awarded later) as of October 1, 2025.
  • If you received your PhD (or MD/DVM) before October 1, 2020, you are not eligible to apply. You may apply before defending your thesis, but must have your PhD (or MD/DVM) degree by the time the award is activated on August 1st.
• Applicants must have begun (or will begin) working in their proposed postdoc lab between August 1, 2024 and July 31, 2026.
  • The application requires a letter of acceptance from your proposed postdoctoral supervisor.
• Applicants must complete their postdoctoral training in a lab different from that of their graduate (thesis) lab. Applicants planning to remain in their thesis labs for the duration of their postdoctoral training period are NOT eligible.
  • Remaining in their thesis lab for a few weeks or months after receiving their degree, before moving to your postdoc lab, is acceptable.
• Those pursuing a second postdoc in another new lab with another new project may apply if they meet the above criteria.
• An awardee may apply for supplemental funding, such as a meeting travel award, without jeopardizing their LSRF award status.

Research Areas of Interest:

• The LSRF accepts proposals from those conducting basic biological research in all areas of life science. The broad categories covering life sciences include: Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Computational Biology, Developmental Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, Organismal Population & Evolutionary Biology, Physiology, Plant Biology, Structural Biology, and Virology.

Post-Award Obligations:

• LSRF requires annual research reports from the awardee and annual financial reports from the sponsored programs or grants office.
• All awardees are expected to attend the LSRF 2.5-day annual meeting in the spring each year and will be asked to present their research by way of a poster in years one and two and a short talk in year three.

Recent Caltech Recipients:

• Judy Shon (Elowitz Lab, 2024)
• Nivin Nasri Nyström (Shapiro Lab, 2021)
• Jaimie Stewart (Rothemund Lab, 2020)
• Adrian Brückner (Parker Lab, 2018)
• Brandon Weissbourd (Andersen Lab, 2017)
• Kurt Dahlstrom (Newman Lab, 2017)
• Alon Grinbaum (Gradinaru Lab, 2016)
• Jennifer Mamrosh (Deshaies Lab, 2016)
• Brian Duistermars (Anderson Lab, 2013)

Guidelines & Other Information:

Overview: https://lsrf.org/apply/

Eligibility Flowchart (Updated): https://lsrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-TEMPLATE-EligibilityFlowChart-v2.pdf

Application Instructions (Updated): https://lsrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-Instructions-v2-1.pdf

Award Details (Updated): https://lsrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2026-Award-Details.pdf

FAQ (Updated): https://lsrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-FAQsV3.pdf

Past Recipients: https://lsrf.org/current-fellows/

Peer Review Committee: https://lsrf.org/about/peer-review-committee/

Submissions and awards for this grant program will be processed through the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR). However, please notify the Office of Foundation Relations (OFR) if you anticipate making a submission, have any questions, or would like a content review of your proposal. OFR is available to help ensure that Caltech’s proposals are competitive and can assist with proposal development and advise you on the routing of your paperwork. Interested researchers should work with their division grant manager to prepare the budget, the MORA form, and the Division Approval Form (DAF).

Opportunity ID: 2415