Postdoctoral Programs & Funding

Cancer Science and Engineering Track

This CCIL Postdoctoral Fellowship track focuses on training postdocs in bridging basic cancer sciences and engineering, thereby developing careers at the intersection of CCIL’s unique scientific themes. The fellows will participate in workshops such as cancer biology for engineers, -omics data analysis, and development and validation of preclinical cancer models.

Selected fellows will receive an annual salary of $54,000 with an annual research budget of $25,000 and are appointed annually for up to three years.

Applicants for this program are required to work with two CCIL faculty members who will be your mentors/collaborators. These CCIL members must separately write a letter of support indicating their commitment to your collaborative project and training during your three-year fellowship.

The application process occurs once a year and will be announced prior to opening

 

Proposal Instructions

Program Goals

The Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) Postdoctoral Fellowship provides funding for postdoctoral fellows within 1-3 years of their terminal degree for up to three years. The CCIL Postdoctoral Fellowship Program focuses on training postdoctoral fellows in bridging basic cancer sciences and engineering, thereby developing careers at the intersection of CCIL’s unique scientific themes. Postdoctoral fellows will participate in workshops such as cancer biology for engineers, -omics data analysis, and development and validation of preclinical cancer models. Participants will have a network of transdisciplinary mentors and will be encouraged to develop an NCI K99/R00 application. They will benefit from monthly consultation with CCIL Associate Director for Education.

Dates and Deadlines

Cancer science and engineering track applications occur once a year and will be announced prior to opening.

Appointment Details
  • Fellows receive an annual salary of $54,000 and a $25,000/year research budget for supplies, equipment, and conference and workshop travel.
  • Fellows are appointed annually for up to three years.
  • Fellows are required to write annual reports and develop a career plan using myIDP.
Proposal Preparation
  1. Complete application form: Applicants must complete the online application form that enables electronic submission of supporting documents, including curriculum vitae, research plan, and a representative paper.
  2. Biosketch: The biosketch must be submitted as an Adobe PDF file and uploaded with the application form in the NIH biosketch format as described above.
  3. Research and development plan: Upload one PDF document that consists of your collaborative research proposal plus references. Your plan should be organized as shown below and should be a maximum of twelve pages, plus any number of additional pages for your list of references/bibliography.
  4. Representative paper: Submit one published or in press research article representative of your dissertation or current postdoctoral research.
  5. Letters of reference: Names and full contact information for your dissertation supervisor and one other person who can describe your prior work experience.
Section of Application Page Limits
Introduction to the application 1
Applicant’s background and career goals for fellowship training 1
Research project description 3
Sponsor and co-sponsor statements* 6

*Two CCIL faculty members who will be your mentors/collaborators during your time at UIUC should separately write a letter of support indicating their commitment to your collaborative project and training during your three year fellowship.

Review Criteria
  • Applicants will be evaluated on their prior record as well as quality of proposed project and its impact on cancer research and clinical practice.
  • Significant priority will be given to projects aligning with the CCIL Strategic Plan
  • Significant priority will be given to collaborative projects between current CCIL members, translational research between CCIL members and physicians from our clinical partner organizations, or research that utilizes CCIL Shared Resources.
Award Expectation

Awardees are expected to provide an annual report on project outcomes, specifically highlighting external funding received, patents generated, publications and awards earned.

F32/K99 Track

This CCIL Postdoctoral Fellowship track is designed to support fellows during their development of an NIH F32 proposal which must be submitted within eight months of receiving the fellowship. The fellowship provides one year of funding for postdoctoral fellows conducting cancer-focused research. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis

The proposal should be submitted as a single PDF by clicking the button below.

Carle Foundation Hospital–Beckman Institute Fellows

Initiated in the spring of 2008 with funding from Carle Foundation Hospital, this fellows program provides an opportunity for a scientist to spend several years conducting independent, interdisciplinary, oncology-related translational research before launching her/his formal academic career.

The Carle Foundation Hospital-Beckman Institute Fellow Program is intended for a recent Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. recipient interested in conducting oncology-related research at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. Possible areas of interest include developing imaging systems for the detection and diagnosis of cancer pathologies, developing nanoparticles as contrast agents and intervention agents to target tumors, and engineering biological materials (e.g., imaging phantoms, microfabricated tissue cultures, and animal models of disease) for molecular imaging investigations of cancer pathologies. 

The successful candidate will be selected for a term of up to three years. The Carle Foundation Hospital-Beckman Institute Fellow is selected on the basis of their professional promise, capacity for independent work, interdisciplinary interests, and outstanding achievement to date.

The recipient of the Carle Foundation Hospital-Beckman Institute Fellow award is expected to have a recent Ph.D. degree (received no earlier than December 2008) or an M.D./Ph.D. degree (with the second of the two degrees received no earlier than December 2008) in an area of research relevant to the Beckman Institute’s oncology-related/cancer biology/bioimaging research. The Carle Foundation Hospital-Beckman Institute Fellow is expected to interact with Beckman Institute faculty members who are in their area of research. Collaborative publication is encouraged. Furthermore, a clinical mentor, or mentors, will be identified by the Carle Foundation Hospital to facilitate the clinical/translational aspects of the fellow’s research. The Carle Foundation Hospital-Beckman Institute Fellow is also expected to be capable of doing independent research.

During the term of appointment, there are no teaching or administrative duties required, other than a brief written annual report to the director of the Beckman Institute. The fellow is assigned an office in the Beckman Institute and is provided with clerical and other staff support, computing resources, and access to facilities necessary to her/his research program. Space also will be provided at Carle to enhance the research and clinical interactions. Because the fellow has no specific administrative or teaching responsibilities during her/his tenure, she/he is able to take maximum advantage of the opportunity to launch a strong research career.

Funding

Funding consists of an initial stipend amounting to $52,000 annually. Each three-year fellowship is awarded up to $20,000 annually to cover:

  • Equipment
  • Facility use/service charges
  • Health insurance
  • Relocation expenses ($2,000 maximum, first year only)
  • Research supplies
  • Support for interdisciplinary collaborations
  • Training
  • Travel between collaborating institutions
  • Travel to scientific/technical meetings
  • Workshops