Funding Opportunities

Eligibility

Trainees must be US citizens or permanent residents. Predoctoral candidates must have completed the first year examination to be eligible. MD-PhD students are eligible. Trainees will be appointed for a period of two years, with the second year dependent on performance during year 1. PIs are allowed to nominate more than one candidate. Nomination of under-represented candidates is especially encouraged. Junior preceptors may nominate candidates, but must provide suggestions of senior faculty who would be appropriate to serve as co-mentors to the nominee.

Selection Criteria For Predocs

Undergraduate record, GRE Scores, Graduate core course performance, performance in the laboratory, cancer-relevance of the proposed project, anticipated value of training program to candidate, commitment of candidate/PI to training program. Priority will be given to candidates in years 2-4 of graduate training. A short list of candidates will be selected for in-person interviews with members of the Steering Committee.

Application Materials

• The PI should submit a nomination letter that indicates the candidate’s strengths, describes the cancer relevance of current and planned projects that he/she will carry out, and defines how the candidate would benefit from and contribute to the training program.
• The PI should also submit a one-page Other Support document that list current and pending research support, highlighting sources available to support the trainee’s research.
• Candidate must submit a current biosketch and a one-page description of research and cancer relevance, preferably in NIH grant Specific Aims page format.
• The PI should also obtain a copy of the graduate academic file from the home department, and submit this to the CRI office. The relevant materials from the graduate file are: undergraduate transcript, GRE scores, graduate transcript, rotation reports, awards.
• The Nomination packet should be submitted electronically to Krystina Jarema at kjarema@uci.edu.

Professional Development Programs

See GPS-STEM website

There is one slot available in June 2024 on the T32 training grant. For future opportunities, applicants from other institutions may apply by contacting faculty members with whom they would like to conduct postdoctoral research. A list of faculty and links to their websites is found here.

Selection Criteria For Postdocs

Scientific achievement, cancer relevance of project, anticipated value of training program to candidate, commitment of candidate/PI to training program, as well as the following order of priorities:

1. Recruited (completing PhD elsewhere; starting postdoc in your lab at UCI)
2. Already here (completed PhD elsewhere; currently a postdoc in your lab at UCI)
3. UCI PhD moving to a new lab here
4. UCI PhD doing a postdoc in same lab

Application Materials

The following items should be submitted electronically to Krystina Jarema at kjarema@uci.edu: a nomination letter and Other Support page from the PI, the candidate’s biosketch, two letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with the candidate’s doctoral research, and a one-page statement of research from the postdoctoral candidate. This statement should briefly summarize predoctoral research achievements, then describe current and/or proposed research during the training period, emphasizing cancer relevance. The PI nomination letter should indicate the candidate’s strengths, describe the cancer relevance of past and planned projects that he/she will carry out, and define how the candidate would benefit from and contribute to the training program. The Other Support document should list current and pending research support, highlighting sources available to support the trainee’s research.

Letters of recommendation can be emailed directly to Krystina Jarema at kjarema@uci.edu.

Professional Development Programs

See GPS-STEM website