HFSP Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF)
The HFSP Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships support early-career scientists from non-life-science backgrounds to pursue innovative, fundamental life science research abroad.
Funder: Human Frontier Science Program
Due Dates: May 5, 2026: LOI initiation deadline | May 12, 2026: Letter of Intent submission deadline | September 24, 2026: Full Proposal submission deadline (invited applicants only)
Funding Amounts: 3-year fellowship; typical annual living allowance varies by host country (e.g., ~$59,460–$93,144 USD/year); plus research/travel, relocation, and child allowances
Summary: Supports early-career scientists with non-life-science doctorates to pursue innovative, fundamental life-science research in a new country.
Key Information: Applicants must propose a significant shift in research area and relocate internationally; strict eligibility rules apply.
Description
The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF) are designed for early-career researchers with doctoral degrees in disciplines outside the life sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science) who wish to transition into innovative, interdisciplinary life-science research. The CDF program aims to catalyze high-risk, high-reward projects that challenge existing paradigms, support international mobility, and foster original conceptual advances at the frontiers of biology. Fellows are expected to apply their unique expertise to fundamental biological questions in a host laboratory located in a different country from their nationality and previous academic work.
