University of Pennsylvania Global Genomics & Health Equity Fellowship Funding

The Penn Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is seeking candidates for postdoctoral fellowships. With funding from Genentech Inc., this fellowship aims to help train basic and translational research scientist from groups which are traditionally under-represented in biomedical research (as outlined by the National Institutes of health). The goal of this fellowship is to facilitate training in biomedical research that aims to elucidate genomic and environmental risk factors contributing to health disparities and development of diagnostics and therapeutics to translate this research into the clinic and help reduce the burden of health disparities across the globe. 

The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, gender expression and/or identity, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other protected status. 

HOW TO APPLY

Before applying, applicants must first identify a PENN-based faculty mentor whose research aligns well with the candidate’s research interest. You may start your search for a mentor by visiting the Penn Center for Global Genomics & Health Equity website faculty page here or any other UPENN schools, centers, or departments to select a faculty mentor at the Perelman School of Medicine (e.g. Dept. Genetics, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Dept of Medicine). With the consent of the faculty member, prepare a 1-page personal statement and a 2-page research proposal to be submitted with the application package.

What to submit: 

1. Curriculum vitae (CV) with publication record. Document must be titled as lastName_firstName_CV e.g. Doe_John_CV
2. Cover letter (saved as lastName_firstName_cover.pdf e.g. Doe_John_cover)
3. 1-page personal statement describing prior research accomplishments and how that has positioned you for this next phase of your career.
4. 2-paged research proposal outlining specific aims, research plan, and how your work helps to address health disparities (document titled as lastName_firstName_statement e.g. Doe_John_statement). 
5. A minimum of 2 letters of recommendation. One must be from your most recent supervisor/mentor.  Letter must be sent directly from the mentor/recommendation writer. Subject line of email: Candidate LAST NAME Support Letter Penn Global Genomics & Health Equity Fellowship (e.g. Doe Support Letter Penn Global Genomics & Health Equity Fellowship).
6. A letter from the PENN-based faculty member with similar research interest confirming their willingness to serve as the applicants’ primary mentor during the fellowship period. Faculty mentor should also outline proposed mentoring plan (one page single-spaced, and one-inch margin limit).

Where to send application: 

Except for the recommendation letter that is to be sent directly from the recommendation writer, all other parts of the application should be sent as a single pdf file to penngghe@penmedicine.upenn.edu. Recommendation letter email should have the name of the applicant in the subject line and sent to the same email address.

Note: Fellowship application email must include in the subject LastNAME Penn Global Genomics & Health Equity Fellowship Application. 

Applicants must always include lastName in the subject line of all communications.

Eligibility

1. Open to all nationalities (no citizenship restriction).
2. Candidate must complete their requirements for PhD and/or MD by the fellowship start date.
3. Candidates must have completed their PhD and/or MD within the last five (5) years.
4. Record of research productivity and appropriate skills for research.
5. Proposed research must focus on genetics/genomics research of diseases that show health disparities and/or genomic studies of groups traditionally under-represented in human genetic studies (e.g. see Sirugo, G., Williams, S.M., Tishkoff, S.A., The Missing Diversity in Human Genetic Studies, Cell 2019).
6. Candidate must be from a group under-represented in the biomedical sciences (see).
7. Research fit with selected training faculty.

About the Fellowship Program

1. Stipend/Salary set at minimum NIH NRSA stipend level plus benefits.
2. Annual allowance for travel to conferences (including hotel, airfare, food, and registration fees)
3. Earliest start date for 2020 fellowship is September 2020
4. Potential support for 3-years. Support will initially be for 1 year. With satisfactory performance a 2^nd and 3^rdyear fellowship support may be granted. 
5. Fellowship location will be at the University of Pennsylvania campus, Philadelphia (map), unless the research is of a global nature.