The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of its Gisela Thier Research Fellowship. Specifically, this medical grant program helps early-career researchers scale their impact through substantial personal funding. Consequently, selected scientists work directly with LUMC department heads to deploy fundamental, translational, or clinical research strategies.
Program Overview This is a medical research and leadership program. Therefore, it is ideal for top-tier post-doctoral scientists who need independent capital to serve as future junior group leaders. By joining, you get access to €400,000 over four years and state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure in the Netherlands.
Key Benefits Participants receive high-value financial and career support. Specifically, the benefits include:
- Funding: A massive personal grant of €400,000 to execute the proposed research project.
- Duration: Four years of sustained financial backing for at least 0.2 FTE appointment.
- Mentorship: Direct pathway toward establishing an independent research group.
Eligibility Criteria To qualify, an applicant must be an early-career researcher in the top 10% of their field. Crucially, you must be officially nominated by the head of the LUMC department where the research will be hosted.
- Experience: Must have defended a PhD no longer than five years before the preproposal deadline.
- Status: Cannot already hold a permanent position at LUMC through first-stream funding.
- Alignment: The project must significantly contribute to LUMC’s broader health and research themes.
Application Process
- Deadline: June 1, 2026 (for Preproposals).
- Submission: Apply via email to the LUMC research directorate.
- Requirements: LUMC-format CV, scientific preproposal, and a signed Declaration of Support.
