NIGMS awards a limited number of F33 Senior Fellowships to established independent investigators. These fellowships do not support typical sabbatical research, which is closely related to the investigator’s area of expertise. Rather, they are intended to allow investigators to make major changes in the direction of their research careers by providing them with opportunities to spend a short period of time (typically 12 months) training with an appropriate sponsor.
Applicant Eligibility An applicant for a senior fellowship must have received a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.C., D.D.S., D.V.M., O.D., D.P.M., Sc.D., Eng.D., Dr. P.H., D.N.S., N.D., Pharm.D., D.S.W., Psy.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution). Applicants must have had at least 7 subsequent years of relevant research or professional experience, and they must have a permanent position to which they expect to return when the training is complete.
Length of Support Variable - typically 12 months.
Fellowship Stipend The stipend awarded to a senior fellow may not exceed the current Kirschstein-NRSA stipend limit set by NIH ($61,308 (FY 2019)), based on the salary of the applicant at the time of the award. For additional details refer to PA-23-263.
Fellowship Support Areas Senior fellowships support research in all areas of interest to NIGMS (organized into fellowship support areas), including those in these specific areas. The sponsor's field and area of expertise must be significantly different from that of the applicant and should be optimal for the proposed training. Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed training will redirect, revitalize or restart their research careers once they return to their home institutions. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to call one of the staff members listed for the fellowship support areas to discuss their interest in these senior fellowships.
