Training Awards

Postdoctoral Fellowship

Supports early-career postdoctoral researchers advancing type one diabetes research globally.

The Breakthrough T1D Postdoctoral Fellowship is a training award supporting early-stage postdoctoral researchers who are building expertise in type 1 diabetes research. Breakthrough T1D — the US 501(c)(3) formerly known as JDRF, rebranded in June 2024 — operates the fellowship as part of its strategic priority area focused on growing the global T1D research community, which encompasses training awards for postdoctoral researchers, advanced postdoctoral researchers, and faculty-level career development. The FY27 cycle application deadline is July 2, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET, applying the uniform deadline that Breakthrough T1D uses for all FY27 training awards. A key change in FY27 training awards is that human subject research on long-term T1D complications — including eye disease, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease — is now explicitly eligible under the fellowship, broadening the scope beyond acute disease mechanisms.

Eligibility requirements specific to career stage, institutional affiliation, and prior fellowship history are detailed in the FY27 Postdoctoral Fellowship RFA (FY27-PDF-RFA.pdf), published April 2026 on the Breakthrough T1D website. The fellowship is open to researchers at eligible institutions internationally, not only US-based applicants. Award amounts and duration are documented in the RFA and Grant Handbook at breakthrought1d.org/granthandbook rather than on the main program index page.

All FY27 training award submissions, including the Postdoctoral Fellowship, are processed through the SmartSimple RMS360 portal at breakthrought1d.smartsimple.us. Prospective applicants should download the FY27-PDF-RFA.pdf in full before preparing materials, as it specifies page limits, required attachments, and career-stage definitions that govern eligibility. The fellowship sits within a broader FY27 training portfolio that also includes the Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Career Development Award, and the Kellogg Family Early-Career Patient-Oriented Diabetes Research Award, all sharing the July 2, 2026 deadline.