Activities

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of 14 infectious diseases which affect more than one billion people worldwide, mainly in Africa and mostly living in extreme poverty. Beyond their negative impact on health, NTDs contribute to an ongoing cycle of poverty and stigma that leaves tens of millions unable to work, go to school or participate in family and community life.

This Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme supports the development of locally originated and locally led research on neglected communicable tropical diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is funded by five European Foundations, the Fondazione Cariplo, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fondation Mérieux, Nuffield Foundation, and the Volkswagen Stiftung.

The Programme:

• provides funding for outstanding young African researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa to carry out applied research at African research institutions.
• focuses on translational or operational research questions. Proposals are welcome that address the public health issues related to preventing and treating neglected communicable tropical diseases, including those from social scientists, such as medical anthropologists, as well as from biomedical researchers.
• offers 3-year Junior Fellowships to recently qualified African postdoctoral researchers and 3-year Extended Fellowships for more experienced researchers. Further support could be possible so that Fellows can progress from postdoctoral researcher to research group leader positions.
• draws on collaboration between African and European research institutions, with the Fellow determining with which European institution he/she proposes to collaborate and on what research issues and topics. Scientific visits to non-African scientific institutions may be included but must not exceed more than 4 months annually.
• provides for additional support to the Fellows beyond salary, travel and research costs – the Mentorship Programme will enable the Fellows to establish links to leading African and non-African scientists and training will be provided in key career skills such as proposal writing and communication at annual meetings of all Fellows.

Note: The 2009 programme has now closed. Further calls will be announced in due course. The 2009 guidelines available for download are for information only.

For further information about the Fellowship Programme please contact the respective program manager of one of the participating foundations.

Doctoral Fellowships for Graduates from Portuguese-speaking African countries. 

Under the scope of the European Foundation Initiative on Neglected Tropical Diseases, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has launched a Doctoral Fellowship Programme aimed at fostering reserach in the area of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Portuguese-speaking countries.

The Programme offers 3 Fellowships (up to 3 years) to young graduates born in Portuguese-speaking African countriesthat wish to obtain a PhD degree and carry on research in Neglected Tropical Diseases in their native countries. for more information see the link in the right hand column