Welcome to the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy Trainee Funding Opportunity Index. LDFP trainees may qualify for several funding and fellowship opportunities. Please ensure that you review the guidelines for each opportunity and discuss the funding opportunity with your supervisor. Feel free to reach out to the research office for additional questions (Mike Folinas, Sam D’Alfonso, or Lia Cardarelli)

Search Pivot Funding Opportunities Database

Search for various funding opportunities by entering a search term into the Pivot search widget below. Please note this will open up a new tab and may require a login or the creation of an account.

You can take full advantage of all the features Pivot has to offer.  Register for an account to make searching for new and updated funding opportunities easier; you can even set up weekly email notifications that are based on your profile to ensure you do not miss any relevant opportunities.

Graduate Students & Postdoctoral Fellows

Award Explorer

Are you interested in awards at the University of Toronto? Whether you’re thinking of coming to U of T – or you are a current student pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies – this tool can help you explore the diverse funding opportunities that recognize your achievements and financially support your studies.

The graduate and Postdoctoral Awards databases are available here.

CANNSI Ontario Funding Opportunities

The Ontario Regional Centre of the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANNSI Ontario) is pleased to share the upcoming funding opportunities with the University of Toronto research community.

  • CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science: Open to early-career researchers. This fellowship supports work in genomics and data science, with a focus on new genomic technologies or multi-omic integration, offering up to $50,000 in salary support per year for two years.
    Applications are due by February 3, 2025.  Click here to Learn More
  • CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Statistics: Offering up to $70,000 per year plus benefits for two years. While the primary focus is on theoretical statistics, other statistical research areas will also be considered.
    Postdoctoral fellow applications by January 17, 2025.  Click here to Learn More
  • Data Access Grants: Up to $5,000 to cover costs associated with accessing large data sources for data-intensive research. Each proposal must involve two faculty members from different academic units across CANSSI Ontario's twelve partner universities.
    Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.  Click here to Learn More

Application process: Please follow the instructions on applying contained in the funding opportunity by following the “Click here to Learn More” link. 

An MRA is not required for these funds as awards from CANSSI Ontario are not set up in a restricted research fund. 

For more information about the above funding opportunities, please contact: Esther Berzunza at:  berzunza@utoronto.ca

Centre for Global Disability Studies - Small Grants Fund

The Centre for Global Disability Studies (CGDS) at the University of Toronto Scarborough has grants available for faculty, graduate students, and researchers in your unit.   These easy-to-apply-for grants of $500-1500 can be used for accessible research, knowledge dissemination or community engagement, improving access to academic events, or any aspect of hosting a disability studies event on campus.

Common Questions:

Is my project sufficiently related to disability studies?
The Centre for Global Disability Studies promotes transdisciplinary research that understands disability as a social and political formation and ableism as a historical system of oppression with intersections with racism, colonialism, sexism, and classism. We do not fund medical research or clinical studies. We do fund social science and humanities projects that have a relationship to questions about ableism in the world.

You can see what folks have used small grants for in the past on the website if you need some inspiration. You can also get creative! Here are some ideas:

  • Do you want your published article to be open access but need to pay a fee?
  • Do you need an RA to update your website that helps community members find your research? 
  • Do you need an RA to help you organize a meeting or prepare a letter or video to communicate research findings with research participants or the broader community
  • Do you want to purchase a piece of technology that will help you communicate with research participants? 
  • Do you need a piece of software that will make organizing your research more accessible for you?
  • Do you want to pay a research participant to serve as a community expert consultant for your project? 
  • Do you want to pay a community disability advocate to speak in your working group or department? 
  • Do you want your department colloquium to have live captioning?
  • Do you need to improve the accessibility in the grad student lounge in your department?
  • Are you organizing a campus event on a theme related to disability justice with another organization and need a cosponsor? 

Is my research “global” enough?

  • The small grants are flexible. Please apply. You might hear back suggestions about how you could revise your research plan to be better aligned with anti-racist and anti-colonial justice, but, if you are already considering ableism as a pervasive, transnational system of oppression, your research is eligible. However, grant proposals for research that takes a curative approach to disability and/or does not substantively engage with disability studies will be returned for revision. Moreover, accessible events grants do not need to pertain only to disability studies but can be requested for any campus event.

 Click here to learn more or to apply.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) - Free online training on patient engagement

Click here to start any module of the course

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) has developed a set of online, self-directed, free modules related to Patient Engagement (PE) in research! IMHA’s patient partners identified a need for more training in patient engagement and set to work filling the gap for practical tools and resources to help people do patient engagement in research. Modules must be completed in chronological order; after completing each module, you will receive a certificate. While the modules have been developed by IMHA, they are not disease- or condition-specific and are applicable to any research where patient partners are engaged.

Course: A How-to Guide for Patient Engagement in Research

  • Module 1: What is patient engagement?
  • Module 2: The research process: (a) Understanding the research process for patient partners and (b) Supporting patient partners throughout the research process for other members of the research team
  • Module 3: Setting up a research project for successful partnership

  • Module 4: Patient engagement for research teams: (a) Being part of a research team for patient partners and (b) Engaging patients on your research team for other members of the research team

If you have any questions about the training or accessing the modules, please contact imha-iala@cihr-irsc.gc.ca and follow @CIHR_IMHA for related announcements!

CANNSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Ontario Regional Centre of the Canadian Statistical Sciences institute (CANNSI Ontario) is please to share the following funding opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellows: 

CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Statistics: Offering up to $70,000 per year plus benefits for two years. While the primary focus is on theoretical statistics, other statistical research areas will also be considered. Applications are due by January 15, 2025. Click here to Learn More

CANSSI Ontario Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genome Data Science: Open to early-career researchers. This fellowship supports work in genomics and data science, with a focus on new genomic technologies or multi-omic integration, offering up to $50,000 in salary support per year for two years. Applications are due by February 3, 2025. Click here to Learn More

Please contact Sam D'Alfonso in the Faculty Research Office if you are interested in pursuing either of these opportunities. 

Data Sciences Institute - Postdoctoral Fellowship

The University of Toronto Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is pleased to announce a new call for the Doctoral Student Fellowship competition. 
Overview

Value: $63,000 + up to $7,000 towards benefits

Duration: 

1 year

Purpose:

The DSI Doctoral Student Fellowship is designed to support multi/interdisciplinary training and collaborative research in data sciences that include faculty from the University of Toronto and funding partner institutions.

To be considered for the fellowship, applicants must pursue a research project that has a data sciences focus, through the development of novel methodology or the innovative application of existing approaches, to address major societal issues. Applicants must identify at least two faculty members from complementary disciplinary backgrounds to serve as co-supervisors, one of whom is a data scientist, and who together can supervise the different multidisciplinary aspects of the research project.

In this round, the DSI is pleased to partner with the Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition for Healthy Children to co-fund Postdoctoral Fellowships focused on innovative and novel data science in child nutrition and the School of Cities to co-fund Postdoctoral Fellowships focused on innovative and novel data science in urban research.

Application Deadline:

February 7, 2025, 23:59 ET

How to Apply:

Access the complete application guidelines, online portal, and required templates via the DSI website.    

Data Sciences Institute – Doctoral Student Fellowship

The University of Toronto Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is pleased to announce a new call for the Doctoral Student Fellowship competition. 

Overview

Value: 

$25,000/year

Duration: 

Up to 3 years

Purpose: 

The DSI Doctoral Student Fellowship is designed to support multi/interdisciplinary training and collaborative research in data sciences that include faculty from the University of Toronto and funding partner institutions.

To be considered for the fellowship, applicants must pursue a research project that has a data sciences focus, through the development of novel methodology or the innovative application of existing approaches, to address major societal issues. Applicants must identify at least two faculty members from complementary disciplinary backgrounds to serve as co-supervisors, one of whom is a data scientist, who together can supervise the different multidisciplinary aspects of the research project.   

Application Deadline: 

February 7, 2025, 23:59 ET

How to Apply: 

Access the complete application guidelines, online portal, and required templates via the DSI website.

Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium – 2025 Future Leaders Prizes

The University of Toronto Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium (EPIC) is pleased to announce a new call for the Future Leaders Prizes. 

Overview  

Value: One-time prize of $5,000  

Purpose: EPIC Future Leaders Prizes celebrate the best and brightest PhD students who graduated each year among the EPIC research community.?These competitive prizes identify the top graduate in each of four streams: applied research, clinical research, fundamental research, and public health research. Nominees will be put forward by a faculty member (typically their supervisor) who must have a primary appointment at the University of Toronto or one of EPIC’s?partner research institutes. Prize winners will have submitted an excellent thesis, both in scientific content and communication style, as well as demonstrated a high degree of leadership outside of their scientific pursuits. These merit-based prizes will be awarded by evaluation of the submitted application package. 

To be considered for the award, applicants must have: 

  1. Successfully defended their thesis in 2024
  2. Completed a project that has an infectious disease focus aligned with one of the following research areas:
  3. Applied and/or translational
  4. Clinical
  5. Fundamental
  6. Population, global and public health
  7. Presented an exemplary scientific thesis that illustrates excellent research, communication skills and impactful findings
  8. Demonstrated a track record of undertaking leadership or advocacy roles within the scientific community and/or in community engagement
  9. Have a faculty supervisor whose primary affiliation is at U of T or one of EPIC’s partner hospitals (the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Unity Health Toronto and the University Health Network)

Application Deadline: January 15th 2025, 11:59 pm (EST)

How to Apply: Access the complete nomination guidelines and online form via EPIC’s website.  

About the Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium at the University of Toronto  

The Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium (EPIC) is a partnership between the University of Toronto and five hospital research partners — the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Unity Health Toronto and the University Health Network. EPIC brings together researchers from different disciplines to facilitate an integrated and innovative response to high-risk, high-burden infectious diseases. As Canada’s leading initiative for transformative infectious diseases research, EPIC is linking academic researchers with industry and government partners, training the next generation of research leaders and advocating for science-based policies. For questions or more information, please visit our website or contact epic@utoronto.ca.

John Charles Polanyi Prizes

To honour the achievement of John Charles Polanyi, recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Ontario Government established a fund to award John Charles Polanyi Prizes annually to up to five outstanding researchers or scholars who are in the early stages of their careers and at Ontario universities. The prizes, each of which is valued at $20,000, will be conferred in the Fall of 2025. They are available in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Economic Science, broadly defined.

The John Charles Polanyi Prize is a prestigious award, and The University of Toronto is well represented on the list of prize winners. It is our aim to remain successful in this competition and we continue to encourage graduate units to nominate their strongest, eligible candidates.

Read about previous Polanyi Prize Winners:

Eligibility to Apply

To be eligible for an award, applicants must:

  1. Be normally resident in Ontario;
  2. Have received their doctoral degree from any recognized university in the world on or after September 1, 2021 or, if the doctoral degree has not yet been awarded, be confident that they will have completed all degree requirements by May 31,2025 (an applicant who was on parental leave between the time of completion of the doctorate and the time of application may have their period of eligibility extended by six months);
  3. Either be planning to continue to postdoctoral studies or hold a faculty appointment at a recognized publicly assisted university in Ontario.
    Important: Nominating units must ensure candidates have been or will be offered a full-time postdoctoral position or faculty appointment that will be accepted before signing the application form.

Enquiries about these criteria may be directed to ExecDirectorQA@oucqa.ca.

Deadline

November 26, 2024 by 5pm EST

Nomination/Application Process

All applicants must submit to their graduate unit or their supervisor’s affiliated graduate unit (not Dean of Graduate Studies) an electronic copy of the following documents in a single PDF package by the graduate unit deadline:

  1. The completed application form - available from the Council of Ontario Universities’ (COU) website;
  2. Curriculum vitae (no page restrictions), including information concerning the application. Updates to curriculum vitae will not be accepted after submission;
  3. A summary of the doctoral thesis (1 page maximum, written by the applicant);
  4. A brief statement of research or scholarship to be undertaken during the period of the award, prepared by the applicant (maximum of 2 pages, an additional 1 page is allowed for diagrams, bibliography, etc.);
  5. A non-technical summary of the statement of research or scholarship, written by the applicant (maximum 500 words);
  6. Confidential letters (on letterhead and signed) from four assessors (emailed directly to the nominating unit’s graduate administrator before the unit deadline, not the Graduate Awards Office (or the Dean of Graduate Studies as the COU announcement indicates).
  • Mandatory arm’s length assessors:
    • All applications must have at least two arm’s length assessors from among the four assessors. Eligible arm’s length assessors include those who have read the applicant’s work, seen them present at conferences, but have not actually been involved with the applicant.
      Additionally, the arm’s length assessors cannot be:
      • a relative or close friend, or have a personal relationship with the applicant;
      • in a position to benefit from the funding of the application;
      • affiliated with the applicant’s current and/or proposed institutions;
      • professionally affiliated with the applicant, as a result of (but not limited to): being their supervisor, trainee, or thesis committee member, collaborating, publishing or sharing funding with the applicant, or having plans to do so in the immediate future.
    • Letters should focus on an evaluation of the applicant’s research or scholarship to date, and the research or scholarship being undertaken. In particular, the assessor should explain why the research is worthy of a John Charles Polanyi Prize, paying particular attention to the selection criteria outlined below. Assessor should also provide a short description of the relationship, if any, with the applicant.
    • Assessors must read and comment on the statement of research (or writing) being submitted as part of the application.
    • Note: COU allows external thesis examiners act as arm’s length assessors

Notes:
Applicants do not need to obtain the Dean’s signature or endorsement when submitting the application. The Graduate Awards Office will provide this endorsement to those applications selected by SGS to put forth to COU.

Postdoctoral fellows located at an affiliated hospital or undergraduate-only department should apply through the graduate unit where their supervisor is appointed.
Nominees who are newly appointed faculty members located at an undergraduate-only department/unit, please contact sgs.postdoc@utoronto.ca.

Medicine by Design: Summer by Design

How do you move innovative discoveries out of the lab efficiently and effectively so patients benefit sooner? What are the steps involved in translating and commercializing regenerative medicine discoveries? What career opportunities exist beyond academia?

At Summer by Design, an eight-day, intensive program for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows from Canadian and international universities, participants will:

  • Learn from experts across the technology translation continuum
  • Explore Toronto’s dynamic life sciences hub by meeting with clinical and industry leaders in regenerative medicine
  • Connect with Summer by Design participants to strengthen networks of international peers   

Check out testimonials of Summer by Design alumni!

                                                               Learn more and apply

Summer by Design is hosted by the University of Toronto's Medicine by Design with lead partner, CCRM, as well as Stem Cell Network, and the Rotman School of Management.

MITACS Training Courses - Update 

LAST CALL: Mitacs's new Accessible courses start February 15

 Mitacs Training is launching accessible versions of its self-paced e-learning courses on February 15, 2024. To have a smooth transition, we kindly request that you complete any online courses you have registered for by February 14, 2024, and start registering for the corresponding facilitated sessions. After February 14, if you have not completed a course, the course progress will be lost, and you will have to register for the new course version.

 For more information, contact us at training@mitacs.ca

Access our curriculum

PKD Foundation Fellowships

The PKD Foundation is interested in fostering research in the areas relevant to PKD with the goal of furthering our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, molecular and genetic mechanisms of this disease. This fellowship is designed to facilitate young investigators to obtain significant research experience as they initiate careers in PKD research. This program is intended to assure the continuity over time of outstanding investigators committed to the study of PKD.

Under this RFA, the PKD Foundation solicits research fellowship applications in the following areas:

  • Basic research – to enhance understanding of molecular basis of PKD and its pathobiology
  • Translational research – to accelerate development of predictive and therapeutic strategies for PKD
  • Clinical research – such as small pilot studies
  • Epidemiology/data analysis research – to conduct secondary data analyses utilizing existing database resources, or to develop new statistical methodologies or test hypotheses using existing data

Eligibility:

Fellows may submit a proposal that examines any aspect of polycystic kidney disease biology. Applicants must:

  • Hold an M.D. or Ph.D. or the equivalent degree at the time of the award.
  • May not have completed the equivalent of more than four years of research training (excluding clinical training) after completion of the M.D. (or equivalent) or postdoctoral research training after the Ph.D. at the time the award begins. This does not include medical leave or FMLA.
  • Complete research under the direction of a mentor.
  • Not hold another full fellowship award although institutional supplemental support is acceptable.
  • Commit a minimum of 75% of time to research and training during the fellowship period.

Funding: 

The Award of $70,000 per year will be provided for two years (grant total of $140,000).

Deadline:

The deadline is January 14, 2025 by 5PM CST.

Additional Information:

For additional information, please visit the PKD website.

2024-2025 PRiME Fellowship Program

We are excited to announce that the 2024-2025 PRiME Fellowship Program is now open for applications!

Now in its sixth year, the PRiME Fellowship Program will award fellowships to postdoctoral and clinical fellows, as well as senior PhD candidates, who possess bold ideas across all disease areas represented within our community. This program aims to initiate and support high-risk, high-reward research projects that align with PRiME's mandate.

Interested PIs are also welcome to join the info session on Thursday, November 14 to learn more about the fellowship, discuss eligibility criteria, and explore potential collaboration opportunities! Register for the Info Session here. 

There are two streams of eligibility for the 2024-2025 PRiME Fellowship Program:

Stream 1
The proposed project must involve collaboration between two or more PIs with primary appointments at the University of Toronto. Preference will be given to interdisciplinary, cross-divisional proposals.

  • Both PIs must have primary appointments at one of the following divisions
  • All PIs must be members of PRiME.

Stream 2
Stream 2 is designed for collaborations between University of Toronto divisions and PRiME partner hospitals and institutions.

  • One of the supervisors must have a primary appointment at one of the five collaborating University of Toronto divisions.Applicants must be supervised by two or more Principal Investigators (who are, or are willing to become, PRiME members).
  • The other supervisor(s) must have a primary appointment at either The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and/or the University Health Network (UHN).

 A supervisor’s “primary appointment” is typically defined as the institution where the majority of their research grants are held and their research lab is located.

University of Toronto Divisions

  • Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
  • Temerty Faculty of Medicine
  • Faculty of Arts & Sciences
  • Faculty of Applied Sciences and Engineering
  • University of Toronto Mississauga

Partner Hospitals & Institutions

  • The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
  • University Health Network (UHN)

Successful applicants may be eligible for additional operational funding from the  Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP) for projects relevant to TIAP priorities, and from Max’s Big Ride for projects focused on AI/ML applications in the Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy space. 

For complete program information, eligibility criteria, and application guidelines, please click here.

If a Principal Investigator is interested in this program, but is not yet a member of PRiME, please sign up here and email your CV to prime.initiative@utoronto.ca.

Important Dates:

Competition Announced: November 4, 2024

Info Session for PIs: November 14, 2024 [Details and Registration]

Notice of Intent due: November 25, 2024, 9:00AM

Full Application due: December 13, 2024

Anticipated Notice of Award: February 21, 2025

Program Details & Application

SDGs@UofT Student Mobility Training Program

The SDGs@UofT Initiative at the University of Toronto is pleased to announce the launch of its new Student Mobility Program.

OVERVIEW

Value: Up to $7,000 for travel, accommodation, meals, and incidental costs

Duration: 12 weeks (May – August 2025)

Purpose: The SDGs Student Mobility Training Program is a competitive program designed to support graduate students in conducting interdisciplinary research that advances the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This program provides opportunities for students to work on projects beyond their home discipline, building a global network of researchers working collaboratively to generate actionable insights for the SDGs and inform future global goals.

Applicants should propose a project under the supervision of an SDGs@UofT Scholars Academy fellow or faculty affiliate. The program includes networking and skill-building opportunities, along with a virtual seminar series led by SDGs@UofT affiliates that focuses on SDGs-related research and essential research skills.

Application Deadline: Monday, January 20th, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET

How to Apply: For complete application guidelines and the online portal to submit your application, please visit the SDGs@UofT website.

About the SDGs@UofT

The SDGs@UofT is an Institutional Strategic Initiative (ISI) that aims to advance the United Nations’ 17 SDGs through meaningful research, knowledge mobilization, and partnerships. SDGs@UofT brings together scholars from various disciplines through the SDGs Scholars Academy to address complex global challenges by fostering innovative and transdisciplinary approaches. To learn more, please visit our website: https://sdg.utoronto.ca/

The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA)

A call for applications is open for the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA), which is offered to international students with a strong interest in doing research leading to a doctorate (PhD) or an EngD in Science and Engineering at a Singapore University. 

This program is a collaboration among the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).  

SINGA supports studies in:  

  • Biomedical sciences 
  • Computing and information sciences 
  • Engineering and technology 
  • Physical sciences 

Eligibility: 

  • Open to all international graduates with a passion for research and excellent academic results.  
  • SINGA is intended primarily for international students studying for the first time in Singapore. Singaporeans, Singapore Permanent Residents and International students studying/who have studied in Singapore tertiary institutions are not eligible. 

Timeline: 

Application deadline – December 1, 2024 

Funding: 

The award provides support for up to 4 years of PhD studies including (in Singapore dollar): 

  • Tuition fees 
  • Monthly stipend of S$2,700 which will be increased to S$3,200 after the passing of the Qualifying Examination 
  • One-time airfare grant of up to S$1,500 
  • One-time settling-in allowance of S$1,000 

For more information about this opportunity, please visit this link.  
 
Faculty are encouraged to review U of T’s safeguarding research resources when developing their proposals. 

Do not use MRA to submit this application. 

The Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) - Call For Applications

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is hosting a call for applications for candidates to pursue their postgraduate studies in Singapore with the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA).

SINGA is a collaboration between A*STAR and 5 top-ranking universities in Singapore: Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Singapore Management University (SMU).

This prestigious award provides full financial support, including tuition fees, a monthly stipend and allowances for travel and accommodation.

Application Deadlines

  • 1 December: For August intake (the following year)

Eligibility

  • PhD programs broadly fall under four categories: biomedical sciences, computing and information sciences, engineering and technology, physical sciences
  • Funding support for up to four years of PhD studies.
  • Current BSc/MSc students and graduates may apply.

For more information, please visit: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/Scholarships/for-graduate-studies/singapore-international-graduate-award-singa

Faculty are encouraged to review U of T’s safeguarding research resources when developing their proposals.