The MD Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention

The following dates are tentative and subject to change.

• Applicants must have already earned or be within 5 months of earning a doctoral degree in health science or related disciplines by the application deadline.
• May be from backgrounds in the basic biomedical sciences, medicine, biomedical statistics, epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, nursing, and related public health disciplines.
• The proposed research project must be related to cancer prevention.
• This fellowship is available without regard to the applicant’s U.S. citizenship status.
• All applicants will be considered for both fellowships: MD Anderson and CPRIT.  Submit one application for both fellowships at the link at the top of this page. 

The MD Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention Research is funded for up to two years, renewed annually pending research progress and availability of funds.

Postdoctoral stipends are $52,704 and may be subject to a one-time raise, after the first appointment year, if approved by the mentor.  Fringe benefits include health insurance, paid institutional holidays and annual and sick leave. This fellowship does not provide additional research support for tuition, reference books, meeting registration, travel support, and research costs. Awardees of the MD Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Prevention must consult their mentors for additional research support. 

As a reminder, applicants of this MD Anderson-funded fellowship will also be considered for the CPRIT Postdoctoral Fellowship. Please make all mentors aware, as MD Anderson awardees will require additional research support funds for books, travel, etc. not provided by this MD Anderson fellowship award. CPRIT is the only fellowship that provides additional funding for research support. 

Phase 1:  Initial Application

To apply, launch the application in the DISCOVER system using the link located at the top of this web page. There are 3 steps required in the DISCOVER system:

Step 1: New DISCOVER application (similar to a job application).
Step 2: Upload all required supporting documents. These documents cannot be uploaded until Step 1 is complete.
Step 3: Request approximately three (3) letters of recommendation.

For detailed application instructions, read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Postdoctoral Applicants > How to Apply. All applications will be reviewed by our Advisory Committee and successful applicants will be invited to Phase 2.

Phase 2:  Invitation to Submit Research and Career Proposal

Successful applicants from Phase I will be invited to submit a Research and Career Proposal via email. The proposal will be reviewed by the CPRTP Advisory Committee, along with other subject matter experts.  Suggestions may be provided for improving the proposal.  Funding for the fellowship is contingent upon proposal approval by the Advisory Committee and Program Directors and processing of appointment paperwork (e.g. visa sponsorship forms, immunization, criminal background check) by the MD Anderson Research Trainee Programs (RTP) and Visa and Immigration Services Administration. For additional details, read these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Postdoctoral Applicants.

All applicants will be considered for both postdoctoral fellowships: MD Anderson and CPRIT. 

Participating Mentors 

Applicants are encouraged to use the Participating Faculty Mentors List to identify mentors at MD Anderson Cancer Center and our partnering institutions: Rice University, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, and UTHealth. This comprehensive list includes the name and credentials of the faculty, a link to the faculty biography, keywords describing the research, email address, and office phone number.

Co-Mentors

Additional co-mentors are permitted and may have appointments in:

• Other MD Anderson departments outside of the DCPPS. Use the MD Anderson Faculty Search Tool. 
• Other non-partnering institutions, as long as the mentor requirements below have been met. 

Mentor Requirements

1. This program requires a minimum of two mentors with complementary research expertise in different disciplines.

2. At least one mentor must have a faculty appointment at the Assistant Professor level or higher within the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences (DCPPS) at MD Anderson. Faculty conducting cancer prevention research are concentrated within the five (5) departments below. Use the links to search for faculty and call the MD Anderson switchboard at 1-800-889-2094, if there is no contact number listed.  NOTE: Due to administrative requirements, trainees' paid appointments as postdoctoral fellows are made at MD Anderson, in the department of the main MD Anderson mentor (Assistant Professor level or higher). 

1. Behavioral Science 
2. Health Disparities Research 
3. Clinical Cancer Prevention 
4. Epidemiology
5. Health Services Research
   

3. Preference will be given to applications that include at least one faculty mentor from one or more of our four (4) partnering institutions below. Applicants must indicate on the application checklist in DISCOVER, the name of the main mentor from the partnering institution. Use the CPRIT participating mentors list or the institution pages below and search by department name, research discipline, or faculty name, if known. 

1. Rice University
2. Texas A&M University
3. University of Houston
4. UT Health (not School of Public Health)

4. At least one mentor’s expertise must be based in quantitative methodology.