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CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

A new CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship program for current NU postdocs

CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

The Center for Synthetic Biology (CSB) is pleased to announce a new CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The program offers three postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to engage in research at the cutting edge of synthetic biology, mentored by one or more faculty members of the CSB. Our strength comes from our interdisciplinary collaborations, and we will prioritize those with such projects. Fellows will be expected to conduct independent research that aligns with one or more of the CSB’s Collaborative Research Areas, such as Cell-free Biomanufacturing, Synthetic Biological Materials, Synthetic Immunology, Sustainable Biochemical Production, Biosensors & Diagnostics, or Human Therapeutics. Development of cross-cutting high-throughput discovery techniques, computational approaches, and educational tools are also of interest.  

The Center for Synthetic Biology provides a rich research environment with faculty and trainees from the McCormick School of Engineering, the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the Feinberg School of Medicine. Additionally, fellows will participate in specific professional development activities, regularly meet as a cohort, and will have access to CSB wide programming and staff to support their fellowship. Current or recently recruited Northwestern postdocs are eligible to apply. 

Awards:
Awardees will receive $22,500 in stipend support for one year. The host departments will be expected to provide at least $42,500 in stipend support for a total minimum salary of $65,000 for the year. Awardees will also receive $1,400 for the year to attend a scientific conference or meeting.  

Application Process:
Interested individuals should send an email to csb-edu@northwestern.edu with the subject line: CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: Applicant First and Last Name. The email should include the following materials by Monday, December 2nd, 2024.   

  • Application Form (see below) 
  • Description of research – 1.5 pages  
  • Description of how these funds would enable or support unique CSB research/collaborations – 0.5 pages  
  • Description of how the fellow would benefit from being in a cohort of CSB researchers – 0.5 pages 
  • Nomination letter from CSB faculty member – please note this should be sent by the faculty member in a separate email to csb-edu@northwestern.edu with the subject line: CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: Nomination Letter for Applicant First and Last Name. 

Requirements:
Fellows will be required to: 

  • Attend regularly scheduled cohort meetings and professional development events. 
  • Present their research at the CSB annual retreat. 
  • Meet with internal and external evaluators. 
  • Meet with donors.  
  • Provide a short report about their research and the benefits of participating in CSB Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. 

Term: 

  • Fellows will be appointed for a one-year term.  

We anticipate that selected fellows will start their appointments during Winter Quarter 2025. 

Questions: Email csb-edu@northwestern.edu.

The application window has closed – thank you for your interest!