Drug Discovery
Predoctoral Fellowship

Drug discovery involves the innovative application and integration of multiple scientific disciplines to create efficacious, safe, and differentiated treatment options for patients. The PhRMA Foundation seeks to fund novel early-stage, drug discovery research with a clear potential for translation to humans. Proposals should focus on biological validation of potential drug targets, such as molecular targets, targetable pathways, or targetable systems.

Research areas could include, but are not limited to: 

• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Design and Generation of Pharmacological Tools 
• In Vitro and/or In Vivo Pharmacology 
• Protein Biochemistry 
• Molecular Modelling 
• Structural Biology and Computational Structural Biology
• Biomedical Imaging (e.g., cellular)
• Single Cell Analysis (e.g., CRISPR screens) 
• Spatial Omics 
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Approaches   

Projects that focus exclusively on single aspects such as identification of and development of assays for single targets, chemical probes, biomarkers, chemical library screening, or diagnostics will not be considered. Studies considered exploratory in nature should contain a rigor and reproducibility plan. 

Proposals that involve AI approaches (i.e., data-driven ML/DL) should clearly document and reference the methodology, explain the data curation process (sources, quality, quantity), and discuss the wet lab validation process. Expected pitfalls and alternative strategies should be described as well. 

Note: Please ensure you are applying to the correct PhRMA Foundation program. If your project does not align with the goals of the Drug Discovery Program, as outlined above, please review the PhRMA Foundation’s Drug Delivery and Translational Medicine programs to see whether your project fits into one of those programs. Contact the PhRMA Foundation (info@phrmafoundation.org) with your project description if you need further clarification. 

• Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must attend an accredited U.S. university as full-time, in-residence students.
• Individuals just beginning graduate school should not apply. Applicants must have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of coursework) and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is activated. Award activation can begin as early as January 1, 2026, or as late as August 1, 2026.
• Applicants who expect to complete their PhD before December 31, 2026, are not eligible.
• Applicants enrolled in MD/PhD programs should not be engaged in required clinical coursework or clerkships while the fellowship is active. Fellows are expected to devote full time (including summers) to their research.
• Predoctoral fellowships should not be seen as a way to fund the principal investigator’s currently funded research project.
• Applicants currently funded on an institutional training grant (e.g., NIH TL1, T32, T90, or T35 awards or a nonprofit/professional society equivalent) may apply if they state they will forgo the institutional training slot if funded by a PhRMA Foundation predoctoral award.
• Applicants are ineligible if they are the recipient of an NIH-F award.
• An individual may not simultaneously hold another funding mechanism providing stipend support while the PhRMA Foundation predoctoral fellowship is active. If necessary, the university may supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships it offers.
• Only one predoctoral applicant per lab may apply for this award. If multiple applicants apply, they will automatically be ineligible. Potential applicants and their thesis advisors and/or lab managers should decide who should apply.
• The Foundation will not consider multiple applications for similar efforts on the same project. For instance, if a predoc, postdoc, and faculty member from the same lab are all submitting applications for proposed efforts on the same project, the efforts must be separate activities and not duplicative.

• The PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery provides $30,000 in stipend support per year for 12, 18, or 24 months.
• To receive funding beyond the first 12 months, awardees must provide the PhRMA Foundation with a satisfactory progress report upon completion of the first 10 months of funding. In addition, awardees must provide a letter from their thesis advisor, confirming that satisfactory progress is being made.
• Funding is conditional upon the awardee’s continued enrollment with the university, which will be assessed on a quarterly basis prior to payment. The awardee is required to notify the PhRMA Foundation if they leave the university or defend early.
• Payments will be made directly to the university on behalf of the awardee, with the understanding that the university will administer the funds.
• This award is intended solely as a stipend and may not be used otherwise. Funds may not be used for tuition, fringe benefits, or indirect costs to the university.
• Within the yearly award amount of $30,000, up to $1,000 (maximum) per year may be used for incidentals directly associated with thesis research preparation or travel to a scientific conference in the United States.
• Funding may begin as early as January 1, 2026, or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1, 2026.
• A financial report (separate from the 10-month progress report) will be required upon completion of the first 12 months of funding.
• A final progress report and financial report will be required within 60 days of the fellowship’s conclusion.
• Unspent funds are to be returned to the PhRMA Foundation.
• Any changes to the proposed project must be approved by the PhRMA Foundation.
• These funds are non-transferable.

The applicant must have primary responsibility for the writing and the preparation of the application, understanding the mentor/thesis advisor will play a significant part in providing guidance to the applicant.

This is a two-step process. Step one is submitting a letter of intent (LOI) by April 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET. If your LOI is accepted, you will be notified by July 1, 2025, that you should proceed to the second step of submitting a full application, due August 28, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET.

To start a letter of intent, go to the ProposalCentral website at proposalcentral.com. If you are a new user of ProposalCentral, follow the link “Create an Account” and complete the registration process. If you are already a registered user, login with your username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click the “Forgot your Password?” link.

Once you are logged in, please click the “Professional Profile” tab at the top and complete steps 1-11 or update with your current information. Your name, degrees, position/title, academic rank, department, and address will be pulled from this page in ProposalCentral.

Step 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)

To submit an LOI, select the “Grant Opportunities” tab in ProposalCentral and a list of applications will be displayed. Find “PhRMA Foundation” and click the “Apply Now” link next to the Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery Program.

Candidates are required to submit the following items at this stage:

1. NIH Biosketch

(Scholastic performance is not required.)

2. Project Abstract

3. 600-Word LOI

The LOI must describe the research project and its aims. It should be written by the applicant on U.S. letter-sized 8.5” x 11” pages with .5” margin and 11-point font. The first use of any abbreviation or acronym should be preceded by the full name or description. Citations and figures do not count toward the 600-word LOI limit.

4. Research Impact Questions

Provide responses to the Research Impact Questions using the template provided in Proposal Central.

LOIs are due by April 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) ET.

Step 2: Full Application (by invitation)

Applicants whose LOIs are selected by the review committee will be notified by July 1, 2025, and invited to submit a full application. Full application requirements will be sent via email and also posted here before the portal opens for full application submissions.

Full application deadline is August 28, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) EDT. Late submissions will not be accepted.

To submit a full application, please complete and/or review for accuracy the following sections in ProposalCentral. Submissions that do not meet the requirements will not be considered.

Section 1: General Information

On this page, enter your project title and how much funding you are seeking.

Section 2: Download Templates and Instructions

Use this page to download copies of the program instructions, as well as templates that you must use for the Research Impact Questions and Training Plan.

Section 3: Applicant

The information you provided in the LOI stage will remain in your historical data in ProposalCentral. If needed, update your Professional Profile to include your degrees and a biosketch, as these are required to complete this page of the proposal.

Section 4: Institution Details

The information on this page will be populated from the institutional profile in ProposalCentral’s database. If any information is missing or incorrect, contact the PC Support Team at pcsupport@altum.com or 800-875-2562 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

Section 5: Key Personnel

Use this page to add any Key Personnel to your project. Adding them on this page does not grant them access to your proposal — that must be done on the “Enable Other Users to Access This Proposal” page.

You are required to add a Department Chair, Thesis Advisor, Thesis Chair, and collaborators (if any). If any person fulfills multiple roles, add their information in each section.

Section 6: Letters of Reference

The system will NOT accept your application unless the letters of support from your references have been successfully uploaded.

You are required to submit contact information for the following personnel:

• Thesis Advisor (1 reference)
• General References: 1-3 people who are familiar with you and your scientific career
• Collaborators: If you have collaborators, they must submit a letter of support. Each collaborator (up to 2) should submit their own letter of support. If you have 3 or more collaborators, they should co-write one letter of support with all their signatures. The person responsible for coordinating this group letter is the name you should enter in this section.

Once you add their names and contact information to your application, an auto-generated email will be sent to them with instructions on what they should address in their letter of support and a personalized hyperlink where they should upload their letter.

Letters of support should be uploaded before August 28 so you can submit your application before 12:00 p.m. (noon) EDT.

We suggest you inform your references in advance of what to include in their letter of support.

Thesis Advisor requirements:

• Assessment of the applicant, including their progress, achievements, publication/presentation record, interpersonal and communication skills, etc.
• Confirmation of their doctoral candidacy. If it is pending, please note the anticipated date of doctoral candidacy.
• Description of the applicant’s scientific question and how they came up with the idea.
• The advisor’s NIH biosketch, attached to the letter as an appendix.

General Reference requirements:

• The time period for which they have known the applicant and in what capacity.
• Comment on the applicant’s communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to collaborate with peers on research projects.
• Explanation of how this program will be a productive experience for the applicant and why they should be selected.
• If involved in the applicant’s project, an explanation of their roles and responsibilities regarding the project.

Collaborator Reference requirements:

• Explanation of their involvement and responsibilities with the project.
• The collaborator’s CV or biosketch, attached to the letter as an appendix.

Section 7: Additional Questions

Answer all questions on this page. Be sure your bibliography page is up to date with publications and presentations.

Section 8: Abstract and Keywords

Enter your abstract (written for a broad scientific audience) and keywords. Take heed of the character limit for the abstract.

Section 9: Budget Summary

Enter your project dates and requested stipend support (e.g., are you requesting, 12, 18, or 24-months of funding). This should match what you entered in Section 1 “General Information.”

Section 10: Organization Assurances

Respond to the questions on this page regarding your IRB and IACUC approval.

Section 11: Attachments

Ensure your name and institution are noted at the top of each attachment.

• Applicant’s NIH-Style Biosketch (required)
  You will have submitted this under the “Applicant” section. Do not include your academic record.
• Extended Letter (required)
  Include a synopsis of your career, professional interests, and desired career path. The letter should not exceed two single-spaced pages (U.S. letter size 8.5” x 11” / .5” margin / 11-point font).
• Research Plan (required)
  Applicants must prepare a comprehensive yet concise research plan. This should be written by the applicant and not copied from another’s project. Applicants should use a format similar to that for NIH grants.

  The research plan should include a specific aims page (one-page limit), followed by your research strategy (not to exceed six pages) that describes the rationale, significance, research design and methodology, timeline, and preliminary results (if any exist). A bibliography of major references should also be included (bibliographies are not included in the page limit).

  Required type specifications: U.S. letter size 8.5” x 11” / .5” margin / 11-point font (figures may be provided in a smaller font). The first use of any abbreviation or acronym should be preceded by the full name or description. Submissions that do not meet the specified guidelines for proposal preparation will not be considered.

• Research Impact Questions (required)
  Please respond to the research impact questions using the template provided.
  Note: Question No. 4 has been updated since the LOI stage.
• Training Plan (required)
  Use the template provided under Section 2 “Instructions and Templates.”

Section 12: Demographics

Responses on this page are confidential.

Section 13: Enable Other Users to Access This Proposal

Use this page to grant access to your proposal to any other users in the system.

• “Administrator” level permissions allow them full control of the proposal.
• “Edit” level permissions allow them to edit the proposal, but not delete it.
• “View” level permissions allow them to view the proposal but not make any changes.

Section 14: Validate

By clicking “Validate” on this page, the system will check your application for any missing or incomplete information.

Section 15: Print Application and Signatures

On this page, you will be able to print a recap of your application. As the applicant, by e-signing this application, you agree that you completed the application yourself. This is required for submission.

If you have given someone at the institution “Edit” access because they need to sign your application, they will e-sign in this section once you have completed your application. This needs to be completed before you “submit” your application.

Note: The PhRMA Foundation does not require anyone other than the applicant to e-sign the application, but your institution may require it.

Section 16: Submit

Do not forget to review your application before you “submit.”

Award notification is December 15, 2025.