Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences

UCI is among a select number of institutions invited to nominate a candidate for the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences. The award supports independent young investigators of outstanding promise in pursuing basic, translational, or applied biomedical research relevant to the advancement of human health. Ideas having the potential for unusually high impact are encouraged. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but also incorporates concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply. If your research has a cancer focus, please apply for the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research internal competition run by the Cancer Center instead of the Pew Biomedical Scholars. (email cfcccadmin@hs.uci.edu for more information).

Award Amount: Pew Biomedical Scholars will receive $75,000 in annual support over four years ($300,000 in total). Funds may be used at the scholar’s discretion for personnel, equipment, supplies or research-related travel. No more than $12,500 of the annual award may be used for the Scholar’s salary and fringe benefits. $24,000 (8%) is allowed for F&A. Subawards are allowed.

Eligibility: Candidates must have a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine or a related field, including engineering or physical sciences and must hold a full-time appointment as tenure-track assistant professor as of September 3, 2026. Candidates must not have been appointed as an assistant professor prior to June 10, 2023, whether or not such appointment was on a tenure track or at more than one institution. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work towards board certification, or parental leave does not count toward this four-year limit. Pew Scholars are expected to spend at least 80% of their time pursuing their research goals. Faculty may apply to the program a maximum of two times. Appointments such as Research Assistant Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor Research Track, Visiting Professor or Instructor, and HS Clinical series appointments are not eligible.

The Chancellor may nominate one candidate. Internal nominations may be submitted to the Office of Research via the UCI Review application portal no later than 11:59 PM PDT on Monday, April 27, 2026. The following documents are required: 

• Description of proposed research – Two pages (1-inch margins, in Times New Roman, 12-point font) describing the project, aims and objectives, briefly the methods to be used, and the potential significance of the research. The description should include one paragraph detailing how the project fits into the applicant’s “big picture” plans. Figures may be added on an additional page. References are not included in the page limit.
• Self-assessment – Description of the applicant’s significant research to date, the most innovative and high-risk aspects of the applicant’s proposed research, and the ways in which becoming a Pew Scholar would benefit the applicant as a researcher (1400 characters).
• Nominee’s CV – Three pages max.
• List of three potential references – 1) The applicant’s thesis advisor; 2) the applicant’s postdoctoral advisor; and 3) a scientific reference from the applicant’s field (reference must not be from UCI, a current collaborator, nor a former fellowship advisor). Please include a couple of sentences describing why each person would be an excellent reference.

Upon receipt of the internal nominations, an ad hoc committee will be convened to review the application packets. The selected candidate will be notified prior to the deadline for institutional nominations (May 13^th). The application for the 2026 awards will open on June 10, 2026, and close on September 3, 2026.

The Pew Scholars program description may be found here:  https://www.pew.org/en/projects/pew-biomedical-scholars/program-details

Questions regarding the Pew Scholars Program can be directed to Marianne Smith in Corporate & Foundations Relations at, mrsmith1@uci.edu, and questions regarding the internal competition can be directed to Mike Gallo in the Office of Research at, magallo@uci.edu.