Life Sciences Research Foundation
The Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF) is a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1981, LSRF operates as a public charity dedicated to supporting postdoctoral research in the life sciences. The organization functions as a fundraising vehicle that identifies exceptional early-career scientists and then solicits support from individuals, companies, and foundations to fund their research.
Key facts about Life Sciences Research Foundation
- EIN
- 52-1231801
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,531,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- Average grant
- $101,260
- Median grant
- $77,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (6 of 25, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,455,244
- Primary geography
- California (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Next open deadline
- October 31, 2026 (LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Award)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Life Sciences Research Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Life Sciences Research Foundation's 25 itemized 2025 grants were California (26%), Massachusetts (14%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants), Seattle, WA (2 grants) and Cambridge, MA (2 grants). None of its 25 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Fund Research Fellowships in Biological Sciences" (25 grants).
Is Life Sciences Research Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 25 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $77K; repeat grants $109K. How we count
Medians: $77K first-time, $77K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.5M
-12.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
-8.5% YoY
Grant Count
25
-3.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$101K
-4.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
LSRF's mission is to fund basic research in the biological sciences at various institutions through postdoctoral fellowships awarded to qualifying scientists selected by the foundation's peer review committee.
The organization believes that discoveries and applications of innovations in biology for the public good depend upon the training and support of the highest quality young scientists. LSRF focuses exclusively on postdoctoral fellowship support across all areas of the life sciences.
Grantmaking
LSRF operates a competitive three-year postdoctoral fellowship award program. The foundation's 34-member peer review committee selects approximately 50 finalists annually from an international pool of nearly 900 postdoctoral applicants, representing the top 5% of applicants.
Ready to take the next step with Life Sciences Research Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LSRF's award program is open to applicants internationally in all areas of life sciences. Recent grant-making activity shows focus in California, Texas, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 25 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $3,455,244
Annual Giving: $2,531,500
Revenue: The organization has an annual revenue of $5.5 million
Funding Model: LSRF does not have an endowment or existing pool of funds. The organization must raise funds each year to support its selected finalists.
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since April 1984 (EIN: 52-1231801)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,455,244 | $3,955,635 | $3,558,416 |
| Revenue | $2,812,183 | $3,870,218 | $3,574,286 |
| Expenses | $2,918,392 | $3,108,065 | $3,522,486 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $191,495 | $148,599 | $53,156 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Life Sciences Research Foundation
Life Sciences Research Foundation: Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant
LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $231,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Amount
$255,000 ($85,000/year for 3 years)
Deadline
October 31, 2026
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Rockefeller University ($288,000), Princeton University ($247,750), Stanford University ($221,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $288,000 |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRINCETON, NJ | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $247,750 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $221,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $154,000 |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $134,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SALT LAKE CITY, UT | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $93,750 |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER SEATTLE, WA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $77,000 |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE, MA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $77,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - BERKELEY BERKELEY, CA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $77,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO FUND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | $77,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas E Koshland | President | 2 | — |
| Daniel Gottschling | Vice President | 2 | — |
| D Leanna Jones | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Jeremy Nathans | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Neal Silverman | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Meng Wang | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Bruce Alberts | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Bonnie Bassler | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Thomas Cech | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Elaine Fuchs | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Susan Hockfield | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| H Robert Horvitz | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| David J Julius | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Ruth Lehmann | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Scott Mcisaac | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Steven L Mcknight | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Eric Olson | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Phillip a Sharp | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Marc Tessier-Lavigne | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Shirley M Tilghman | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Robert Tjian | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Feng Zhang | Trustee of Advisory Board | 1 | — |
| Susan Davidson | Executive Director/Treasurer | 35 | $100,008 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: Life Sciences Research Foundation 3020-I Prosperity Church Road, PMB 267 Charlotte, North Carolina 28269
Email:
- Application questions: apply@lsrf.org
- Post-award administration or sponsorship questions: admin@lsrf.org
Phone: 980-616-0551
Website: lsrf.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Life Sciences Research Foundation fund?
LSRF's mission is to fund basic research in the biological sciences at various institutions through postdoctoral fellowships awarded to qualifying scientists selected by the foundation's peer review committee. The organization believes that discoveries and applications of innovations in biology for the public good depend upon the training and support of the highest quality young scientists. LSRF focuses exclusively on postdoctoral fellowship support across all areas of the life sciences.
How do I apply for a grant from Life Sciences Research Foundation?
**Award Structure:** LSRF operates a competitive three-year postdoctoral fellowship award program. The foundation's 34-member peer review committee selects approximately 50 finalists annually from an international pool of nearly 900 postdoctoral applicants, representing the top 5% of applicants. **Award Amounts:** Typical awards range from $16,750 to $402,000. Recent funding history shows the foundation funded 27 of 55 finalists in 2018, 27 of 58 finalists in 2019, and 22 of 60 finalists in 202…
Where does Life Sciences Research Foundation make grants?
LSRF's award program is open to applicants internationally in all areas of life sciences. Recent grant-making activity shows focus in California, Texas, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does Life Sciences Research Foundation award?
In 2025, Life Sciences Research Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $101K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Life Sciences Research Foundation's EIN?
Life Sciences Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1231801. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Life Sciences Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.