Life Sciences Research Foundation
The Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF) is a public charity based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that supports postdoctoral researchers in basic life sciences. Founded in 1981, it identifies researchers through a peer-review process and seeks sponsor support for their projects.
Life Sciences Research Foundation at a glance
In short: Life Sciences Research Foundation gave $2.5M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $101K), top state California. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,531,500
- -8.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- -3.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $101,260
- -4.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $77,000
- Total assets
- $3,455,244
- -12.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (6 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Life Sciences Research Foundation
- Review Cycle
- October 1 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time for the 2026 application cycle. Proposed supervisor and reference letters are due November 1 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Deadline
- October 1 at 8:00 p.m.
- Next open deadline
- October 31, 2026 (LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Award)
- Contact
Mailing address: 3020-I Prosperity Church Road 267, Charlotte, NC 28269
Phone: (980) 616-0551
Website: https://lsrf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
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
Deadline not published
LSRF Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
Life Sciences Research Foundation
Amount
$255,000 ($85,000/year for 3 years)
Deadline
Expected ~October
Based on past cycles
Who Life Sciences Research Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Rockefeller University ($288K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($77,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 80 grants of 138 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LSRF’s 2026-cycle eligibility rules allow U.S. citizens to work in any geographic location; non-U.S. citizens must work in a U.S. laboratory. In filing year 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to California (26%), Massachusetts (14%), New York (14%), Texas (12%), and New Jersey (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
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 grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.5M (2025) to $3.4M (2022). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| 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 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $77,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Life Sciences Research Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,455,244 | $2,812,183 | $2,918,392 | $2,531,500 | 25 | $191,495 |
| 2024 | $3,955,635 | $3,870,218 | $3,108,065 | $2,767,500 | 26 | $148,599 |
| 2023 | $3,558,416 | $3,574,286 | $3,522,486 | $3,249,500 | 27 | $53,156 |
| 2022 | $3,832,665 | $3,418,112 | $3,540,133 | $3,391,250 | 27 | $-3,503 |
| 2021 | $3,048,938 | $3,877,124 | $3,112,012 | $2,996,666 | 33 | $46,762 |
| 2020 | $4,113,839 | $3,387,495 | $3,402,648 | $3,175,353 | 27 | $80,053 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
LSRF’s stated mission is to fund basic research in the biological sciences through postdoctoral fellowships awarded to qualifying scientists selected by its peer review committee. Its website describes its focus as all areas of basic life sciences discovery.
The fellowship is paid to the host institution for the benefit of the named researcher. Recent recipients include universities and research institutions. For example, MIT describes its mission as advancing knowledge and educating students in science and other fields, while Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center describes work spanning foundational biology to population-level health. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not LSRF’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, LSRF reported 25 grants totaling $2,531,500. Grant amounts ranged from $67,000 to $288,000, with a median of $77,000. Reported grant purposes include funding research fellowships in biological sciences.
The largest reported awards included $288,000 to Rockefeller University, $247,750 to Princeton University, and $221,000 to Stanford University. Other notable awards were $154,000 to the University of Pennsylvania, $134,000 to Harvard Medical School, and $93,750 to the University of Utah.
LSRF’s fellowship provides three years of support totaling $255,000: $237,000 for salary or stipend and $18,000 for research expenses. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the relevant competition. For the 2026 application cycle, the requirements include applying within five years of receiving a PhD, MD, or DVM; conducting postdoctoral training in a lab different from the thesis lab; and providing a letter of acceptance from the proposed postdoctoral supervisor. Non-U.S. citizens must conduct their proposed research in a U.S. laboratory. Applicants conducting postdoctoral research in an HHMI laboratory are not eligible for the 2027 competition. The application portal is currently closed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Douglas E. Koshland as president. Vice presidents listed are Daniel Gottschling, D. Leanna Jones, Jeremy Nathans, Neal Silverman, and Meng Wang. Advisory board trustees listed are Bruce Alberts, Bonnie Bassler, Thomas Cech, and Elaine Fuchs.
Life Sciences Research Foundation is led by Susan Davidson, Executive Director & Treasurer since 2025 (on filings since 2023); 1 of 23 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan Davidson
Executive Director & Treasurer
Executive Director → Executive Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$50K (2023) → $100K (2025)
Douglas E. Koshland
President
Director & Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie Bassler
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Alberts
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elaine Fuchs
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
H. Robert Horvitz
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc Tessier-Lavigne
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phillip A. Sharp
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Tjian
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shirley M. Tilghman
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven L. McKnight
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Hockfield
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Cech
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Feng Zhang
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Olson
Trustee of Advisory Board
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David J. Julius
Trustee of Advisory Board
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Lehmann
Trustee of Advisory Board
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott McIsaac
Trustee of Advisory Board
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Gottschling
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Nathans
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meng Wang
Vice President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
D. Leanna Jones
Vice President
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neal Silverman
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Christine Pratt (2020–2024) — Former Treasurer
- Former: David Baltimore (2020–2024) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Joseph L. Goldstein (2020–2024) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Michael S. Brown (2020–2024) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Susan Wessler (2020–2024) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: David V. Goeddel (2020–2023) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Donald D. Brown (2020–2023) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: James E. Darnell Jr. (2020–2023) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Vishva Dixit (2020–2023) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Yang Dan (2023) — Vice President
- Former: Harold Varmus (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Jasper Rine (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Mark Fishman (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Paul Berg (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Peter Agre (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: Solomon H. Snyder (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
- Former: William Rutter (2020–2021) — Trustee of Advisory Board
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $100K, to Susan Davidson (Executive Director/Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Life Sciences Research Foundation
How much does Life Sciences Research Foundation give each year?
Life Sciences Research Foundation gave $2.5M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.8M across 26 grants.
What is Life Sciences Research Foundation's typical grant size?
Life Sciences Research Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $77,000, and its average grant was $101,260, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Life Sciences Research Foundation that year got $77K on average.
Where does Life Sciences Research Foundation give grants?
Life Sciences Research Foundation's top state is California, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were 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).
Does Life Sciences Research Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on Life Sciences Research Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Fund Research Fellowships in Biological Sciences" (25 grants).
Who are Life Sciences Research Foundation's largest grantees?
Life Sciences Research Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Rockefeller University ($288,000), Princeton University ($247,750) and Stanford University ($221,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($77,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Life Sciences Research Foundation?
Life Sciences Research Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.8M.
What does Life Sciences Research Foundation fund?
LSRF’s stated mission is to fund basic research in the biological sciences through postdoctoral fellowships awarded to qualifying scientists selected by its peer review committee. Its website describes its focus as all areas of basic life sciences discovery. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Life Sciences Research Foundation?
Life Sciences Research Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check lsrf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
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.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 7, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Life Sciences Research Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/life-sciences-research-foundation-morg_5d5d143908224556a7b00aca97275cda
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521231801_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Life Sciences Research Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/life-sciences-research-foundation-morg_5d5d143908224556a7b00aca97275cda},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Life Sciences Research Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Life Sciences Research Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?