Drug Delivery Predoctoral Fellowship Grant

Drug Delivery Predoctoral Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Pharmaceutical Research And Manufacturers Of America Fnd Inc (PhRMA)
Amount: Up to US $60,000
Last Updated: March 14, 2026

Summary

The Drug Delivery Predoctoral Fellowship by the PhRMA Foundation supports promising PhD candidates in drug delivery research at accredited U.S. universities. It provides $30,000 per year for 12 to 24 months, aimed at enhancing the understanding of drug formulation and delivery technologies. The fellowship emphasizes innovative research that leads to improved patient outcomes and fosters collaboration among diverse research teams, ensuring that all individuals have access to groundbreaking medicines.

Overview

PhRMA Foundation Mission The PhRMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that fosters biopharmaceutical innovation and value-driven health care by investing in the frontiers of research. The Foundation catalyzes the careers of promising researchers through competitive, peer-reviewed grants and fellowships in the fields of drug delivery, drug discovery, translational medicine, and value assessment and health outcomes research. Vision A healthier world where all people have access to innovative, life-changing medicines. Values Integrity: We strive to be scientifically independent and evidence-based in our decision-making.Innovation: We invest in cutting-edge research and ideas that will improve patient health.Collaboration: We support collaborative research efforts that are diverse and inclusive. Drug Delivery Predoctoral Fellowship The PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Delivery provides support for promising students (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) in advanced stages of training and thesis research in drug delivery research, including basic pharmaceutics, biopharmaceutics, pharmaceutical technology, pharmaceutical biotechnology, or biomedical engineering. Program Goals Successful proposals in Drug Delivery emphasize the quantitative understanding of the principles, pathways, and/or mechanisms underlying improved or optimized: formulation composition and delivery modalities/technologies that enable more favorable transport (absorption, targeting, elimination) of drugs; and/ordrug dosage forms that can be manufactured to achieve higher quality, lower cost, and greater stability or flexibility. Today’s drugs include biologics, small molecules, and cell and gene therapy. Delivering increasingly complex drugs demands thorough understanding of technologies and formulation approaches. Funding 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 if they 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; however, 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.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must attend an accredited U.S. university as full-time, in-residence students. Applicants will 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.Applicants should expect to complete their PhD requirements in two years or less from the time funding begins. The thesis adviser’s letter of support must verify the applicant’s doctoral candidacy.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.Only one predoctoral applicant per lab may apply for this award.

Ineligibility

Individuals just beginning graduate school should not apply.Applicants enrolled in MD/PhD programs should not be engaged in required clinical coursework or clerkships while the fellowship is active.The Foundation will not consider multiple applications for the same or similar efforts on the same project. If multiple applicants are submitting proposed efforts on the same project, the efforts must be separate activities and not duplicative. PhRMA Foundation funds may not be used for tuition, fringe benefits, or indirect costs to the university.An individual may not simultaneously hold another funding mechanism providing stipend support while the PhRMA Foundation predoctoral fellowship is active, unless it helps to supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships the university offers. If necessary, the university may supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships it currently offers.