International AIDS Society - HIV & Drug Use Fellowship

With the support of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the International AIDS Society (IAS) has established a research fellowship programme focusing on HIV and drug use, with the goal of contributing to advances in the scientific understanding of drug use and HIV, while fostering international collaborative research on HIV and drug use (see FAQ for definition of research areas covered by the fellowship).

The fellowship programme is awarded as a stipend of US$75,000 in two categories: to a junior scientist for 18-month post-doctoral training, or to a well-established HIV researcher for eight months of professional development training at leading host institutes excelling in HIV-related drug use research.

In 2012, five fellowships were awarded. The fellows were invited to attend the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington DC, USA, from 22 to 27 July 2012, during which the awards ceremony took place.

Eligibility

Post-doctoral training: Junior investigators with a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, MD) obtained no more than six years before the time of application in the fields of behavioural and social sciences, biological sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, medicine, physics or public health (other disciplines may also be considered) are eligible. Applicants must hold a doctorate or equivalent before the start of the fellowship, but not necessarily when applying. Medical doctors who obtained a MD degree no more than eight years before the time of application are eligible to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact to check your eligibility.

Professional development training: The fellowship is geared towards well-established HIV or drug use scientists who are not currently active in the field of HIV-related drug use research, with a minimum of seven years’ experience beyond post-doctoral level, and with a documented scientific record that includes peer-reviewed publications.

Applications are encouraged from any country, but preference will be given to applicants from low- and middle-income countries. As there are numerous national opportunities for research training within the US, applications from US citizens and permanent residents for fellowships within the US will not be accepted.
All applicants must choose a mentor with a minimum of eight years professional experience in the field of HIV-related drug use research in an institution different from their current institution (see FAQ for details).
Applicants must be able to start their fellowships before 1 June 2014.
Applications must be completed in English.

Application

Applications for the 2013 programme must be submitted by the prospective fellow through the online application form that will be available on the IAS website from 8 December 2012 until 10 February 2013 (until midnight CET). Please refer to the sample applications and read the application guidelines on the first page of the application before applying online. Applicants will be asked to detail their research goals, provide an abstract of their proposed project, and write a research plan for the duration of their fellowship. The research project must be related to HIV and drug use, e.g., narcotics and alcohol (for more information see FAQ).

Applicants must have chosen an appropriate mentor who holds an established post for the duration of the fellowship and has a track record in research and training in HIV and drug use. Applicants must confirm that the host institute and the mentor can guarantee that space and facilities will be made available for the prospective fellow if he/she is successful in obtaining the fellowship.

After the applicant submits his/her application, the mentor will receive an email with a link to his/her part of the application. In the mentor’s statement the prospective mentor has to specify the support that he/she will provide to the applicant, and assess the impact that the fellowship will have on the applicant’s future career and the capacity building in the applicant’s home country. The mentor’s statement must be submitted by 14 February 2013 (until midnight CET).

Selection

Applications are screened by the IAS to ensure that they are complete and eligible. All eligible applications will be independently assessed by at least two external experts (review and grading criteria can be found in the FAQ).

Once applications have been reviewed, the fellows will be selected. Selection is based on grades, reviewers’ comments, and the maximum impact each fellowship would bring to the treatment and/or prevention of HIV and drug use, as well as to collective capacity building in the recipient’s home country.

The outcome of the selection will be made public approximately 10 weeks after the closing date. Fellows will be immediately notified by email. The fellowships must be started any time between 1 August 2013 and 1 June 2014.

Conditions

Duration: Fellowships must be served continuously for the duration of the award. Fellows must start their research before 1 June 2014.

Terms: The award of US$75,000 will be made available to the host institution, which will provide the stipend to the fellow in accordance with its usual regulatory procedures. The stipend may cover only the cost of living, personal expenses (e.g., health and accident insurance) and one return journey to the country of origin during the fellowship period. The stipend may not be supplemented with similar funds intended to cover personal expenses from another fellowship, regardless of the source, including from the NIH or any other US federal agency. The fellow may receive additional support to cover research expenses from other sources, such as from the host institution or the fellow’s home institution.

Work permit: The mentor and the host institution are responsible for supporting the fellow in obtaining the necessary visa and work permit, insurance and ethical approval to conduct his/her research in accordance with national requirements and the host institution’s regulatory procedures.

Reporting: Fellows and mentors must provide intermediary progress reports to the IAS every six months during the fellowship period, based on the template they will receive, as well as a final fellowship report, including an expenses report.

Before applying, applicants are advised to read the full IAS-NIDA fellowship Policies & Procedures.

Any questions may be directed to .

Mentors List

All fellows are required to choose a mentor in an institution different from their current institution, who holds an established post for the duration of the fellowship and has a track record in research and training in HIV and drug use. In order to facilitate the application process and to encourage international candidates, IAS and NIDA are providing a list of potential mentors. The list will serve as orientation to prospective fellows, who will choose and approach an available mentor in their field to discuss the possibility of a mentorship for a specific research project.

Any questions may be directed to .

2012 IAS-NIDA Fellowship Programme

Five fellowships were awarded at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), which took place in Washington, USA, on 22-27 July 2012.

More information is available here.

2011 IAS-NIDA Fellowship Programme

Three fellowships were awarded at the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2011), which took place in Rome, Italy, on 17-20 July 2011.

More information is available here.

2010 IAS-NIDA Fellowship Programme

Five fellowships were awarded at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010), which took place in Vienna, Austria, on 18-23 July 2010.

More information is available here.

2009 IAS-NIDA Fellowship Programme

The two initial fellowships were awarded at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2009), which took place in Cape Town, South Africa, on 19-22 July 2009.

More information available here.

Key dates

8 December 2012
2013 application opens

10 February 2013
2013 application closes

14 February 2013
Mentor’s statement due

April 2013
Fellows selection and notification

30 June – 3 July 2013
New fellows are invited to the 7th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2013) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Frequently Asked Questions

Find out more about eligibility and application for the fellowship here.

IAS-NIDA 2012 Award Ceremony

23 July 2012, 8:30-10:30 am
Fellowship ceremony at AIDS 2012, during the Plenary Session.

IAS-NIDA 2012 award ceremony
Photo shows, from left: Award Winners Georgios Nikolopoulos, Seyed Ramin Radfar, Salequl Islam and Makhbatsho Bakhromov
©IAS/Ryan Rayburn - Commercialimage

HIV & Drug Use Fellowship

International AIDS Society (IAS) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) joint fellowship programme encouraging HIV and drug use research