February 4, 2026

Dear Postdoctoral Community,  

I hope you stayed safe and warm during last week’s winter storm. To kick off the month, the VPA will be hosting a Valentine’s Social on Friday, February 6. This event is a great opportunity to connect with fellow postdocs and build community. RSVP information and additional event details are included in the newsletter below. 

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need support. 

Best, 

C. André Christie-Mizell
Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
Dean of the Graduate School
Centennial Professor of Sociology

The VPA is looking for current Vanderbilt Postdocs to serve as mentors for the Postdoc Buddy Program!

The goal of this program is to systematically match new, incoming postdocs with current Vandy postdocs based on multiple factors that the buddies deem fruitful for a match to help build a supportive, welcoming community! Interested? Complete this quick survey. 

The VPA team will notify you when you have been matched with an incoming postdoc!

The Graduate School and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, with support from the Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training, have partnered with Dr. Emily Roberts of Personal Finance for PhDs to offer three tax return preparation workshops for tax year 2025.

The workshop, How to Complete Your Grad Student or Postdoc Tax Return (and Understand It, Too!) is available in three versions, each containing special features for the following populations:

Upon registering, you will receive login information via email. After logging in, you will be able to access the workshop materials, including pre-recorded modules, worksheets, and Q&A opportunities.

Please visit the following landing page to register. Participation is limited to the first 250 registrants, at which time registration will close.

https://www.pfforphds.community/g06posje

As a disclaimer, please note the following:

Questions about accessing the workshops may be directed to Annie Eyre, Deputy Director of Operations in the Graduate School. Questions regarding workshop content may be directed to tax@PFforPhDs.com.

The Journal of Life Sciences (JoLS) invites postdocs to join JoLS-Pub, a new platform where scientists share layperson-friendly summaries of their published research. As a reviewer, you’ll gain editorial experience, refine your science communication skills, and mentor graduate and undergraduate trainees while promoting accurate, accessible science for the public.

Key Details:

Register now to join the JoLS-Pub editorial team and help bridge the gap between science and society! Encourage your trainees to register as reviewers too. You can register by emailing info@journaloflifesciences.org.

Simplifying community engagement, so you can invest your energy where it matters. Get Connected today! Find volunteer opportunities easily, sign-up quickly and track your service hours efficiently. 

Visit vu.edu/getconnected and log in with your VUNetID to get started.

Mohd (Maddy) Khan is a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center whose research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease. Trained in reproductive biology and cancer biology in India, his work now examines salt-sensitive hypertension, with an emphasis on how immune cells interact with renal and endothelial tissues to drive inflammation and blood pressure dysregulation. In addition to his research, he is actively engaged in service as Co-Chair of the Career Development Committee within the Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association, advocating for and supporting postdocs across both VU and VUMC.

Join the VPA for a Valentine’s-themed postdoc happy hour featuring karaoke on Friday, February 6, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Alumni Hal Lounge (100)l. Come out and enjoy food, drinks, and great company while you sing your heart out, cheer on your colleagues, or simply relax and soak up the good vibes. Whether you’re here for the karaoke, the snacks, or the community, it’s the perfect way to unwind and connect with fellow postdocs.

The Brock Family Center will be hosting a lecture to celebrate Dr. Daniel Fabbri, one of their 2025 Innovators of the Year. This lecture will take place on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. This is a free event that will take place both in-person in 202 Light Hall and online via Teams for those who need to attend virtually.

This session will focus on international postdocs studying in the United States are navigating a period of heightened uncertainty, from proposed visa changes to institutional layoffs. This session offers insights and practical tools to help postdocs advocate for themselves, identify institutional supports, and leverage community-driven safety nets that promote belonging and professional success. Register here for the February 24 virtual course.

Ready to take your mentoring and supervision to the next level? Don't miss the 'Effective Mentoring Strategies for Postdocs' workshop - your essential guide to mentoring now and into your academic future!

This interactive session will help you build foundational skills in:

     • Following Up & Following Through ✅

     • Creating Compacts & IDPs 📝

     • Listening with Intent 👂

     • Aligning Expectations 🎯

Friday, February 27 | 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Eskind Biomedical Library, 010 Training Room (Basement)

The GPAS staff will offer weekly 'co-working' sessions throughout the spring semester on Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Alumni Hall Graduate Student & Postdoc Lounge (Room 100) for anyone to come by and work alongside them. This time can be used for writing, planning or other academic projects. Stacey or Nick will be there to discuss any goals setting or accountability questions you may have. If you are looking for a quiet space to work on projects in the company of colleagues, this is the place to stop in. They will also provide free coffee (and sometimes snacks)! See you there!

No registration required.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Success (GPCS) supports academic and non-academic career and professional development of postdoctoral fellows in non-biomedical STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences disciplines. 

GPCS has weekly virtual drop-in hours on Mondays from 10 am - 11 am beginning on January 12, along with in-person drop-ins in Alumni Hall lounge beginning January 21. More details can be found on Handshake (see links above. 

Postdocs can request a 1:1 appointment with Dr. Keeton via Handshake.

The BRET Office of Career Development ASPIRE program supports biomedical postdoctoral fellows in the School of Medicine and VUMC. 

Decoding Your Story: Networking & Interviewing Success
Enjoy food and drinks at the Pub while playing StoryMason, an interactive card game designed to help you build confidence in telling your story and navigate networking and interview conversations.
Friday, February 20 | 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | The Pub at Overcup Oak

Virtual Career Expo
As a trainee at Vanderbilt, you are invited to attend the Wednesday, March 24 | 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | vFairs

CV/Resume Drop-In Clinic
EVERY Tuesday | 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Light Hall 707

Work-Life Workshops: Mindful Friendship - Connection with Intention
Tuesday, February 10 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Online via Zoom

Parenting Group: Raising Sexually Healthy Kids
Wednesday, February 11 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Online via Zoom

Women in the Academy: Putting your Ph.D. to Work - Career Paths in Diverse Fields
Wednesday, February 18 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. | Alumni Hall, Room 206

Each spring, the Women’s Center presents awards in three categories: the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center Leadership Award, the Mentoring Award, and the Mary Jane Werthan Award. Please consider nominating a colleague, student, instructor, or administrator for one of these awards. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. To nominate someone, please fill out the forms at this link. A list of previous award recipients can be found here. Please read on for more information about the three awards.

Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center Leadership Award
The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center Leadership Award is presented annually to a student (undergraduate, graduate, or professional) who demonstrates leadership in activities that contribute to the achievements, interests, and goals of women or that promote gender equity. The nomination should demonstrate the candidate’s leadership of initiatives focused on empowering women and/or creating a more inclusive and equitable environment. The activities referenced in the nomination should have taken place while the student was enrolled at Vanderbilt.

The Mentoring Award
The Mentoring Award is presented annually to an individual of the Vanderbilt community who has helped to support women on campus through professional and intellectual development. The nominated individual must have demonstrated a sustained, long-term investment in mentoring women at Vanderbilt by creating an inclusive and supportive environment; connecting mentees with broader networks; and showing active involvement in mentees’ progress. This mentoring can entail academic or career guidance as well as personal guidance.

The Mary Jane Werthan Award
The Mary Jane Werthan Award is presented annually to an individual who has contributed significantly to the advancement of women at Vanderbilt University. It is named for Mary Jane Werthan, the first woman member of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust. The award honors three qualities characteristic of Mary Jane Werthan: vision, persistence, and extraordinary skill in interpersonal and institutional relations. It recognizes the debt that women at Vanderbilt University owe to those individuals who have had the vision to see how things ought to be, the courage to persist in their hopes over time, and the skills necessary to bring new attitudes and practices into being. The Mary Jane Werthan Award offers tribute to the humor, intelligence, and graceful determination of those individuals whose work has enhanced our entire community.

If you have any questions, please email rory.dicker@vanderbilt.edu.

The Black Cultural Center is excited to celebrate Black history Month in 2026! The BCC will host several events throughout the month, while also curating the list of other events around campus! Please see the events for the month here.

People, Culture, and Belonging welcomes all postdocs to take part in PCB events. 

L’Oréal USA partners with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to manage the program’s application and peer-review process. Each year, the program attracts talented applicants from diverse STEM fields, representing some of the nation’s leading academic institutions and laboratories. Since 2003, the L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program has awarded over 100 postdoctoral women scientists almost $5 million in grants. 

The five 2026 awardees will receive $75,000 to advance their innovative research along with their outreach activities to support the next generation of women in STEM.  

Applications will remain open until February 13, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Application

Frequently Asked Questions

Candidates must have completed their PhD and have started their postdoctoral research position by the application deadline. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to apply.

Applications Open!

The Alzheimer’s Association Interdisciplinary Summer Research Institute (AA-ISRI) is a fully funded, immersive training opportunity for early-career researchers focused on care interventions and population health. This year’s institute will be held in Chicago, August 3-7, 2026, and will feature group sessions and individualized mentoring from leading experts in dementia science.

Applications are due March 9, 2026, and 24 researchers will be selected for this exclusive experience. Postdocs and early-career investigators who completed their doctoral degree within the past 10 years are eligible, and individuals from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please share this opportunity with colleagues and trainees who may be interested, and submit your application today!

NICHD Policy Reminders and Updates  

RFI on human subjects data policies at NIH - NIH is proposing a new NIH Controlled-Access Data Policy that will apply to all NIH-supported research generating human data or deriving data from human data, cell lines, or biospecimens and lists the human data types required to be protected through controlled-access. NIH is also proposing several revisions to the Genomic Data Sharing Policy aimed at reducing duplicative requirements and improving overall performance. NIH invites public input on both policies. To ensure consideration, comments must be submitted in writing by March 18, 2026.

Mechanism for projects with foreign components (PF5) is live! The NIH Collaborative International Research Project (Parent PF5 Clinical Trial Optional) Notice of Funding Opportunity was posted this week. This funding opportunity is specifically designed for NIH to support funded international collaborations between a domestic prime organization and foreign organizations. This NOFO will follow standard P series NIH due dates with May 25, 2026 as the first upcoming submission deadline.

Behavioral and Social Sciences Early Career Workshop - This one-day, in-person workshop, organized by the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, is aimed at providing early career scientists with training on how to transform their research ideas into competitive NIH grant applications. Applications are due February 13, 2026. 

Join the VandyPostdocs Slack channel, where they offer dedicated channels for all general announcements, calendar events for all postdoc-related activities, job postings, social events (both formal and informal), and discussion about anything and everything!

Are you a postdoc that has been awarded a new fellowship or accepted a faculty position? Have you published a high-impact journal article or had your book accepted for publication? Let OPA know so we can celebrate through our newsletter, website, and social media.

The Graduate & Postdoc Academic Success (GPAS) are here to support graduate students and postdocs with anything that keeps them from doing their best academic work. They provide strategies to address concerns around progress and productivity, as well as, navigating academic relationships. They address your needs through 1-on-1 consultations and success planning sessions. Additionally, both of their staff members are Gallup-Certified Strength Coaches and able to give you access to the CliftonStrengths Assessment to help you accomplish your best work utilizing an authentic approach to who you are and how you show up. If you are interested in meeting with one of the staff members, you can schedule an appointment here. If you ever feel like you are “stuck” in your writing and/or research, we hope that you will reach out and connect with them. 

The Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Success (GPCS) program provides essential support to departments/programs, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows to allow  scholars to  build skills, cultivate confidence, and design successful careers. 

The GPCS supports the academic and non-academic career and professional development of postdoctoral fellows in non-biomedical STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences disciplines. 

The BRET Office Career Development ASPIRE Program provides career and professional development services and enrichment activities for PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical sciences at VU and VUMC.

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The K.C. Potter Center is a welcoming space and resource hub for students, postdocs, faculty, and staff. The center provides community, support, and programming aimed at fostering inclusion across campus. Check out their upcoming events on their website.

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The Office of Research Weekly Update delivers the latest news, events, and funding opportunities from across the School of Medicine. All postdocs are invited to subscribe here! 

The Writing Studio offers weekly writing groups for graduate students and postdocs during the Fall and Spring semesters on Tuesday afternoons from 2-5pm and Friday mornings from 9am-12pm. Students are welcome to attend one or both days and are encouraged to commit to attending each week. Each group meeting begins with a brief 10-minute check-in during which participants are invited to share their writing goals for the session. Participants then check in again at the end of the session to share their progress. A Writing Studio facilitator is available throughout to provide an additional sense of community and accountability. To participate, please complete this registration form.

More information can be found here: Writing Groups | The Writing Studio

Career Center Photo Booth - The Career Center is proud to present their free, self-service photo booth. Just step inside, pose, and share! Located in the Student Life Center, this resource is free and available to the entire Vanderbilt community. The photo booth is available for use anytime the Student Life Center is open.

Holy Days Calendar - The Vanderbilt Holy Days Calendar provides a broad list of major holy days throughout the year and includes recommended accommodations for community members observing each holy day. For more information, please read the communication here.

Nature MasterClass - Nature Masterclasses are developed by Nature Research and provide professional development training for researchers by drawing on the expertise of Nature Research journal editors and experts. Faculty, staff, postdocs, and students of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center are free to sign up at https://masterclasses.nature.com/.