Postdoc Academy for Aging Trajectories
The CECAD Postdoc Academy for Aging Trajectories is designed to attract outstanding early-career researchers from around the world. The programme brings together excellent scientists working across diverse disciplines to better understand the biological mechanisms that shape aging trajectories.
Fellows become part of CECAD's collaborative research environment and benefit from mentorship, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and extensive networking opportunities.
Fellowship Structure
- Up to four fellowships per year
- 3-year employment contract
- Mentorship by two CECAD Principal Investigators
- Hosted by a CECAD laboratory
- Access to CECAD's scientific infrastructure, collaborative network and workshop offers
The fellowship is explicitly designed to be compatible with complementary external funding schemes (e.g. DFG, ERC) and may serve as a platform for the development of future independent funding applications.
Research Scope
Applicants shall submit a research proposal that addresses key questions related to aging trajectories demonstrating scientific excellence, innovation, and relevance to CECAD's research profile.
The proposed project should align with at least one of CECAD’s research areas. Interdisciplinary proposals that integrate expertise across multiple research areas and foster collaboration are particularly encouraged.
Research Area 1
Research Area 2
Research Area 3
Application Requirements
Your application should include:
- Research Project Proposal (max. 4 pages)
- Description of Previous Research Activities and Achievements (max. 1 page)
- Letter of Motivation (max. 1 page)
- Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
Applicants must indicate three CECAD Principal Investigators who could act as mentors and potential hosts. The selected PIs should either provide complementary scientific expertise or facilitate innovative interdisciplinary collaborations.
Applicants must hold a PhD degree by the start of the fellowship which should not be obtained more than four years ago.
Application deadline is October 24, 2026.
Online Interviews will be held between November 16 – 20, 2026.
Contact
For any questions regarding the Postdoc Academy, please contact Fabian Krohm.
Fabian Krohm
Study Programs Coordinator (Master, Postdoc Academy)
Equity & Diversity
Telephone+49 221 478 84040
E-mailfabian.krohm[at]uni-koeln.de
CECAD Cologne / Central Office
CECAD Forschungszentrum
Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26
50931 Köln