PennPORT

• Application

Application

PennPORT admissions is currently open and accepting applications for the fall 2024 cohort. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2024. Interested candidates with questions about the program or the application process are welcomed to contact program leadership and prospective research mentors at any time.

PennPORT Program Eligibility

Candidates must provide proof of a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent) by the time of appointment and must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents. Candidates should be early in their postdoctoral stage, with no more than 2 years since the date of their doctoral degree.

Benefits and Stipend

Scholar salaries are governed by Penn’s minimum postdoctoral stipends, which exceed NIH guidelines. Medical benefits are based on Penn’s benefits for non-NRSA postdocs. Rules governing CHOP and Wistar-based postdocs differ slightly, but salaries and benefits are comparable.

Finding a Research Mentor

Most active Research Faculty at Penn, Wistar, and CHOP can serve as PennPORT Research Mentors. Applicants should identify potential research labs based on their graduate training, research interests and specific career goals, as traditional postdocs do. Applicants do not need to have committed to a mentor at the time of completing the PennPORT application. However, they must specify 2-3 faculty of interest. To find research faculty members and review their research interests please visit the Biomedical Graduate Studies site.

How to Apply

Application deadline: February 15, 2024.  Top candidates will be expected to interview with the admissions committee and prospective labs either online or in person during March and April. New fellows start between Aug 1 and Oct 1.

A complete PennPORT application packet includes:

1. PennPORT IRACDA application form (link provided below)
2. A copy of your curriculum vitae (upload with application form)
3. A Personal Statement describing your prior experience and future goals with respect to research, teaching, and advancing diversity equity and inclusion in the academic community. Please limit to 2 pages /1800 words (upload with application form)
4. Three letters of reference (under most circumstances one letter should be from your Ph.D. mentor)
   • Recommenders should email letters directly to Chinwe Nwadiogbu at pennport@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
   • Please specify PennPORT and applicant full name in the subject line. 
5. List of 2-3 potential research mentors (identify on application form)

Letters should be addressed to:

Janis K Burkhardt, PhD
Director, PennPORT Program
Professor, Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
3615 Civic Center Blvd, ARC 816D
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Click the link below to retrieve the application:

PennPORT Admission Process

Consideration of applications will begin in January. Additional materials can be updated as needed. Individuals of interest will be contacted to arrange an interview. During your interview you will meet with faculty of interest, current postdocs, and program leadership. In addition, you will be asked to give a short seminar on your current research.

Questions about PennPORT program or the admissions process can be addressed to:

Dr. Janis Burkhardt, Program Director: jburkhar@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Dr. Jason Diaz, Program Co-Director: jdiaz@wistar.org

Dr. Donita Brady, Program Co-Director: bradyd@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Chinwe Nwadiogbu, Program Coordinator: pennport@pennmedicine.upenn.edu