Training Grant: Harvard Kidney, Urology and Hematology Training Institute

The Harvard Kidney, Urology and Hematology Training Institute (HKUHTI) is currently soliciting applications from pre- and postdoctoral candidates in the fields of non-malignant nephrology, urology, and hematology. This U2C/TL1 training grant is funded by NIH-NIDDK with mentors at Harvard Medical School in the Division of Medical Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess, Boston Children’s Hospital, MIT, and other Boston-area biomedical institutions.

We can appoint up to one predoctoral trainee and six postdoctoral trainees. Application deadline is September 15, 2026.

Eligibility

• HKUHTI trainees must be pursuing adult and/or pediatric non-malignant kidney, urology and/or hematology research.
• Candidates are required to be US citizens or green card holders.
• Postdoctoral trainees:
  • Cannot currently hold a faculty position, including an “Instructor” appointment.
  • Must be less than postgraduate year 5 (PGY 5). Applicants at or above PGY5 will be considered only if extenuating circumstances are described in the application.
• Predoctoral students must have completed two or more years of graduate school to be eligible.
• A primary mentor cannot have two HKUHTI-funded trainees of the same level (predoctoral or postdoctoral) concurrently.

Program
Funding is for up to two years. The second year of funding is contingent upon research progress, participation in HKUHTI activities, and fulfillment of other requirements.

Trainees benefit from a:

• Primary mentor (and Secondary mentor if appropriate)
• Individual Oversight Committee (IOC)
• Professional Development Core to foster career development
• Networking Core to promote interactions across disciplines and career stages
• National group of KUH Training Centers, enabling our trainees to interact with colleagues from across the country, both remote and in-person.

Trainees are required to participate in HKUHTI-specific, as well as Harvard-wide, collaborative training curricular offerings. These include, but are not limited to:

• A monthly virtual seminar series, usually on the fourth Monday, from 12:30-1:30pm.
• Quarterly in-person meetings, usually on the fourth Monday, from 12:00-2:30pm.
• An annual, full-day retreat.
• The KUHR-TN National Conference.
• A monthly, trainee-organized seminar series, usually on the second Thursday, from 3 – 4 pm.
• An HKUHTI-designed program in large-scale data analysis.

Postdoctoral trainees are expected to submit grant applications during their first year of support.

Trainee mentors are expected to participate in HKUHTI events and are required to obtain training in mentoring prior to acceptance of the trainee into the Program.

Application Process
1. Complete the HKUHTI training grant application online. The application consists of:

• Research proposal (two page maximum, excluding citations),
• NIH biosketch or CV of applicant,
• NIH biosketches of Mentor (required) and Co-mentor (if applicable), and
• Signed Mentor Commitment Form, which requires a one-page description of the training plan.

2. Request two letters of recommendation, from individuals other than your primary mentor, to be emailed to Dr. Alycia Bittner, at bwhhkuhti@mgb.org.

All application components, including letters of recommendation, must be received by end of day on September 15, 2026. Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed.

A list of potential mentors is included in the attached pdf. Secondary mentors are encouraged and can be, but not required to be, identified at the time of application. We are open to expansion of our mentor list with faculty members who are experienced mentors and who are willing to participate in our Network community.

For any questions regarding eligibility and program requirements, please contact the Program Manager, Dr. Alycia Bittner, at bwhhkuhti@mgb.org.