Objectives of the Human Frontier Science Program
The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) supports basic research focused on elucidating the complex mechanisms of living organisms. Emphasis is placed on novel, innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to basic research that involve scientific exchanges across national boundaries. In particular, HFSP encourages research into biological problems involving approaches and knowledge from different disciplines such as chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, material sciences, because significant new ideas, techniques and discoveries often arise at the boundaries between disciplines. In addition to its international, and especially intercontinental character, the HFSP places emphasis on supporting researchers who are early in their careers and who are expected to play an important role in generating and pursuing original research.

Today's scientific challenges in the life sciences are highly complex demanding investigative approaches from different disciplines. To this end the HFSP Fellowship Program supports advanced training of postdoctoral researchers in an interdisciplinary context. A broad training in more than one research area enables outstanding young researchers to make significant contributions to advance our understanding of fundamental biological processes. The goal of the HFSP Fellowship Program is to develop a global network of talented young scientists by enabling postdoctoral fellows to obtain training in a new area of research in an outstanding laboratory in another country. Applicants for postdoctoral fellowships are therefore expected to broaden their horizon and to move into a new research field that is different from their PhD studies or previous postdoctoral training.

HFSP offers two different fellowship types for applicants with different educational backgrounds:

1. Long-term Fellowships
   Long-Term Fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree and prior research training/experience in the life sciences. Applicants are expected to move into a new research field within the life sciences or into a different discipline while investigating a fundamental biological process.
2. Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships
   Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships are intended for postdoctoral fellows with a Ph.D. degree and with prior research training/experience in the physical sciences (chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, material sciences etc.) who wish to receive training in the life sciences thus proposing a significant change in discipline.

The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) promotes international collaboration in interdisciplinary, basic research in the life sciences. In addition to its international, and especially intercontinental character, a second emphasis of the HFSP is to encourage researchers who are early in their careers and are expected to play an important role in originating and pursuing creative research. The third emphasis of the HFSP is to stimulate novel and interdisciplinary research, because significant new ideas, techniques and discoveries often arise at the boundaries between disciplines. In order to meet these aims, a program of research grants, fellowships and workshops was inaugurated in 1989 to support research that transcends national boundaries. Research Grants and Long-Term Fellowships are awarded once a year; Short-Term Fellowships are given throughout the year.

Objectives of the Short-Term Fellowships
Short-Term Fellowships are intended primarily to support researchers early in their careers who wish to work in a laboratory in another country for example to learn new techniques or to support the establishment of collaborations in a new area of research rather than ongoing projects. Independent young researchers, early in their careers, are encouraged to apply.

Tenure of Short-Term Fellowships
Short-Term Fellowships are awarded for periods of 2 weeks to 3 months. The length of time must be justified on the basis of need to perform experiments, learn techniques or to use facilities that are only available at the host institution. Fellowships will not be awarded for a series of multiple visits to the host laboratory during the period of award as travel expenses are paid only for travel to and from the fellow.s institution to the host institution at the start and end of the fellowship.

Applications may be submitted throughout the year. Decisions on awards will be announced approximately 3-4 months after receipt of the complete application. Applicants must provide adequate time for review of the application before the start of the fellowship. No retroactive funding is provided. It is recommended that applicants contact the Secretariat before traveling to the host laboratory, if they have not received notification of the outcome of the application within that time frame.

Eligibility for application
The aim of the HFSP is to support basic research focused on elucidating the complex functions of living organisms. The scope of HFSP funding ranges from biological functions at the molecular and cellular level up to biological systems. It does not extend to the level of populations or ecosystems. Within this broad area, all levels of analysis are supported, from studies on genes and individual molecules, intracellular networks, intercellular associations in tissues and organs, to networks underlying complex functions of entire organisms. All scientific inquiries of a fundamental character will be supported including research in methodology. However, projects that involve only large-scale, systematic genome mapping or proteomics analyses and applied research (e.g. clinical) are not eligible to receive HFSP funding. Nor does the HFSP support projects aimed specifically at developing methods of treatment and diagnosis, or those directly concerned with agricultural or environmental problems such as crop yield or bioremediation. Studies related to disease are only considered if they allow new insights into fundamental biological mechanisms. The HFSP views interdisciplinary approaches as being necessary for addressing the scientific questions that it supports, and that fellows should receive broad research training. Thus, applicants for Short-Term Fellowships should obtain training or establish collaborations in a new research field. Individuals training outside the life sciences, such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science or engineering, are encouraged to utilize HFSP fellowships to obtain training or establish new collaborations in the life sciences.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS; Trieste, Italy) have agreed to offer up to twenty fellowships per year to young scientists from developing countries (other than China) who wish to undertake the last year of their Ph.D. research in China.

The CAS-TWAS Postgraduate Fellowships in natural sciences will be tenable at research institutions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for a maximum period of twelve months. CAS will provide a stipend to cover food, accommodation and emergency medical aid, while the international travel (return economy class fare by shortest route) will be covered by TWAS. The fellowships do not include provisions for accompanying family members. Successful applicants must not take up other assignments during the period of their fellowships.

Applicants for these fellowships must meet the following criteria:

• be a maximum age of 35 years on 31 December of the application year;
• hold a Masters degree in one of the fields of natural sciences;
• be nationals of a developing country (other than China);
• be registered Ph.D. students in their home country;
• provide evidence that they will return to their home country upon completion of the fellowship.

The aim of the African Fellows Programme is to support sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by using innovative solutions to achieve food security. Projects should aim to develop lasting partnerships and strategic alliances that will help build local scientific capacity relevant to sustainable agricultural production. African scientists will carry out research projects in a partner European research institute or university for periods of 4-12 months. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis in a two-stage assessment process. Research projects need to:

• focus on solving an agricultural problem or constraint
• demonstrate a clear path from research to application
• benefit African small-holder farmers and the rural economy

Examples of potential project areas include integrated crop/livestock management, crop nutrition, soil fertility, post-harvest technology and alternative crops. The programme CANNOT support fieldwork in Africa and projects on food processing will NOT be funded. MSc and PhD studies are outside the remit of the programme. Pre-proposal concept notes are now invited for the third round of this programme. Pre-proposals should be submitted by 17:00 hours (GMT) on 14 October 2005. Full proposals will be requested by November 2005 from short-listed applicants who are judged to have satisfied project criteria. The deadline for full proposals is 16 January 2006. Fellowships will be awarded after full proposals have been assessed by an independent review panel which will meet in February or March 2006. The next deadline for pre-proposal concept notes will be on 3 March 2006. Please note that Pre-proposals can be submitted at any time and will be considered in the following round of submissions. Applicants should obtain further details and guidelines from the Rothamsted International website.

UNESCO has invited young post-graduate researchers in developing countries with a Master.s degree (or equivalent) to apply for fellowships, each worth a maximum of US$6,000 to US$10,000, through the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowship Programme, financed by Japan through funds-in-trust dedicated to the development of human resources. The programme . named after the late Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi who was known for his commitment to development issues . offers a total of 20 fellowships to researchers active in one of four fields: environment, inter-cultural dialogue, information and communication technology, and peaceful conflict resolution. This is the sixth year running that Japan has awarded these grants.

In a series of letters, Director-General Ko.chiro Matsuura has called on all of UNESCO.s National Commissions, delegations and field offices to invite potential candidates to apply for the fellowships, through their National Commission. Applications must reach UNESCO Headquarters in Paris before January 13, 2006.

Researchers under 40 years of age may submit their applications to their country.s National Commission for UNESCO, which will select a maximum of two candidates. A special selection committee of experts in the four research fields concerned will review the applications in order to make proposals to the Director-General.

This fellowship programme is for female students in Sub-Saharan Africa or Least Developed Countries (LDCs) who wish to pursue postgraduate training leading to a doctoral degree at a centre of excellence in the South outside their own country.

Purpose
The Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS) with funds generously provided by the Department for Research Cooperation (SAREC) of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), has instituted a fellowship programme for female students from Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), who wish to pursue postgraduate training leading to a Ph.D., at centres of excellence in the South (developing countries), outside their own country.

The general purpose of the scheme is to contribute to the emergence of a new generation of women leaders in science and technology, and to promote their effective participation in the scientific and technological development of their countries.

The specific aims of the scheme are:

• To improve access to educational and training opportunities in science and technology for young and talented women graduates from Sub-Saharan Africa and LDCs.
• To increase the scientific productivity and creativity of women scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa and LDCs.
• To empower a new generation of talented women to assume a leadership role in science and technology and their application to sustainable development.

The fellowships are open to qualified young female science graduates (generally below 40 years of age) from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and/or LDCs.

The minimum qualification of applicants is an M.Sc. degree (or equivalent), or an outstanding B.Sc. honours degree, in the following fields of natural sciences:

• agriculture
• biology
• chemistry
• mathematics
• physics
• medicine
• earth & environmental resources
• engineering & technological sciences

The host institute where the applicant wishes to pursue her doctorate degree must be in a developing country other than her own.