Category: News

We will be holding our next TGIP (Postdoc Night Out) at Candela Tapas Lounge next Thursday Sept. 4th at 7pm.

Come and hang out with old friends or make new ones!

DCPDA will provide delicious tapas and drinks

Hope to see you all there!,
DCPDA

Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life
Requests for Applications for Investigator Awards and Postdoctoral Fellowships will be open until September 12, 2014
The Origin of Life is one of the great unsolved scientific problems of our age. The purpose of the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life is to advance our understanding of the processes that led to the emergence of life. The collaboration aims to support creative, innovative research on topics including the astrophysical and planetary context of the origins of life, the development of prebiotic chemistry, the assembly of the first cells, the advent of Darwinian evolution, and the earliest signs of life on the young Earth.
The collaboration comprises Investigators and Fellows who are chosen through competitive RFAs.
Research by participants in the collaboration address one or more critical questions regarding origins. The collaboration is directed by Dimitar Sasselov and Jack Szostak. They co-chair a Steering Committee, which includes Roger Summons, John Sutherland, George Whitesides and Marian Carlson.
The Simons Foundation has made an initial commitment to this collaboration for eight years, with a possibility for continued support.

Funder Name:  Simons Foundation - Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life
Program Name:  Postdoctoral Fellowships
Program description:  The origins of life are among the great unsolved scientific problems of our age. To advance our knowledge of the processes that led to the emergence of life, the Simons Foundation established the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life (SCOL). The Collaboration supports creative, innovative research on topics such as the astrophysical and planetary context of the origins of life, the development of prebiotic chemistry, the assembly of the first cells, the advent of Darwinian evolution and the earliest signs of life on the young Earth.  In the past decade, a small number of researchers have developed a ‘systems’ approach to origins-of-life research that connects disciplines, technologies and institutions in new collaborations. It is likely that answers to important scientific questions may come in the next decade, making this a significant moment in the changeover that results from an influx of new talent, new instrumentation and a growing global community of researchers.
The Collaboration seeks to engage the ideas and creativity of researchers around the world and will provide many opportunities for postdoctoral fellows to interact with their colleagues in different disciplines and programs. Fellows will be expected to participate fully in SCOL events both online and in person (e.g., webinars, workshops and annual symposia). These opportunities will both strengthen the Collaboration and provide the most fruitful mechanism for bringing a growing origins-of-life community together. Applications from all origins-related disciplines are encouraged.
Due Date:  September 12, 2014
Amount of Funding:  Up to $80,000 per year (one year award with potential renewals)
For more information, see: http://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities/life-sciences/simons-collaboration-on-the-origins-of-life-2015-postdoctoral-fellowship/
Eligibility:  Candidates should have received their Ph.D. or equivalent degree within five years of the fellowship’s start date. Applications may be submitted from scientists in domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations; public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories and units of state and local government; and eligible agencies of the federal government. There are no citizenship or country requirements.

Funder Name:  Simons Foundation - Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life
Program Name:  Investigator Awards
Program description:  The origins of life are among the great unsolved scientific problems of our age. To advance our knowledge of the processes that led to the emergence of life, the Simons Foundation established the Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life (SCOL). The Collaboration supports creative, innovative research on topics such as the astrophysical and planetary context of the origins of life, the development of prebiotic chemistry, the assembly of the first cells, the advent of Darwinian evolution and the earliest signs of life on the young Earth.
In the past decade, a small number of researchers have developed a ‘systems’ approach to origins-of-life research that connects disciplines, technologies and institutions in  new collaborations. It is likely that answers to important scientific questions may come in the next decade, making this a significant moment in the changeover that results from an influx of new talent, new instrumentation and a growing global community of researchers.
The Collaboration seeks to engage the ideas and creativity of researchers around the world and will provide many opportunities for investigators to interact with their colleagues in different disciplines and programs. Simons Investigators will be expected to participate fully in SCOL events both online and in person (e.g., webinars, workshops, quarterly meetings and annual symposia). These opportunities will both strengthen the Collaboration and provide the most fruitful mechanism for bringing a growing origins-of-life community together. Applications from all origins-related disciplines are encouraged.
Due Date:  LOI due September 12, 2014
Amount of Funding:  Up to $2,000,000 over five years
For more information, see: http://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities/life-sciences/collaboration-on-the-origins-of-life-investigator-award/
Eligibility:  All applicants and key collaborators must hold a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or equivalent at a college, university, medical school or other research facility. Applications may be submitted by scientists in domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations; public and private institutions, such as colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local government; and eligible agencies of the federal government. There are no citizenship or country requirements. We encourage applications from women, minorities and early career scientists.