Pre‑Doctoral Summer Fellowship Award Program
Applications for the 2026 Awards Cycle now open!
The Summer Fellowship Award Program is designed to recognize PhD students conducting research related to scleroderma. The program will encourage and foster the next generation of researchers by cultivating students’ early interests in working to discover the cause and cure of scleroderma. Students may submit a proposal on research relevant to adult or pediatric scleroderma.
Dr. Arnold Postlethwaite Summer Fellowship
Annually one recipient will be awarded the Dr. Arnold Postlethwaite Summer Fellowship. The endowed memorial fellowship was established by the family of Dr. Arnold Postlethwaite and honors his career as a scleroderma specialist, his 22-year relationship with the National Scleroderma Foundation’s Medical & Scientific Advisory Board and his role as a support group leader.
Neerja Marwaha Bhagat Research Scholar Fellowship
Each year, one recipient will be honored as the Neerja Marwaha Bhagat Research Scholar in recognition of their drive to discover the cause and cure of scleroderma. The Neerja Marwaha Bhagat Research Scholar Fellowship was established to honor the legacy of a longtime leader of the National Scleroderma Foundation Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
Learn more about eligibility and other details, download the fellowship instructions and the application.
Contact: Please contact the National Scleroderma Foundation with any questions at research@scleroderma.org or by calling (800) 722-4673.
Early Career Investigator Program (ECuIP)
The National Scleroderma Foundation’s Early Career Investigator Program (ECuIP) is a mentoring initiative designed to support recipients of New Investigator grants who are early in their careers and, in many cases, new to scleroderma research. The program meets quarterly and brings together early-stage investigators with senior mentors who are internationally recognized leaders in the field.
“These are mostly early-stage investigators who are new to scleroderma research,” said John Varga, MD. “The goal is to nurture a community of scleroderma innovators. No one needs to work in isolation, and we can build on ideas to accelerate advances in the field and bring them to the clinic promptly.”
ECuIP provides a collaborative and informal environment where New Investigators can present their research, ask questions, discuss challenges, and share successes and milestones. Sessions emphasize open dialogue, mentorship, and peer support, allowing participants to receive constructive feedback while building meaningful professional connections.
“This is an unparalleled effort to ensure a pipeline of physicians and scientists committed to the care of patients with scleroderma and to advancing basic, translational, and clinical research on the disease,” said Carol Feghali-Bostwick, PhD, who co-leads the program with Dr. Varga.
The goal of ECuIP is to help early-career investigators succeed and thrive by fostering mentorship, collaboration, and innovation, while creating a supportive community that accelerates progress and advances scleroderma research from bench to bedside.
*Participation is by invitation only.