Amsterdam UMC Fellowship
The Amsterdam UMC Fellowship is both a career development track and a grant for exceptionally talented researchers. Since 2024, two laureates have been selected each year. Assistant professor Danai Riga and associate professor Abdel Abdellaoui share why they applied, how they are using the grant, and what the Fellowship and accompanying Tenure Track means to them. “Now I have the certainty that I can continue along the path I've chosen.”
A tenure track that helps you move toward the position of associate professor, including a research budget for a period of up to five years, from which you can pay your own salary and other research expenses. The Amsterdam UMC Fellowship is designed to be a catalyst for the academic careers of talented researchers like Danai (Tenure Track researcher since December 2024) and Abdel (Tenure Tracker since December 2022). Abdel: “With a permanent contract and a tenure track, I no longer have to worry about the next few years. That security really helps my mindset. I can fully focus on the content of my research.” Danai adds: “Five years of certainty! That’s the furthest horizon I’ve encountered in my career so far. As a researcher, you always need a plan B and plan C, because there are no professional guarantees that you can continue your career. This came exactly at the right time for me.”Neuroscience
Coincidentally, both researchers are affiliated with Amsterdam Neuroscience, one of Amsterdam UMC’s eight research institutes. Danai Riga conducts fundamental research on stress and the brain. “The stress center in our brain teaches us to avoid danger and seek out safety. But how exactly does that work, and what does it mean for conditions like post-traumatic stress (PTSD) or ADHD? Put simply: I want to better understand how and when the stress system goes into overdrive - and how we can prevent that.”
Abdel Abdellaoui also conducts fundamental neuroscience research, focusing on the interplay between genetics and society. “Some people develop a disorder, others don’t. Some attain a high socioeconomic status, others don’t. Can we predict that? What are the genetic triggers, and what role does the environment play? These are questions I’ve been working on for years.”
To make his research more accessible to a broader audience, he collaborated with illustrator Lizah van der Aart to create a comic. Thanks to the Fellowship, the project could be realized. The publication was released in March, titled: ‘Are we born for success, or are we made to succeed?’ The story clearly shows that genes and environment interact - and this interaction determines how far someone can climb the social ladder. “It’s fundamental research that can be applied in many areas,” says Abdel. The publication was very well received in his field and attracted considerable media attention.
Photo: Abdel Abdellaoui
Budget
Both researchers have used part of the budget to hire additional researchers. “In May, I hired a postdoc. That means my team has doubled in size - amazing, right?”, Danai Riga says, laughing. And that’s not where she plans to stop. “My goal is to expand the team even further. The more eyes, minds, and hands we have, the faster we can find answers.”
Photo: Danai Riga
Support and network
They both emphasize that while the financial aspect is crucial, it’s not the only thing that matters. “Being part of this UMC gives me a strong base. It provides a solid embedding for my research; it’s easier to make connections, both inside and outside the organization. My network is growing, I have more people backing me, more doors are opening; it gives my work more gravitas. That might be especially important in my case. Because my research is so fundamental, it’s impact is not always easy to explain.”Follow your curiosity
To obtain the Fellowship, Abdel and Danai went through a rigorous selection process. Their proposals and CV’s were well received. Abdel: “I wasn’t very successful before with grant applications; my interests are too broad to easily fit into standard boxes. But I always stuck with the topics that fascinate me. To quote the comedian Jerry Seinfeld: ‘If you're going to fail, make sure you fail doing exactly what you want to do.’ That’s better than choosing a trendy topic you don’t care about - and still fail.’”They quickly agree on which advice they would give future applicants: “Follow your heart and your curiosity—and go for it!”
About the Fellowships & apply
The Amsterdam UMC Fellowship aims to attract exceptionally talented researchers with the potential to build, grow, and sustain their own successful research groups. Since 2019 fellowships have been awarded annually; each round is announced in December on the Amsterdam UMC vacancies website. Since several years, the Board of Directors awards a second Fellowship for a researcher with an underrepresented background.You are eligible to apply if you:
- have previously acquired prestigious grants at junior postdoc level (VENI);
- conduct research that aligns with the topics of one of Amsterdam UMC’s eight research institutes;
- have an outstanding publication record;
- have experience in research management.
A Fellowship includes a maximum amount of €750,000 (for the salary of the fellow, a PhD candidate/team member, and/or laboratory costs), for a period of up to five years.