BHI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (2025–2026)

The Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI) is the first dedicated research program in Canada designed to unite diverse disciplines in a transdisciplinary effort to study, prevent, and treat brain-heart (B-H) disorders. Enabled by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF)—a tri-agency initiative of  Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) — BHI supports research spanning the full spectrum from fundamental to applied research, including knowledge mobilization research. It promotes transformative collaborations across health, social sciences, humanities, engineering, and natural sciences, while fostering partnerships with community, provincial, national, and international stakeholders across academic, private, and not-for-profit sectors.  BHI’s vision is for uOttawa and its partners to become global leaders in integrated, mission-driven B-H research that spans biomedical discovery, clinical interventions, service delivery models, community-based prevention, and research addressing health inequities.

BHI fosters research excellence through its Cross-Cutting Enablersincluding: Indigenous engagement, Inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and social justice (IDEAS), Co-production & knowledge mobilization, Commercialization, Patient engagement and Training & mentoring. BHI funding programs are integral to advancing its IDEAS Strategy by requiring the integration of IDEAS principles in research design and practice; fostering diversity at all levels; and nurturing a bias and stereotype-free culture.

An immediate outcome identified in BHI’s Theory of Change is the development of a diverse group of researchers and trainees with the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct excellent, co-produced science. This foundational outcome supports the achievement of BHI’s intermediate and long-term goals, including: enabling new transdisciplinary science, fostering greater collaboration, accelerating research translation, and implementing evidence-informed B-H health innovations in policy, practice, and commercialization, for the benefit of all.

To realize these objectives, the development and launch of the BHI Scholarships, Fellowships and Training Program are critical components of BHI’s strategy.  

For more details on BHI’s goals, Foundations, Themes, and Cross-Cutting Enablers, please visit the BHI website.

• Attract top-tier trainees from Canada and abroad whose work aligns with the interdisciplinary mission of the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI), and who demonstrate potential to become future leaders in brain-heart research.
• Foster the development of original, high-impact research projects that advance knowledge at the intersection of brain and heart health, with strong potential for real-world application.
• Advance inclusive research excellence and leadership by supporting researchers from diverse backgrounds and the integration of BHI’s Cross-Cutting Enablers: IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice), Indigenous Engagement, Co-Production, Patient Engagement, Commercialization, and Open Science.

Mandatory:

• Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent including professional credentials) by the start date of the fellowship
• Applicants must have a designated supervisor or written commitment from a supervisor that is a Core Academic Member of the BHI.
• The proposed research project must use an interdisciplinary approach to study the interconnection between brain and heart health and be relevant to at least one BHI Foundation or Theme.
• Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or international researcher with a valid work permit.
• Awardees must be registered as Postdoctoral Researchers for the entire duration of the award.

Highly Encouraged:

• Applications from individuals who identify as Indigenous or as members of equity-deserving groups—including Racialized individuals, African, Caribbean, and Black communities, Persons with Disabilities, Women, and/or 2SLGBTQIA+.
• A Co-Supervisor or mentor for the trainee who has expertise in a distinct scientific discipline(s) from that of the Primary Supervisor (e.g., experts in health sciences and social sciences, experts in medicine and economics, experts in neuroscience and cardiology). The Co-Supervisor or mentor can be from a different institution involved in the BHI research program.

Limitations:

• Applicants cannot concurrently hold a comparable award from a Canadian federal/provincial funding agency or research institution and a BHI Scholarship. This funding cannot be combined with another nominative fellowship from a granting agency (ex. NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR).
• Trainees receiving funding from a BHI grant (i.e. Baseline or Exploration Projects) are eligible to apply for the BHI Fellowships but are asked to declare this information in the application form. If awarded, they will no longer be eligible for funding from the BHI grant.
• BHI Fellowship holders are encouraged, to apply for competitive external awards (e.g. HSF, Tri-Agency Canada Graduate Scholarships). If awarded, the trainee must inform BHI of the external award. Funding sources may be combined, up to the annual funding level of comparable Tri-Agency Awards. 

All applications submitted to the BHI Fellowship Program will undergo a structured two-step review process designed to ensure fairness, impartiality, transparency, and alignment with the program’s strategic objectives:

Administrative Review

• Conducted by the BHI administrative team to confirm that applications are complete and that applicants meet all eligibility requirements.

Peer Review

Eligible applications will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary peer review panel. The panel will assess applications based on the following criteria:

1. Research Proposal

• Potential for the research program, executed in the proposed institutional environment - to position the applicant for significant impact through a research-intensive career
• Relevance to BHI: significance and expected contributions to interdisciplinary brain-heart research; and appropriate integration of the BHI Cross-Cutting Enablers (i.e., IDEAS, Co-Production and Knowledge Mobilization, Open Science, Indigenous Engagement, Patient Engagement, Commercialization).

2. Research Experience and Leadership

• Quality of contributions of the applicant to research and development
• Applicant’s sphere of influence and demonstrated capacity for leadership within or beyond the research domain

3.Training Environment and Support

• Demonstration that the research environment will foster and enable a truly interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to brain-heart research.
• Demonstration of the commitment of the proposed supervisor(s) and mentor(s) to support the applicant through provision of the necessary facilities, training, mentorship, networks and an environment that enables them to pursue their research in line with the mandate of BHI and its Cross-Cutting Enablers.

Final funding decisions will be made by the BHI Executive Committee based on peer review scores, strategic alignment, and available funding, including matched funding from partner institutions. In cases where multiple excellent applicants have similar scores and funds are limited, the Executive Committee may balance distribution based on factors such as research institution, research disciplines, and/or BHI Foundations/Themes.

All Applicants will be notified by email of the results of the competition and successful Principal Applicants will be sent a Notice of Award. Applicants and their institutions are required to ensure all relevant institutional and Tri-Agency guidelines and policies are followed.

Before the release of funds, the Applicant must complete the mandatory training requirements for BHI Core Trainee Members.

Successful applicants will be expected to:

• Acknowledge BHI support in all research outputs (e.g., presentations, publications).
• Submit a final report at the end of the funding period to support BHI’s reporting obligations to CFREF and to help monitor the performance and impact of the initiative.
• Actively participate in BHI training activities, including the annual IDEAS Event, the State of the Science Conference, and other BHI-organized events.
• Apply for external scholarship opportunities to complement BHI-support and enhance their research training.
• Complete the mandatory Count Me In self-identification questionnaire.

• Prior to preparing the application, applicants must discuss their proposed project with their supervisor who is a Core Academic Member of the BHI to ensure it is aligned with the BHI mission.
• Applicants must complete the online application form (including attachments) by January 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Applicants are encouraged to review the resources available on the BHI website related to the BHI Cross-Cutting Enablers including for example, Indigenous Engagement; Co-Production and Knowledge Mobilization; Patient Engagement; Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Social Justice (IDEAS).

The online application form will include the following sections:

• Project details (e.g., title, applicant, supervisors, keywords).
• Plain language summary (maximum 150 words)
• Description of the project (maximum 2000 words) including:
  • Purpose and objectives/research questions
  • Background and rationale
  • Research methods to address research questions/objectives.
  • How Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice (IDEAS) and the other BHI Cross-Cutting Enablers are incorporated into the research project.
• Career aspirations and relevance to brain-heart health (maximum 500 words): Describe your career aspirations, within and/or beyond academia. Describe how do your aspirations relate to brain-heart health and the mandate of BHI. Comment on your interest and commitment to participation in the BHI Training Program. 

Include the following items as attachments with your application:

• Research proposal attachments: essential tables or figures and reference list
• OPTIONAL: Explanation of Leave, Interruption and/or other Personal Circumstances (maximum 250 words)
• CV: Provide a brief CV (5 pages or less) for the Applicant (the preferred format is the new Tri-Agency CV template)

Two Letters of Support:

1. Primary Supervisor (Maximum 2 Pages)

The letter from the primary supervisor is a critical component of the application and must provide a comprehensive and detailed account of the support that will be provided to the applicant throughout the duration of the BHI Fellowship.

The letter must address the following elements:

Interdisciplinary Nature of Supervision

• Clearly describe how the applicant’s research project reflects an interdisciplinary approach relevant to brain-heart health.
• Identify any co-supervisors, collaborators, or cross-disciplinary mentors involved in the trainee's supervision and explain how this interdisciplinary team will support the trainee’s development.

Mentorship Plan

• Describe how the supervisor will guide the trainee’s academic, professional, and career development.
• Indicate how the supervisor will support the trainee in achieving key milestones and navigating interdisciplinary research challenges.

Training Environment

• Describe the research environment and how it is conducive to high-quality interdisciplinary training.
• Highlight relevant institutional resources (e.g., research centres, labs, interdisciplinary groups, partnerships with hospitals or communities) that the trainee will be part of.

Supervisor’s Commitment

• Clearly demonstrate the supervisor’s commitment to supporting the trainee’s success and active engagement in the BHI Training Program.
• Discuss plans to encourage participation in core BHI activities such as the IDEAS Event, and other relevant BHI opportunities.

Resources and Support

• Provide specific details about the resources that will be made available to the trainee. These may include:
• Cash contributions (e.g., top-up funding, travel support)
• In-kind support (e.g., research assistance, access to patient cohorts or datasets)
• Equipment and infrastructure (e.g., lab facilities, specialized instruments, computing resources)
• Professional development opportunities (e.g., conference travel, networking, community engagement)

General letters that provide only vague or generic endorsements will not be accepted. The letter must contain concrete, tailored details demonstrating both the supervisor’s and institution’s commitment to the applicant’s interdisciplinary research and training experience.

2.Second Reference

The second letter of support should be from a different reference and can be a general letter.

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INFORMATION SESSION AND CONTACT INFORMATION

For all inquiries, please contact:

[email protected]