Arturo Falaschi SMART Fellowships – March 2026: Guidelines, Eligibility & Application Process

The Arturo Falaschi SMART Fellowships offer an opportunity for young life-science researchers to gain hands-on training, collaborate internationally, and advance their academic careers. These competitive fellowships promote mobility between ICGEB Member States, ensuring knowledge exchange and strengthening scientific partnerships. With the March 2026 SMART Fellowship call now open, aspiring researchers can prepare their applications to compete for this prestigious international training award.

Overview to the SMART Fellowship Programme

The SMART Fellowship programme is designed to support early-career scientists who wish to undertake short-term research stays—ranging from three to nine months—at laboratories located in other ICGEB Member States. This initiative aims to:

• Strengthen collaborative research between two laboratories
• Enhance the candidate’s technical skills through practical, laboratory-based training
• Provide career-advancing experience in advanced life-science research environments
• Promote mobility, knowledge exchange, and bilateral scientific cooperation

Proposals must clearly demonstrate active collaboration and strong communication between the home and receiving laboratories.

Research Areas Covered

SMART Fellowships are open to any field within the Life Sciences, including but not limited to:

• Molecular biology
• Genetics and genomics
• Biotechnology
• Immunology
• Bioinformatics
• Cancer biology
• Virology and infectious diseases
• Cell and developmental biology

Researchers are encouraged to design focused, collaborative projects that utilize the strengths of both institutions.

Eligibility Criteria for March 2026 Applicants

Applicants must fulfill the following conditions:

Category	Details
Nationality	Only nationals of ICGEB Member States can apply.
Career Stage	• PhD students enrolled at a recognized institution • Postdoctoral researchers within 5 years of PhD completion • Young scientists with an MSc or equivalent, actively working in research Preference: Early-career researchers
Mobility Requirement	• Research must be conducted in an ICGEB Member State different from the applicant’s home country. • Mobility to Italy, India, or South Africa allowed only if proposed work is not available at ICGEB labs in Trieste, New Delhi, or Cape Town.
Purpose of the Fellowship (Not Supported)	• Ongoing research visits • Training courses or workshops • Conferences • Bridging fellowships before/after long-term funding (ICGEB or others)

Fellowship Duration and Financial Benefits

SMART Fellowships offer significant financial support to enable researchers to conduct independent, high-quality research training.

Duration

• Minimum: 3 months
• Maximum: 9 months

Financial Coverage

1. Travel & Health Insurance

• Economy return airfare
• Health insurance coverage for the duration of the stay

2. Monthly Stipend

• USD 1,500 per month for PhD candidates
• USD 2,000 per month for postdoctoral researchers

3. Bench Fee

• USD 500 per month, transferred directly to the host laboratory
• Must be fully utilized for consumables essential to the research project
• Any unspent funds must be returned to ICGEB
• No overheads or administrative charges permitted

Eligible bench-fee expenses include: chemicals, consumables, glassware, plasticware, cell-culture materials, PCR/qPCR items, cryoware, pipettes, and similar laboratory materials.

Ineligible costs include: equipment, software, maintenance, travel, office supplies, literature, or administrative expenses.

Selection Criteria and Evaluation Process

Applications are evaluated by the ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee. Key factors considered include:

• Scientific excellence and feasibility of the proposed project
• Quality of the applicant’s CV and potential career impact
• Benefit to both home and receiving laboratories
• Laboratory infrastructure, skills, and technical capabilities available at the host institution
• Additional support offered by the receiving laboratory (e.g., accommodation assistance)

Application Requirements and Submission Process

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the ICGEB Service Gateway.

Required Documents (PDF Format)

1. Applicant’s full CV
2. Head of Receiving Laboratory’s CV (including publication list)
3. Valid passport/ID (preferably with at least 12 months validity)

Mandatory Home & Host Laboratory Confirmation

After the applicant enters details of both laboratories, automated emails are generated for:

• The Head of the Home Laboratory
• The Head of the Receiving Laboratory

Application Deadline

31 March 2026 (Midnight CET)

Final Reporting Requirements

At the end of the fellowship, awardees must submit:

• A joint scientific report with the host supervisor
• A financial statement from the receiving institute, detailing bench-fee expenditure

These documents ensure transparency and proper utilization of funds.