David Koch Jr. Foundation Kidney Health Innovation Postdoctoral Support Award

The David Koch Jr. Foundation Kidney Health Innovation Postdoctoral Support award mechanism will provide funding for postdoctoral fellows to pursue innovative, mentored research to accelerate transformative discoveries in pediatric kidney disease, glomerular disease, and the adolescent to adult transition for individuals with kidney disease. This program aims to motivate and train the next generation researchers across disciplines such as immunology, genetics, computational biology and psychology - ultimately impacting health outcomes for children and young adults with kidney disease and position awardees for success in obtaining future extramural career development or independent research funding.

We encourage applicants to attend the following sessions to learn more about resources available at Stanford and beyond:

• Pediatric Grand Rounds: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 8:00 AM at the Center for Academic Medicine Grand Rounds Room with Dr. Matthias Kretzler, MD, University of Michigan, PI of NEPTUNE

• Interactive Learning Session: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM at the Center for Academic Medicine Grand Rounds Room, featuring:      
  • Dr. Matthias Kretzler, MD, PI of NEPTUNE
  • Dr. Alan Schroeder, MD, Clinical Professor, Pediatrics and Stanford PI for PEDSnet
  • Dr. Vivek Charu, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Quantitative Sciences) and PI of the Stanford pediatric and adult kidney biobank.
  • Dr. Richard Lafayette, MD, Professor, Medicine; Director, Stanford Glomerular Disease Center, Stanford Site PI of NEPTUNE and CureGN 
  • Dr. Sophia Giang, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Stanford Site Co-I of NEPTUNE and CureGN

Postdoctoral Fellows - $100,000/year, up to 2 years

This award supports a postdoc’s salary and fringe benefits up to a maximum of $100,000. Any remaining gap of your salary will need to be covered by your mentor.

• All applicants must have, or plan on, having a focus on pediatric kidney disease, glomerular disease, and the adolescent to adult transition for individuals with kidney disease.
• All applicants and their Primary Research Mentors much be Maternal and Child Health Research Institute Members. Failure to apply for membership will result in the application process being withheld.
• A Primary Research Mentor must be identified for postdoctoral fellows.
• All applicants must have legal residence in the United States (Applicants with H or J visas are eligible).
• All applicants must have a postdoctoral appointment date effective no later than the application deadline.
• The following are not eligible:
  • Clinical Fellows (MD or equivalent)
  • Instructors
  • Clinical Instructors
  • Clinician Educators (CEs)
  • Visiting scholars to Stanford
  • Senior Research Scientists, Research Associates/Assistants
  • Former recipients of Maternal and Child Health Research Institute-sponsored awards who have not complied with award/reporting requirements. Mentor or applicants who have overdraft(s) in previous awards that are not cleared prior to applying are not eligible.

*For full eligibility details, please refer to the FY26 RFA and policy.

Proposals for ancillary studies to NIH kidney disease networks must be approved by the network in advance and a letter of support included in the MCHRI grant application.

The NIH-funded Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE) observational study includes children and adults with minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and membranous nephropathy, and was established to investigate underlying disease mechanisms, elucidate pathogenesis, and identify therapeutic targets for clinical trials.Information on NEPTUNE’s Ancillary Studies Program can be found here. The Program requires applications for ancillary studies at last 3 months in advance. The NEPTUNE Stanford Site PI is Dr. Richard Lafayette and the Co-I is Dr. Sophia Giang.

Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) is a multi-center, international consortium of children and adults with minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy or IgA nephropathy/vasculitis. Additional guidance and instructions for CureGN Ancillary Studies are available here. The Ancillary Studies Program requires applications for ancillary studies at last 3 months in advance. Investigators can also access CureGN data to develop preliminary data in support of grant applications. The CureGN Stanford Site PI is Dr. Richard Lafayette and the Co-I is Dr. Sophia Giang.

For full details, please refer to the FY26 RFA.