Postdoctoral Recognition Award (PRA)
Calling all postdoc trainees to participate in the
2026 SFB Postdoctoral Recognition Award (SFB-PRA) Competition!
The 5th SFB Postdoctoral Research Award (PRA) recognizes excellence in future leaders of biomaterials across academia and industry. This competition invites postdoctoral trainees to submit both an abstract and CV for consideration. The selection process begins with a comprehensive evaluation of submitted materials, where finalists are chosen based on the scientific merit of their abstracts and the strength of their CVs.
Selected finalists will present their research at the PRA competition during the 2026 SFB Annual Meeting, providing a prestigious platform to showcase their work to the biomaterials community. The top three award recipients will be determined by an distinguished award committee comprising selected faculty members, industry representatives, and members of the SFB Young Scientist Group, who will evaluate both the quality of the research and the effectiveness of each presentation. This award celebrates emerging talent and innovation in biomaterials research while fostering connections between promising postdoctoral researchers and established leaders in the field.
Apply: Submit your abstract* (1 page) and current CV (max 4 pages).
*An abstract can be similar to or distinct from previously accepted abstracts. The process is quite flexible, offering postdocs the opportunity to present a different perspective if desired.
Deadline: February 23, 2026
Cash Awards:
1st place $250 USD
2nd place $200 USD
3rd place $150 USD
+ certificate of recognition for all finalists
Date/Time of Competition at the Annual Meeting: Friday, March 27, 2026 | 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Presentation Format (tentative): 12 min oral presentation (+3 min Q&A)
Please Note: Candidates must be current postdoctoral trainees at a university or research institute in the United States and a current member of SFB. Candidates must be first and presenting author on their abstract and submit a current CV including major accomplishments, leadership roles, and activities, outreach and service.
For any questions in regards to the Postdoctoral Recognition Award, please reach out to Claudia Loebel at loebelcl@seas.upenn.edu and Fan Zhang at fzhang15@uw.edu
For additional questions please reach out to the SFB Meetings Department at info@biomaterials.org