Purpose
In a new initiative that blends innovation in quantum technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) with biomedical and clinical applications, the Novo Nordisk Foundation together with the Cleveland Clinic, launched the Cleveland Clinic – Denmark: Quantum-AI Biomedical Frontiers Fellowship Programme.
The programme invites early career researchers from Denmark and the Cleveland Clinic to apply for a three-year exchange fellowship. Fellows will develop a research project at Cleveland Clinic or a Danish research institute for up to 3 years, this may include an optional return phase of up to 1 year.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) aims to propel the career development of early-stage postdoctoral researchers by:
- Providing them the opportunity to gain extensive research experience and training in a unique interdisciplinary environment at the highest international level, while fostering an open exchange of intellect and ideas.
- Promoting their scientific networks and innovative spirit through mobility, thus fostering scientific independence and international collaboration.
- Supporting their continued research career development between the Danish research ecosystem and the Cleveland Clinic.
Eligibility
All applicants must meet the following requirements at the time of application:
- Will have obtained a PhD degree within 5 years of the fellowship start date. Note: Periods with leave of absence does not count towards the 5 years.
- Will have a degree in medicine, natural and technical sciences, biomedicine, or biotechnology.
- Can apply as a PhD student if the PhD supervisor signs a declaration stating that the applicant is expected to graduate before the start date of the fellowship.
Applicants to a Danish research institution:
- Must demonstrate association/affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic.
- Must establish contact with a hosting principal investigator (PI) at a Danish research institution who has committed to being the primary research mentor for the duration of the fellowship.
- Must establish contact with a PI at the Cleveland Clinic who may serve as a collaborator on the project and has committed to host the Fellow during his/her return phase to the Cleveland Clinic, if included.
- Must provide a hosting letter from the Danish PI’s research institution agreeing to host the candidate under the conditions of the grant.
- Must be available to work fulltime for the duration of the programme. Leave of Absence qualifies as exceptions (documentation must be available on request).
- Must maintain a valid passport and be eligible for a Danish work visa.
Applicants to the Cleveland Clinic:
- Must demonstrate association to the Danish educational system or research environment (e.g. graduated from a Danish university, Danish citizenship, or several years of research experience at a Danish research institution).
- Must establish contact with a host PI at the Cleveland Clinic who has committed to being the primary research mentor for the duration of the fellowship.
- Must establish contact with a PI at a Danish research institution who may serve as a collaborator on the project and has committed to host the Fellow during his/her return phase to the Danish research environment, if included.
- Must provide a hosting letter from the Danish PI’s research institution agreeing to host the candidate under the conditions of the grant.
- Must be available to work fulltime (1 FTE) in the U.S. for the duration of the grant. Leave of Absence qualifies as exceptions (documentation must be available on request).
- Must demonstrate adequate English language skills via taking and passing English proficiency tests applicable to all international postdoctoral fellows at Cleveland Clinic.
Special rules for applications:
- Applicants can only submit one application at a time for any of the NNF postdoctoral fellowship grants and must receive notification of the outcome before re-applying.
- The project can receive partial funding from other sources. Any co-funding must be explicitly mentioned in the application.
The general conditions for receiving a grant from NNF can be found on our webpage.
Funding
The fellowship will cover up to DKK 1.2 million per year over a three-year project period, with a maximum grant size of DKK 3.6 million per fellowship (pro rata).
Application
It is important to carefully read the “Information and guidelines for applicants”, before initiating the application process, as these guidelines contains the complete call text as well as instructions regarding the completion of the application.
Recurring call
The Cleveland Clinic – Denmark: Quantum – AI Biomedical Frontiers Fellowship open again September 2026.
