TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO, runs the Clinical Research Leadership (CRL) fellowship to build clinical research leaders in low- and middle-income countries.
Fellows train for 6–12 months at a Training Partner Organization (drug and vaccine companies, product development partnerships, research institutes) in Africa, Asia, Europe or the Americas, then return home for up to 12 months of reintegration. Partners and seats are set each round.
Benefits & funding
- Up to 24 months of support: the placement, then up to 12 months of reintegration at home.
- One economy return flight, a monthly stipend set by placement location (no figure published) and health insurance.
- Support to present at an international conference.
- Reintegration funds, released once TDR approves a progress report and plan.
- Duty: return to your home institution for at least two years.
Eligibility
- A national of, and resident in, a low- or middle-income country. The call names no countries; on the World Bank FY2027 classification these are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, DR Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- A PhD or MD, or an MSc in pharmacy, with proven clinical research experience in TDR’s scope.
- First degree obtained within 15 years of applying.
- Employed for the last 24 months as a researcher or clinical staff member at a registered institution in such a country doing clinical research on poverty-related or emerging infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, antimicrobial resistance or neglected tropical diseases.
- Each person can be funded only once.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Belarus · Belize · Benin · Bhutan
+ 119 more
Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · China · Colombia · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · DR Congo · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Honduras · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · North Macedonia · Pakistan · Palestine · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Argentina · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bangladesh · Belarus · Belize · Benin · Bhutan
+ 119 more
Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · China · Colombia · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · Cuba · DR Congo · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Honduras · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · North Macedonia · Pakistan · Palestine · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Serbia · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
Master · PhD
Experience required
≥ 2 yrs
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Application process
- 1Wait for the next call; TDR has announced none since the 2025 round.
- 2Register on the WHO survey site linked in the call and submit the online form by the deadline.
- 3TDR screens eligibility; each partner shortlists up to five candidates for interview.
- 4The candidate, home institution and partner interview together with TDR present; TDR then matches candidates to partners.
Program timeline
Third-cohort deadline, 17:00 CET
Mar 30, 2025
Reopened third-cohort deadline
Sep 15, 2025
Interviews
October 2025 – January 2026
Third cohort starts placements
2026
Next call
not yet announced