Call for applications: UBC AI and Health Network Fellows Program

UBC AI & Health Network Fellows Program

The UBC AI and Health Network Fellows Program aims to enhance the delivery of advanced training and mentorship to cultivate future leaders who will drive innovation and transformation in healthcare through artificial intelligence. The goal is to empower principal investigators (PIs) to recruit, mentor and support postdoctoral fellows conducting interdisciplinary research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and health.  

PIs are responsible for identifying and selecting a qualified postdoctoral fellow to carry out the proposed research or activity. Funded fellows are expected to engage in projects that align with one or more of the UBC AI and Health Network’s core focus areas, encapsulated in two pillars and three themes: 

• Pillar 1: Clinical Practice and Patient Experience
• Pillar 2: Biomedical Innovation and Translational Sciences
• Theme 1: Data Sharing and Privacy
• Theme 2: End-user Acceptance of AI in Healthcare
• Theme 3: Province-wide Education, Training and Upskilling 

The program currently offers two streams: 

1. A general stream focused on AI and health;
2. A cancer-specific stream, generously funded by the BC Cancer Foundation, that supports research at the intersection of AI, cancer biology and oncology.  

We also acknowledge the generous support of Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), whose contribution supports the general stream and helps expand the program’s reach and impact. 

Applications are due by 12:00 p.m. PT (noon) on  September 8, 2025. We anticipate notifying applicants of decisions in late October. 

Award terms

• The award is intended for principal investigators (PIs) located on the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses and affiliated hospital sites.
• It is a one-year award.
• The award is valued at $100,000.
• The awards must be used to support the salary/stipend of a postdoctoral fellow.
  • The PI is responsible for selecting the fellow, who does not need to be a new hire.
  • If the fellow’s stipend exceeds the award amount, it is the PI’s responsibility to secure additional funding to cover the difference.
  • If the PI determines that a graduate student would better support the project’s progress, the funds may be used in this way. However, priority will be given to applications supporting postdoctoral fellows.
• The award is designed to support the PI in preparing a submission for a multi-year grant. 
• The award is not automatically renewed. However, both the PI and the funded fellow are eligible to reapply in future rounds of funding through this program.  

Eligibility

The applicant PI must: 

• Be engaged in activities directly related to the focus areas of the UBC AI and Health Network, with alignment to at least one of the Network’s pillars or themes.
  • Proposed projects are not limited to research. Other examples include hiring a teaching fellow to develop educational modules.
• Have a Faculty or Clinical Faculty appointment at The University of British Columbia (UBC; at UBC Vancouver, UBC Okanagan, or an affiliated hospital site). Eligible appointments* include:
  • Assistant Professor (or higher), full time, research or teaching stream
  • Assistant Professor (or higher), Partner
  • Clinical Assistant Professor (or higher) 
    *Other UBC faculty appointments may also be considered.
• For the cancer-specific stream, in addition to an eligible UBC faculty appointment, applicant PIs must have a BC Cancer appointment.
• Applicants can submit a single application as a group of two or more UBC PIs to fund one fellow.
• The funded fellow must be supervised or co-supervised by the applicant PI.
• Applicants do not need to select a stream at the application stage; this will be determined during the evaluation process to ensure the funding is allocated based on scientific merit. 

Application requirements and submission procedure

• A complete application includes a completed UBC AI and Health Network Fellows Program Application Form.
• Applications are due by 12:00 pm PT (noon) onSeptember 8, 2025,and should be emailed to ai.healthnetwork@ubc.ca in PDF format. The name of the PDF file should include the applicant’s name in the format of [last name, first name(s)]. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• We anticipate notifying applicants of decisions in late October. 

Evaluation and assessment criteria

Applications will be evaluated by a review committee comprising faculty members in the UBC AI and Health Network and representatives from BC Cancer. Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria: 

• Originality and quality of the proposed research project/activity
• Alignment with focus areas (pillars and themes) of UBC AI and Health Network
• Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations
• Existing data and/or pilot studies
• Feasibility to deliver results/impact within one year and expected impact of the research/activity
• Potential and plan for additional funding in the future  

Applications from early career researchers are strongly encouraged and will receive additional points during the evaluation process.

Contact

For any questions on the Fellows Program, please email ai.healthnetwork@ubc.ca.