MITO2i is pleased to announce its 2025 call for Graduate Student Scholarships

The Graduate Student Scholarship Awards will provide funding support to highly accomplished graduate student candidates who demonstrate outstanding potential to become independent researchers in Mitochondrial Research and Medicine. 

Research areas can include but not limited to:

1) Mitochondrial Transplantation

2) Mitochondria and Brain Health

3) Mitochondria Forensics

4) Research using mitochondrial related data sets for AI and machine learning 

5) Development of novel compounds that improve mitochondrial function and therapeutic treatments 

6) Development of diagnostic tools and mitochondrial technologies 

7) Projects concerning the law, ethics, patient counselling, health policy and economics and epidemiology of mitochondrial medicine research.

For Graduate Students Scholarships each award provides up to $10,000 for one year in salary support, from January 1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2026

Graduate students will be evaluated on the following basis:

  • Outstanding record of productivity
  • Cutting-edge, high-risk ideas that will lead to collaborations and further research

Eligibility:

  • Applicant must be a member of MITO2i and completed the registration page (Go to www.mito2i.ca and click on Log In to register).

  • All Graduate Students in any year of their studies can apply from the University of Toronto and any of the UofT partnering hospital institutions participating in the call for proposals***.

***Participating hospitals include Sunnybrook Research Institute and University Health Network

  • The program funds are to be used towards stipend support, any additional costs will be covered by the supervisors.

  • It is a requirement that the project should have an interdisciplinary approach and collaborations to enable the project are in place. To promote interdisciplinary research and collaborations students projects should have both their Primary Supervisor (Lead-PI) and a Co-Supervisor from a different discipline (Faculty/Departmental Unit).  For Graduate Students under the supervision of a Primary Supervisor (Lead-PI) from one of  the eligible hospital sites (see above) should also apply with a Co-Supervisor whose primary appointment is at UofT.  Submissions are limited to one candidate per Lead-PI.

  • While it is not expected that applicants have previously engaged with patients, it is encouraged that applicants consider the patient engagement implications in their proposed research. This could include patient, patient advocates, foundations, organizations, and patient groups.

  • Students who leave their positions for full-time employment or other educational opportunities during the award will no longer be eligible for the remaining award funds

Application Process:

  • Registration at MITO2i

  • A Scholarship Award Form

  • A Cover Letter (one page maximum, Ariel 11 points) outlining the achievements of the Student to date and a brief description of the goals of the project. The Cover Letter should be signed by the Student and Supervisor.

  • Proposal (Maximum 2 pages including references, tables & figures). Provide an overview of the proposed research, including background, goals and aims, methods and outcomes and timelines.

  • 250 words describing the interdisciplinary aspect of the project 250 describing patient engagement strategies.

  • Curriculum Vitae (maximum 4 pages). The CV must contain the following sections: education, relevant research/work experience, academic awards, and publications.

  • Send completed application to mito2i@utoronto.ca

    To assist you with preparing your patient engagement strategies please view the MITO2i  Patient Engagement for Grants, Fellowships & Scholarships Information Session below:

    The session is presented to you by Erin Walker, Patient Engagement Partners at UCL Partners in London UK and an Executive Advisory Committee Member of MITO2i.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 at 5PM EST

ALL SUBMISSIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO mito2i@utoronto.ca

For further questions please contact:

Erika Beroncal

Research Project Manager

erika.beroncal@utoronto.ca