2026-2027 Sanford Fellowship Program: Designing Empathy in Healthcare [RFA-RCSF-07]

Program Overview

The T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion (TDSIEC) at UC San Diego invites applications for its 2026–2027 Research Fellowship. Under the theme “Designing Empathy in Healthcare,” this cycle supports pre- and post-doctoral scholars investigating the biological, psychological, and clinical systems that enable empathy and compassion to emerge, endure, and be enacted particularly within healthcare.

At a time when healthcare systems are marked by accelerating technological change, rising clinician burnout, and widening gaps in human connection, empathy cannot be left to chance or individual disposition. At the Sanford Institute, we understand empathy as an active, learnable, and measurable capacity that depends on underlying structures that can either support or erode compassionate care. Designing Empathy in Healthcare foregrounds the idea that compassion is built, sustained, and transmitted through identifiable mechanisms and environments, and that these structures can be intentionally designed, strengthened, and repaired.

This theme invites researchers to examine the interdependent systems that make empathy possible in practice:

• The Biological Foundation: Mapping the neural circuits, physiological processes, and embodied synchrony that form the bedrock of empathic response.
• The Psychological Scaffolding: Understanding the cognitive, emotional, and developmental processes that allow individuals to recognize, interpret, and respond to the experiences of others.
• The Clinical Infrastructure: Designing care environments, communication tools, and organizational systems that allow empathy and compassion to flourish within the realities of modern medicine.

This call is intentionally focused on pre- and post-doctoral researchers, as the future of empathic healthcare depends on the next generation of scholars and practitioners. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows bring innovative, interdisciplinary perspectives, integrating neuroscience, clinical practice, social justice, and data science, that are essential for reimagining how compassion is embedded within healthcare systems.

Through this fellowship, the Institute seeks to support trainees in moving beyond the study of empathy as an abstract construct toward the development of empathy as a sustainable, actionable practice and one that shapes how healthcare is taught, delivered, and experienced.
About the Institute

Founded in 2019, the Sanford Institute represents an unprecedented blending of three themes:

1. 1. Medical Education: Sanford Institute scientists conduct empirical research into the most effective mechanisms that enable providers to demonstrate compassion and practice greater empathy.
   2. Physician Burnout: Part of the Sanford Institute's mission involves extrapolating new science-based programs and remedies to address this issue through validated instruction of self-compassion, mindfulness training (including assessing and integrating existing compassion training protocols) and a heightened focus on mental health.
   3. Research: The Sanford Institute employs state-of-the-art neuroscience technologies, including sophisticated neuro-imaging, to identify and map brain activity created by empathic behavior, quantify the factors promoting or inhibiting compassionate behavior and design new methods to increase empathic signals in the brain.

Our vision is a transformation of medical education where competence in empathy is as essential as technical skill.

Fellowship Objectives

We welcome innovative projects across the spectrum of "connection," including:

• Biological Foundations: Human-centered research using real-time, objective empathy measures (e.g., fMRI, physiological syncing).
• Interdisciplinary Models: Integrating law, business, or anthropology to understand how connection varies across cultural landscapes.
• Scalable Architecture: Research with the potential for implementation in health systems, policy, or global medical education.
• Data Science: Using machine learning or Bayesian methods to predict or interpret human connection.
• Social Justice: Addressing connection and empathy gaps in minoritized or underserved populations.

Funding & Duration

• Total Funding: Up to $100,000 (Direct Costs).
• Budgetary Scope: Funds may be used for a portion of the Fellow’s salary (aligned with UCSD scales) and essential research expenses (supplies, participant incentives, or equipment).
• Project Period: One year (12 months).
• Renewal: Support will be provided for up to two years for Fellows. Renewal for a second year requires submission and approval of a progress report covering the first year.

 Eligibility and Mentorship Requirements

• Candidate: Must be a full-time UC San Diego graduate student or postdoctoral scholar in good standing.
• Faculty Mentor: Applicants must identify a UCSD faculty mentor (including Adjunct faculty at Salk, Scripps Research, or Sanford Burnham Prebys).
• Mentorship Agreement: The mentor must demonstrate a track record of successful supervision and provide a dedicated training environment for the Fellow.

Submission Guidelines

Phase I: Letter of Intent (LOI)

The LOI serves as a preliminary screen for mission alignment and scientific feasibility.

• Project Title: Concise and descriptive.
• Biographical Data: Brief bios of the Applicant and Faculty Mentor.
• Specific Aims Summary (≤500 words): Outline the central hypothesis, objectives, and the potential impact on the field of empathy research.
• Preliminary Budget Estimate: High-level breakdown of salary vs. research costs.

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Phase II: Formal Proposal (By Invitation Only)

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. All documents must follow 11pt Arial font and 0.5-inch margins.

1. 1. Abstract (300 words): A technical summary of the project.
   2. Public Summary (150 words): A non-technical description for lay audiences.
   3. Specific Aims (1 page): State the goals of the research and the hypotheses to be tested.
   4. Research Strategy (6 pages):
      1. Significance: Does this project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in empathy research?
      2. Innovation: Does the project challenge existing paradigms or use novel methodologies?
      3. Approach: Describe the experimental design, methods, and statistical analyses.
   5. Mentorship & Training Plan (1 page): Describe the frequency of meetings, the mentor’s role in the project, and specific professional development goals for the Fellow.
   6. Budget Justification: Detailed itemization of all costs. Include hourly rates for any personnel and justification for equipment over $5,000.
   7. Project Timeline: A Gantt chart or table detailing milestones over the 12-month period.
   8. NIH Bio-sketches: Required for both the Applicant and the Faculty Mentor.

Review Criteria

Applications will be evaluated by an expert multi-disciplinary committee based on:

• Significance & Mission Alignment
• Candidate Potential
• Innovation
• Approach & Feasibility
• Mentorship & Training Environment
• Future Funding & Career Launch

Deadlines

Date	Phase	Milestone
February 13, 2026 @12PM	Session	Info Session
February 20, 2026	Launch	Open RFA
March 16, 2026	Phase I	Letter of Intent Deadline
April 6, 2026	Notice	Next Stage Decision
May 29, 2026	Phase II	Full Proposal Deadline
May 30-June 21, 2026	Selection	Scientific Peer Review Period
June 22, 2026	Decision	Notices of Award Sent
June 23-June 30, 2026	Onboarding	Administrative Setup & Fund Transfer
July 1, 2026	Launch	Fellowship Start Date

Questions?

Contact Research Program Coordinator, Cindy Chwa, MPH, at cchwa@health.ucsd.edu. 

Applications for our Physician Wellness Culture Awards are accepted twice per year.

For more information, please visit https://physicianwellness.ucsd.edu/resources-academic/call-for-proposals.html or contact Physician Wellness Admin (physicianwellnessadm@health.ucsd.edu).

Background 

Catalyzed by Denny Sanford’s vision and generosity, the T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion (TDSIEC) at University of California San Diego was founded with a generous donation in July 2019. The Institute represents an unprecedented blending of two parallel themes: employing the unyielding rigor and tools of science to establish the neurological basis for empathy in the brain to identify the mechanisms that transform compassion from biology to behavior, and experimenting with and developing new ways to teach and instill empathy and compassion in clinicians currently practicing and in the teaching of future generations of health professionals. 

Our vision is a transformation of medical education in which an emphasis on skill learning and competence in empathy and compassion parallels that for scientific and technical skills.
 

Mission

• Bridge those who explore the neurobiology of empathy and compassion with educators to create curricula aimed at enhancing and sustaining empathy and compassion in students and physicians for both self and others.  
• Develop and disseminate validated curricula for empathy and compassion to inform medical education at UC San Diego, across the U.S. and internationally. Through these efforts, mark the Institute as an international thought leader and motivator of system change in enhancing empathy and compassion in healthcare.  
• Invent and adapt curricula for empathy and compassion to educate others, including professionals and the population at-large.  
• Pursue research and develop curricula that advance empathy and compassion in support of social justice, especially in the context of human healthcare. 

Objectives

• To mature existing curricular plans by measuring impact and validation 
• To scale mature validated curricula to other schools of medicine 
• Create a research agenda (informed by both educators and scientists to create a novel, domain expertise informed, curriculum for empathy and compassion in medical education) 
• To sustain the operations of the Institute and its Centers by securing funding from both UC San Diego and other resources 
• To combat physician burnout through development of curricula, training and novel programs aimed at enhancing well-being 

Areas of Interest 

We welcome proposals that focus on empathy as well as other novel approaches. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: 

• Human-centered research using real-time, objective empathy measures  
• Cross-disciplinary approaches integrating fields like law, business, or anthropology with diverse cultural perspectives 
• Potential for scalable implementation in health systems, policy, or education 
• Measurable outcomes through clear impact metrics and empirical evidence through validated outcome measures 
• Rigorous data analysis techniques/models to predict or interpret findings (e.g., machine learning, Bayesian methods) 
• Minoritized populations (e.g., racial and ethnic minority groups, sexual and gender minorities) 

Other innovative projects that address empathy and compassion, such as novel curricula, interdisciplinary interventions, or systems-level policy frameworks, are welcome and will be evaluated based on their creativity, feasibility, and alignment with the Institute’s mission.

Eligibility & Support 

• Open to UC San Diego-affiliated faculty and researchers. 
• Projects that include faculty from at least two schools or divisions at UCSD are strongly encouraged. 
• Proposals that are chosen for funding will be awarded up to $100,000. Actual award amounts may be reduced from the requested level and will be determined by available funding. 

Key Dates & Application Information

• Open to Applications: September 20, 2025 
• Info Session #1: October 2, 2025 (contact cchwa@health.ucsd.edu for more info)
• Info Session #2: October 23, 2025 (link to sign up: bit.ly/rfa-info-session)
• Letter of Intent Final Deadline: November 14, 2025 
• Notice of Invitation for Full Proposal: December 12, 2025
• Full Proposal Final Deadline: January 9, 2026
• Notice of Decision: March 1, 2026
• Project Start Date: April 1, 2026 

No late applications or deadline extensions will be accepted. All materials must be submitted through our grant management platform, Submittable. Applications that are emailed will not be considered.
 

Application Requirements 

Stage 1: Letter of Intent (LOI) 

• Project Title 
• Short biographies of all research personnel involved 
• Brief Summary of the proposed research focus (≤500 words) 
• Estimated Budget Request 

Stage 2: Full Application (by invitation only)

• Project Summary/Abstract (½ – ¾ page) 
• Project Narrative (≤250 words) 
• Specific Aims (1 page) 
• Research Strategy (≤12 pages) 
  • Significance 
  • Innovation 
  • Approach 
• Future Directions 
• Itemized Budget Justification (1 page, table format optional, include hourly rates if applicable) 
• Study Timeline (1 page, table format) 
• Appendix (as needed, e.g., questionnaires or other instruments) 
• NIH Biographical Sketches 

Review Criteria 

• Significance: Address a critical need in the scientific study of empathy and compassion within health policy, healthcare, or education. It should be well-aligned with the Sanford Institute’s mission and capable of advancing this interdisciplinary field through its scope and proposed activities. 
• Investigator(s): The principal investigator(s) and key personnel must be well-qualified to lead the proposed work, with demonstrated expertise in relevant domains. Investigators should show evidence of effective coordination across academic and clinical units and, if relevant, the capacity to manage subawards, data-sharing agreements, and multi-site collaborations. 
• Innovation: Incorporate novel or refined approaches for studying empathy and compassion. This may include the application of innovative technologies, measurement tools, theoretical frameworks, or analytic methods that enhance the resolution, accuracy, or scalability of research in this area. The proposal should describe how these innovations contribute to the generation of new knowledge or significantly improve the efficiency or reach of existing approaches. 
• Approach: The overall strategy and operational plan should be logical, well-articulated, and evidence-informed. The repository or core must have a clearly defined organizational structure, with achievable milestones and a realistic timeline. 
• Alignment with Research Mission: The extent to which the proposal aligns with Sanford’s mission of: 1) employing the unyielding rigor and tools of science to establish the neurological basis for empathy in the brain to identify the mechanisms that transform compassion from biology to behavior; and, 2) experimenting with and developing new ways to teach and instill empathy and compassion in clinicians currently practicing and in the teaching of future generations of health professionals. 
• Future Funding Prospects: Plan for securing additional funding sources upon conclusion of the award period. 

Contact 

Cindy Chwa, MPH (cchwa@health.ucsd.edu)
Research Project Coordinator, Center for Research on Empathy and Compassion
T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion 

Funding Opportunity: Seed Grant Program

Provider Burnout: Mechanisms and Interventions

The Center for Research on Empathy and Compassion invites applications for research proposals. The focus of this call is on understanding the causes and mechanisms of burnout and the development of evidence-based interventions that target medical provider burnout.

Applications are now open.

 

ABOUT THE CENTER

The Center for Research on Empathy and Compassion exists to enhance the well-being of faculty and students through elucidation of the neurobiological bases of empathy and compassion and the application of research advances through novel educational and training initiatives. The Center promotes research that aligns with this mission through its Seed Grant, Fellowship, and Collaborative Research programs.

SEED GRANT PROGRAM

Through its Seed Grant Program, the Center aims to encourage research to pursue basic and applied research on empathy and compassion. The seed grant program supports both basic and applied research. The basic science agenda focuses on the fundamental features of neural function and behavior in the context of paradigms that engage empathy and compassion. The applied research agenda focuses on changes that result from training in empathy and compassion, as defined using both subjective and objective measures.

ABOUT THE AWARD

Awards are non-renewable and for a period of one year. Up to $100,000 may be awarded. For additional award terms, please see our applicant information page.

ELIGIBILITY

Any full-time UC San Diego faculty member is eligible to apply.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

First-Stage Application - Letter of Intent (LOI)

Applicants selected to proceed to the second stage will receive an invitation to submit a formal proposal.

DEADLINES

Applications open February 1, 2024.

First-Stage Applications close March 1, 2024 at 5 p.m. (PST).

2024-2025 Sanford Research Fellowship

Apply to be a Sanford Research Fellow!

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year open November 13.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Through the Sanford Research Fellows program, the Center aims to support students, trainees, and early-career researchers with an interest in empathy and compassion research. The award provides research funding to fellows under the guidance of a faculty mentor for their basic or applied empathy and compassion-related research projects. In addition to financial support, Fellows are welcomed into the Sanford Institute community and provided with opportunities for fellowship, knowledge sharing, and professional development. Fellows and mentors are encouraged to take an active role in Institute life and to interact with the broader community engaged in research related to empathy and compassion.  Fellows will present their findings at the conclusion of each award period.

Read about our awarded Sanford Research Fellows: Awarded Fellows

AWARD

Fellows will receive support towards a portion of their salary/stipend and an allowance for equipment/supplies.

ELIGIBILITY

Any full-time UC San Diego graduate student or postdoctoral scholar interested in conducting research related to empathy and compassion is encouraged to apply. We welcome applications for basic and applied research projects. Applicants are required to identify a UCSD faculty mentor to develop the research project collaboratively. The program welcomes as mentor all members of the UCSD faculty, including Adjunct members whose primary affiliation is through the Salk Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, or the Sanford/Burnham/Prebys Institute.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

First-Stage Application: Letter of Intent (LOI)

Applicants selected to proceed to the second stage will receive an invitation to submit a formal proposal.

DEADLINES

Applications open November 13, 2023.

First-Stage Applications close January 9, 2024 at 5 p.m. (PST).

 

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2023-2024 Sanford Research Fellowship

Apply to be a Sanford Research Fellow!

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year open December 9.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Through the Sanford Research Fellows program, the Center aims to support students, trainees, and early-career researchers with an interest in empathy and compassion research. The award provides research funding to fellows under the guidance of a faculty mentor for their basic or applied empathy and compassion-related research projects. In addition to financial support, Fellows are welcomed into the Sanford Institute community and provided with opportunities for fellowship, knowledge sharing, and professional development. Fellows and mentors are encouraged to take an active role in Institute life and to interact with the broader community engaged in research related to empathy and compassion.  Fellows will present their findings at the conclusion of each award period.

Read about our 2022-2023 Sanford Research Fellows: Awarded Fellows

AWARD

Support will be provided for up to two years for Fellows. Renewal for a second year requires submission and approval of a progress report covering the first year. The full cost of stipend/salary will be covered for all Fellows. Tuition and fees will be covered for pre-doctoral Fellows; up to $5,000 will be allowed to support their supplies/reagents. For postdoctoral Scholars up to $15,000 will be provided for supplies/reagents.

ELIGIBILITY

Any full-time UC San Diego medical student, graduate student, or postdoctoral scholar interested in conducting research related to empathy and compassion is encouraged to apply. We welcome applications for basic and applied research projects. Applicants are required to identify a UCSD faculty mentor to develop the research project collaboratively. The program welcomes as mentor all members of the UCSD faculty, including Adjunct members whose primary affiliation is through the Salk Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, or the Sanford/Burnham/Prebys Institute.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

First-Stage Application: Letter of Intent (LOI)

Applicants selected to proceed to the second stage will receive an invitation to submit a formal proposal.

DEADLINES

Applications open December 9, 2022.

First-Stage Applications close January 9, 2023 at 5 p.m. (PST).

 

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