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About the Program

The CBH Training Award offers up to $2,500 CAD to support trainees’ professional development in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Data Science (BCBDS). These funds can be used to cover expenses related to attending conferences, workshops, or training events that enhance skills and knowledge in these fields. The program runs twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. 

As part of our overarching commitment to IDEA, we have created specific award categories with separate funding to support various equity-deserving groups:

  • Indigenous: This category includes individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis.
  • IDEA: This category encompasses individuals who identify with equity-deserving groups based on their gender, ethnicity, disability or caregiver status.

To categorize applications we collect demographic information during the application process.  This allows for a more equitable and inclusive system, and ensures that individuals from all backgrounds have a fair opportunity to be considered. All demographic information is confidential and will not be shared with reviewers. This information has no bearing on the application review and scoring process. The data will be retained for up to two years for reporting purposes (reports are based on aggregate, anonymized data). After reporting, the original responses will be electronically deleted. 

Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, individuals must:

  • Be affiliated with a Canadian institution
  • Have trainee status for the duration of the event (MSc, PhD, MD-PhD student, or postdoctoral/clinical fellow)
  • Have a clear plan to attend an event that has learning objectives that contribute to developing skills in BCBDS. Qualifying events include:
    • Conferences
    • Seminars
    • Hackathons
    • Workshops 
    • Summits
    • Working meetings 
    • Bootcamps 
    • Summer schools

Application Process

1. Obtain a reference letter from your current supervisor, a member of your Thesis Committee, or a member of your department. The reference letter must include:

  • Applicant’s full name, affiliations, current position and stage of program (if applicable)
  • Referee’s full name, affiliations, and current position
  • Institutional letterhead 
  • Referee’s relationship to the applicant 
  • Referee’s observation of the applicant’s training need and context about training opportunities available to them at their current position
  • Referee’s perspective on how the chosen event(s) contribute to the applicant’s research project or career goals

2. Complete the event form with the details of the event(s) you intend to attend using these funds.

3. Fill out the online application form

  • You will be asked to provide information about your current research project and your professional goals.
  • Upload your reference letter and completed event form into the file drop (the link is embedded in the application form) and submit your application.

Key Dates

Spring 2025 CycleFall 2025 Cycle
Application OpensApril 14, 2025October 15
Application DueMay 7, 2025 at 11:59ETDecember 1 at 11:59ET
Decision NotificationJune 15, 2025January 15
Award DistributionJune 15-29 2025January 15-31

Please note that you cannot save your responses when completing the application form; you must complete it in one sitting.

Evaluation Process

A balanced Review Committee with representation across provinces and IDEA qualifiers will be formed to assess applications. All personal and demographic information is blinded to the reviewers to remove unconscious biases in the scoring process.

Applications will be scored based on the following criteria:

  • Clear professional skill development goals
  • Demonstrated training need
  • Detailed plan to attend a qualifying event

Final awarded amounts will depend on the applicant’s justification for the event(s’) costs.

Final decisions will be communicated via email on June 15.

Award Disbursement

Awardees will be required to:

  • Agree to the Conditions for Funding of the Canadian Bioinformatics Hub. 
  • Submit an award report (template will be provided), including receipts, financial details, and event outcomes, by the deadline indicated in your funding agreement. Awardees will be required to return the funds if this report is not submitted.