The HUPO Early Career Researcher (ECR) Committee is pleased to 
announce a call for the HUPO ECR Manuscript Competition, sponsored by Taylor and Francis, at HUPO 2026, which will take place September 27 - October 1, in Singapore. The Manuscript Competition is a unique opportunity for early career researchers to gain visibility in the proteomics community, as it serves as a platform to highlight the invaluable contributions that postdoctoral fellows, young clinicians, and junior faculty members make to the proteomics field.
We encourage early career proteomics researchers to participate in this competition with an already published or accepted manuscript during the 2025 and 2026 calendar years. Three finalists will be selected to present their publications in a dedicated plenary session at HUPO 2026, where an expert committee will evaluate oral presentations to determine the “Proteomics Highlight of the Year” by an ECR.
Eligibility criteria: This competition is intended for:
● Postdoctoral fellows (Ph.D. degree awarded post January 2020),
● Junior faculty members (appointment post January 2022 and PhD awarded post January 2014), and
● Young clinicians (M.D. degree awarded post January 2019).
● Applicants must be HUPO members.
● Career interruptions and leave, such as parental leave, will be considered to extend the eligibility period.
● Finalists from previous years are not eligible to participate.
Publication criteria:
● The applicant must have contributed significantly to the publication as the first or last (or shared first/last) author.
● The publication must be an original research article.
● Review articles will not be considered for this competition.
● The publication must have been accepted or printed for publication at the time of submission for the competition but must not have been published before January 1, 2025.
● Manuscripts that were posted on bioRxiv and other pre-print servers prior to publication will be considered (i.e., prior to January 1, 2025).
● The publication must be written in English.
How to Apply: A complete application must include the documents listed below. Send completed applications by email to ecr@hupo.org.
1. Single publication file as a pdf (including the supplementary information if it applies)
2. A short statement (300 words maximum) in which the applicant describes the novelty and impact of the publication on the field of proteomics.
3. Evidence of HUPO membership (e.g., screenshot of HUPO membership or member ID)
Prize: Awards will be presented during the Closing Ceremony & Awards Session at HUPO 2026. Cash prizes (USD 1,000 to winner and USD 500 each to two runners-up) will be provided post-Congress.
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