Research Fellowship

UEG offers a prestigious € 50,000 fellowship for a researcher to spend 12 months working with a renowned European principal investigator.
 
The UEG Research Fellowship is designed to support the development of a basic or clinical research project while offering an opportunity to enhance scientific skills in a prominent research environment. It is especially suitable for early-career researchers looking to broaden their expertise beyond their current institution.
 
We strongly encourage early-career researchers, especially those from Inclusiveness Target Countries (as defined for COST Actions) to apply!

Applications are open until December 4, 2025.

Read the official call and criteria

The grant is open to both basic and clinical researchers, and to both medical and non-medical graduates.

At the time of application, applicants for the programme must:

• be a UEG Associate
• be clinical or basic researchers specialised in digestive diseases according to their track record
   
• Applicants must either: 
  • have completed their PhD (no longer than five years ago), OR 
  • be in gastroenterology, hepatology, or surgery training, or have completed such training within the last five years*
• not holding an academic permanent position
• have proven research experience (according to their track record)
• be fluent in English
• reside in Europe, in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea, or in a country represented by a UEG National Member Society 

*Please note that for main carers of children, the five-year limit can be extended to seven years for one child or nine years for two children.

Based on the fulfilment of basic criteria, in 2026 at least one of the fellowships will be assigned to the top-ranked candidate from an Inclusiveness Target Country (as defined for COST Actions). Final decision remains with the Research Committee. 

The grant will be awarded to the same recipient only once. 

To apply, please follow this step: 

Download official call & criteria

 Apply   

Yasmina Chouik was awarded the UEG Research Fellowship 2025 to lead the project “In-depth characterisation of intrahepatic inflammation in human metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)” with Prof. Frank Tacke at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.

Yasmina is attending physician since 2021 in the Dept. of Hepatology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, France, directed by Prof. Fabien Zoulim. During her PhD (2018-2021), she studied circulating microRNAs and T cells changes in acute decompensation of cirrhosis with Prof. Massimo Levrero at the Lyon Hepatology Institute. Currently, she is focusing on the characterisation, by cell biology, immunological and transcriptomic approaches, of systemic and intra-hepatic inflammation in MASH and MASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Varol Tunali was awarded the UEG Research Fellowship 2025 to conduct his research on "Artificial Intelligence-assisted personalised donor selection for faecal microbiota transplantation in irritable bowel syndrome” at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, with Prof. Gianluca Ianiro.

Varol is a physician-scientist and postdoctoral researcher at Celal Bayar University, Türkiye, working under Prof. Ahmet Özbilgin. His interdisciplinary research bridges parasitology and microbiome science, with a focus on AI-driven microbiome profiling and personalised interventions in gastrointestinal disorders. He collaborates with the Department of Gastroenterology, has presented at DDW and Probiota Americas, and is developing AI-based donor-recipient matching models for FMT in IBS. He is also active in ESCMID and evidence-based research initiatives.