If you are deciding between a postdoctoral fellowship in the United States versus a European country, this resource is for you.
SfN and FENS collaborated on a panel discussion on Sept. 24, 2025, to explore the similarities and differences between PhD and postdoctoral training in the United States and Europe. Hear more from the speakers on the United States postdoctoral perspective of this webinar below and gain invaluable insights into your academic path.
To learn more from the speakers who conducted their postgraduate research in Europe, read more here.
Daniel Medina-Cano, PhD — Postdoctoral Researcher - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City)
I’m originally from Spain, and I moved to France to pursue my PhD in neurogenetics at the Imagine Institute (Paris). After completing my PhD, and seeking to learn from new scientific environments, I started my postdoc at the Developmental Biology Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City).
I’m a firm believer that exposure to different environments is highly beneficial, not only to increase your chances of securing future funding and potentially a PI position but also to enlarge your scientific perspective and learn different ways of developing and tackling scientific questions. Even though these past months have been challenging for American scientists, the United States remains one of the countries that invests the most in basic and applied science. Indeed, the available budget tends to be substantially higher than in the previous countries where I worked (Spain and France). This greatly enhances the different research directions that you can investigate during your postdoc, increasing your chances of producing meaningful results and hence more likely to lead to a good scientific publication. Moreover, even though it’s always good to secure external funding for your CV, most laboratories offering postdoc positions in the United States do not require you to do so. Even if the average postdoc tends to be about four to six years, the laboratories are usually able to cover your salary for the entire time.
However, postdoctoral opportunities in the United States are indeed scarcer nowadays than they were a few years ago, so the pool of competitors for the same positions has increased. More particularly, in New York, the scientific community is excellent, with several world-renowned research institutes, plenty of seminars every day across the city, and great ease in starting fruitful collaborations with other laboratories. Moreover, most institutes offer housing for the first three to five years of postdoc, so you don’t have to worry about that.
"The most important decision that you need to take when looking for a postdoc is not the country, but the laboratory itself."
In my opinion, the most important decision that you need to take when looking for a postdoc is not the country, but the laboratory itself. One needs to be sure that you will find a mentor who is willing to guide you through the challenging postdoctoral years and that the laboratory environment is healthy and with good team dynamics. I have several colleagues who thought that they could cope with a toxic environment in exchange for better publications, but it’s rare to see someone who succeeds in such environments, and it tends to have quite a strong impact on their mental health. I strongly recommend talking with people who are and were part of the laboratory that you are considering joining, making sure that the PI has a good track record of her/his postdocs becoming PIs, and ensuring that your personality matches that of your future mentor. Finding the right environment with adequate economic resources is key to ensuring that your postdoc journey will go as smoothly as possible.
Lisa Traunmüller, PhD — Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School, Lab of Michael Greenberg
I have always been fascinated by how our everyday experiences are encoded in the brain, and by the genetic, molecular, and cellular underpinnings that drive these long-lasting changes in synapses, circuits, and behavior. This curiosity has shaped every step of my scientific path. For my master’s thesis and doctoral studies, I moved from Austria to Basel, Switzerland, where I worked in Peter Scheiffele’s laboratory at the Biozentrum. This period shaped my foundational scientific skills and encouraged independence and creativity. After completing my PhD, I moved to the United States for my postdoctoral training in Michael Greenberg’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where I expanded on those foundations and learned to refine my scientific perspective, question my assumptions more deeply, and how to frame and pursue broad scientific ideas.
My decisions to move, first within Europe and later across the Atlantic, were always driven by intellectual curiosity and by the opportunity to work in environments where I could grow as a scientist. Looking back, while both moves initially felt daunting, each was also incredibly enriching. Living outside my home country for over a decade has shown me how much personal growth happens when you step into a new culture and build a new community. Despite the physical distance from Austria, I have always felt “at home” because of the support networks I found and the collaborative spirit of the environments I joined.
"Living outside my home country for over a decade has shown me how much personal growth happens when you step into a new culture and build a new community."
A few lessons stand out from these transitions. First, choosing a postgraduate program is not only about the country itself but also about the scientific environment you join. The people you work with every day, the mentorship you receive, and the culture of the lab will shape your development more than anything else. At the same time, moving to the United States opened my eyes to its incredibly dynamic research landscape, with rapid technological advancements, abundant resources, and a strong culture of collaboration that creates a uniquely stimulating environment for discovery. Being immersed in such a setting has been genuinely inspiring and allowed me to pursue ideas that would have potentially been difficult elsewhere.
Second, moving abroad requires embracing uncertainty. There will be moments when everything feels new and overwhelming, but these are often the moments that ultimately build resilience, independence, and confidence.
Third, I learned that scientific communities are surprisingly interconnected—no matter where you go, you will find mentors, colleagues, and friends who help you navigate the unfamiliar. Overall, pursuing my postgraduate training abroad has been an extremely rewarding decision. It shaped the way I think about science, broadened my perspective, and allowed me to be part of diverse, inspiring communities. Even when it was challenging, I never regretted taking the plunge. I would encourage anyone to be bold and to remain open to the possibility that these experiences may change you for the better in unexpected ways.
Katerina (Aikaterini) Kalemaki — Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School Collaborator, Boston Children’s Hospital
My postgraduate journey has taken me across countries and disciplines, and through many stages of personal and scientific growth. After completing my studies in Greece, I chose to move to the United States for my postdoctoral training. This transition was driven by a desire to grow as a neuroscientist in an environment with cutting-edge technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strong innovation. I wanted to challenge myself, work at the frontiers of science, and access tools and ideas not readily available in my home country or, more broadly, in Europe. The move was both exciting and challenging. Arriving during the pandemic made the transition even more demanding, but it also shaped my growth in meaningful ways.
"The multicultural environment of the labs, with colleagues from around the world, enriched my experience and taught me new ways of thinking and collaborating. Building friendships and community is equally essential, especially when living far from home."
One of the most unique aspects of conducting research in the United States was the opportunity to work across two laboratories and integrate two-photon imaging with spatial transcriptomics within a single project. This level of interdisciplinarity broadened my technical expertise and solidified my development as a truly multidisciplinary neuroscientist. Working in exceptional American research institutions enabled me to refine both advanced experimental and computational skills, all while learning from outstanding mentors and peers. One of the most important lessons I learned is that development is rarely linear. Progress can be slow and heavily shaped by circumstances you cannot control. What matters is persistence, curiosity, and the willingness to keep going—even when experiments fail, visas stall, or personal challenges arise. I also discovered the value of supportive relationships—mentors who challenge and encourage you can transform your trajectory. The multicultural environment of the labs, with colleagues from around the world, enriched my experience and taught me new ways of thinking and collaborating. Building friendships and community is equally essential, especially when living far from home.
For anyone in Europe considering postdoctoral training in the United States, I offer a few reflections. First, recognize that the scientific opportunities are enormous—the resources, innovation, and pace of discovery can accelerate your growth dramatically—but they come with a steep learning curve. Be prepared for cultural differences in communication, expectations, and work style. Second, proactively build your support system. Moving from Europe to the United States can feel isolating at first, and creating community—both inside and outside the lab—will make an enormous difference in your wellbeing.
Third, familiarize yourself early with visa and administrative processes. They can be complex and time-consuming, and planning ahead will spare you significant stress. Finally, protect your sense of balance. Postdoctoral training in the United States can be intense, but your future is bigger than any single project or institution.
Looking back, moving abroad for my postdoctoral journey was one of the most challenging yet rewarding decisions of my life. It gave me not only scientific expertise but also a deeper under-standing of what I value and the kind of life I want to build. I hope that anyone who follows a similar path from Europe to the United States finds both the courage to begin and the support to thrive.
For more insights from the panelists above, watch the webinar, "Postgraduate Journeys: United States and Europe" on demand now.
About the Contributors
