External Funding Opportunities

 

MRC Expression of Interest: Experimental medicine to define new mechanisms of neurodegeneration

MRC is inviting applications for funding to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions that give rise to dementia. MRC are seeking to fund projects that are conducted in living humans which address a clearly articulated gap in our understanding of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. Projects must include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans, be in partnership with industry and provide strong evidence of patient and public involvement.

  • Projects can be of any duration up to 5 years and the maximum amount that can be requested per application is £5,000,000 (full economic cost).
  • Deadline for Expressions of Interest is Wednesday 22nd January 2025 and for full proposals Thursday 6th March 2025.
  • For questions, please contact ExMedND@mrc.ukri.org.

 

 

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

These fellowships are three-year awards for researchers who have recently finished their PhD. Leverhulme Trust will consider applications from candidates whose permanent post does not include any research. Applications will be considered in all subject areas except: Studies of disease, illness and disabilities in humans and animals and Research that is intended to inform clinical practice or the development of medical applications.

 

Heads-up: Future Leaders Fellowship Round 10 due to launch in December

The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship College are starting their preparations for the round 10, and we are waiting on the announcement. We will share the details of the internal and funder's processes as soon as they are released, but in the meantime, for anyone who is thinking of applying, here is a great blog about the next round, written by Sara Shinton (Director of the Future Leader Fellowship Development Network) and Jen Hazelton (Head of Research Funding, Edinburgh Research Office). Essentially, if you are hoping to apply, start preparing now!

 

British Academy’s Horizon Europe Pump Priming Collaboration

This collaboration between UK and EU Partners 2024 supports UK-based researchers in establishing partnerships with counterparts in EU and Associated Countries. This initiative focuses on Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe (only), i.e. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. It is open to researchers at various career stages across all disciplines, including engineering, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. 

  • Grants of up to £10,000 are available to facilitate activities such as partnership building, feasibility studies, and market assessments.
  • The application process includes multiple deadlines: 4th December 2024, 15th January 2025, 12th February 2025 and 5th March 2025 (all 5pm); subject to funding availability
  • To assist potential applicants, the British Academy offers webinars on the application process and further information on Horizon Europe opportunities. For details on upcoming webinars, please visit the British Academy's funding page above. 

 

UKRI Pre-announcement: Novel human in vitro models of complex disease

MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and NC3Rs invite applications to lead a cluster in a coordinated network for novel human in vitro models of complex disease. Clusters should be focused on: 1) the development, validation and adaptation of human in vitro disease models for ready adoption by end users in academia, industry or both, and 2) specific disease areas of high unmet need or addressing common needs with relevance to multiple disease domains

  • Up to three clusters are expected to be funded from the total fund of £10 million.
  • The duration of each awarded cluster is expected to be four years.
  • Expression of Interest deadline Friday 6th December 2024

There may be an internal demand management process - we will let you know the details of this as soon they are released.

 

RS Macdonald Facility Access Funding

SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence) and SULSA (Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance) wish to support access to Scottish facilities and support research projects within the RS Macdonald scope of neurological conditions, disease of the visual system, spinal cord injury and stroke.

  • Applications are invited for up to £10,000 for research projects; the expectation is that 8-10 projects will be funded.
  • Applications must be led by a SULSA/SINAPSE member university/institute but can include co-applicants from across the UK and internationally.
  • The call encourages technical staff to be considered as co-applicants for SULSA-relevant projects.
  • Deadline Monday 16th December 2024, 5pm 

 

Edinburgh Mental Health (EMH) Early Career Researcher Seed Funding Scheme

The scheme aims to support early career researchers based at the University of Edinburgh. Awards of £3,000-£5,000 are available to support pilot research projects, mental health research workshops/networking or patient and public engagement activities. EMH expects to fund between 3 and 5 projects/activities.

  • EMH particularly interested in funding projects from members within the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) or interdisciplinary work that connects to CSE. One award will be specifically allocated to a project from CSE.
  • More information and application form on document linked from title
  • Deadline Friday 20th December, 5pm

 

MRC New Investigator, Research Grant and Programme Grant deadlines

The next call for applications for MRC's New Investigator, Research Grant and Programme deadlines opened on the 18th of September and will close on the 9th January 2025. Applications are invited for all their funding boards:

  • Neurosciences and Mental Health
  • Molecular and Cellular Medicine
  • Infections and Immunity
  • Populations and Systems Medicine

Please also note that MRC have a highlight notice for motor neuron disease research.

 

Neurosciences Foundation funding for research into spinal cord injury

Neurosciences Foundation is seeking applications for up to £12K for research funding support into the treatment of spinal cord injury. Applications are welcome from any research group based in Scotland, and should be made using the project application form on the researchers section of the foundation's website above. 

  • The website invites research from all neuroscience areas but we received a specific email calling for applications in spinal cord research. 
  • The deadline will be in late December but they have not yet confirmed when.

 

ECR Funding Opportunity: Improving Research Community Builder Award

The Improving Research Community Builder Award will support Pre-PhDs, PhDs, and Postdoctoral Researchers who want to host local events focused on improving research practices and culture at their universities. For example, you can apply for the award to pay for snacks during a casual monthly journal club, host coffee get-togethers, or a larger lecture series.

  • Deadline: 14th January 2025

 

Branco Weiss Fellowships

Branco Weiss, a renowned Swiss entrepreneur and supporter of science, has dedicated nearly his entire fortune to supporting exceptional postdoctoral researchers with a generous 5-year grant. Since 2002, the Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science has supported more than 150 early-career researchers. Fellows are free to carry out their projects at any academic institution worldwide, allowing them to choose the environment that best suits their research needs. Applications are welcomed from a wide range of disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences.

  • The Fellowship amounts to a maximum of CHF600,000 for up to five years
  • Deadline Wednesday 15th January 2025
  • If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the team at brancoweissfellowship@ethz.ch 

 

MRC Clinician Scientists Fellowship

Apply for support to become an independent researcher in a medical research field. Your research can focus on any area of MRC remit to improve human health. You may apply for joint funding from one of the collaborating organisations.

  • The fellowship covers the fellow's salary and research costs for up to five years

  • Eligibility: candidates must be a registered healthcare professional and hold a PhD or equivalent

  • Deadline 15th January 2025

  • Future deadlines will be in April and September 2025

 

BBSRC Standard Research Grant: Responsive mode

This scheme supports excellent investigator-led research across the breadth of BBSRC's scientific remit.

  • Projects can cost up to £2 million over 5 years
  • Deadline Wednesday 15th January 2025
  • Please note that with the deadline so close to the winter break, it is likely that ERO will require applications to be ready for submission before the break. We will let you know if such guidance is issued.

 

Academy of Medical Sciences Professorship Scheme, round 12

The Academy of Medical Sciences is delighted to announce the call for applications to its Professorship Scheme. Aimed at newly recruited professors joining from outside the UK within the last three years, this scheme provides an attractive package of support to biomedical and healthcare researchers.

  • Eligibility: Applicants must have commenced, accepted or have a guaranteed full Professorship post. Posts should be open-ended and in a field related to biomedical sciences / healthcare.
  • Professor Ian Kelleher (Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences) won this award in round 8 and it would be fantastic to bring another one into Edinburgh!
  • Deadline Wednesday 8th January 2025
  • Please note that since the deadline is before the 15th January, applicants from CMVM will need to complete their Intent to Submit form by Friday 6th December in order to receive support from ERO.

 

Wellcome Climate and Mental Health Award: Uncovering mechanisms between heat and mental health

This award will fund projects to advance our understanding of how heat impacts anxiety, depression and psychosis in the most impacted groups globally through biological, psychological and/or social mechanisms.

  • Career Stage: ECR+
  • Amount: £1-3 million per project
  • Duration: 3-5 years
  • Deadline: 21st January 2025
  • Call opens: Week commencing 30th September 2024

 

CSO (Chief Scientist Office) Clinical Academic Fellowships

The aim of this scheme is to build research capacity in the Scottish NHS as such it provides the opportunity for clinical professionals early in their career to undertake a PhD. The eligibility for this scheme includes doctors and dentists in training, GPs, GDP’s, NMAHPS, Healthcare scientists and Pharmacists.

  • Please note that applications will be made on a new grants management system which will replace the current email-based application going forward.  
  • Deadline Wednesday 22nd January 2025, midday

 

 

MRC Expression of Interest: Experimental medicine to define new mechanisms of neurodegeneration

MRC is inviting applications for funding to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions that give rise to dementia. MRC are seeking to fund projects that are conducted in living humans which address a clearly articulated gap in our understanding of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. Projects must include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans, be in partnership with industry and provide strong evidence of patient and public involvement.

  • Projects can be of any duration up to 5 years and the maximum amount that can be requested per application is £5,000,000 (full economic cost).
  • UoE internal deadline Thursday 12th December - please complete short Expression of Interest form 
  • UKRI Deadline for Expressions of Interest is Wednesday 22nd January 2025 and for full proposals Thursday 6th March 2025.
  • For questions, please contact ExMedND@mrc.ukri.org.

 

SULSA (Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance) Network Support

SULSA wish to support new and existing Life Sciences Networks with our SULSA Network Support by providing funds towards the running of a network event. The network must fall within the SULSA Life Sciences remit which includes everything from human health to animals, plants, and microbes. Networks must be led by at least two SULSA member universities/institutes but can include co-applicants from across the UK and internationally.

  • The funds must be used towards the costs associated with running a network event such as: Venue hire and catering, Travel and accommodation costs, Speaker costs, Registration costs and Conference materials
  • Networks are invited to apply for up to £1,000  
  • Deadline Monday 3rd February 2025

 

Pre-announcement: MRC Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE): round three

MRC have announced the provisional timeline for their next CoRE call: the call will open on Wednesday 9th October and close on Thursday 13th February 2025.

With £26.25 million available for the first seven years, and the possibility to apply for a further seven years following successful review, MRC is looking for outline applications to create new MRC CoREs that will support bold and ambitious research focused on a specific and defined challenge with the potential to prove transformative to biomedical research, health research or both within 14 years. Tackling such challenges will transform approaches to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, improving health and wellbeing for all.

For round three, MRC welcomes outline applications to address challenges across any part of MRC remit, including discovery, understanding mechanism, and development of concepts or interventions for prevention or treatment. One or two CoREs will be funded from this round.

Please note that there will be an internal selection process for this call. We will share details of this as soon as we have them. 

 

Academy of Medical Sciences Cross-Sector Experience Awards, round 2

In 2019, the Academy commissioned independent scoping work to assess what could be done to help people connect across sectors. This scheme has been developed to address the key challenges identified through this work, with the aim of bringing together innovators and researchers from different fields to promote health innovation.

  • Up to £100,000 of flexible funding to work in one or two new organisations for up to one year
  • Deadline Thursday 27th February 2025, 4pm

 

Rosetrees Interdisciplinary Award 2025

The aim of the Rosetrees 2025 Interdisciplinary Award is to encourage collaboration between Clinicians/Scientists and experts in the area of Exploring the mechanisms of environmental impacts on public and human health. Applicant proposals must include details on how the research can result in patient benefit within 5-10 years.

  • The winning project will receive up to £330,000 paid over 3 years.
  • Please note that they will only accept one preliminary application per university/institution, so there will be an internal selection process. We will share the details of this as soon as we have them. 
  • Once the best application has been selected by the institution/university, the lead PI can access the preliminary application form on our Flexigrant portal. The deadline for this is Monday 3rd March 2025.

 

Brain Research UK 2025 Project Grants

Brain Research UK are inviting preliminary project grant applications under three priority themes: headache and facial pain, neuro-oncology, and acquired brain and spinal cord injury. They are looking for projects in these three fields that set out either to test mechanistic hypotheses, or to develop biological models that enhance these themes, supporting the future testing of mechanistic hypotheses and facilitating translation.  

  • Applications are particularly encouraged from early career researchers (see definition on website)
  • Funds are provided for the employment of suitably qualified research staff and directly incurred research costs, with an upper limit of £300,000. 
  • Requests for the support of pilot studies are welcomed.
  • Deadline for preliminary applications: Wednesday 5th March 2025.

 

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships: internal process now published

The internal process for Round 10 of the Future Leaders Fellowships has now been published. There will be an internal process for researchers in Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research (INCR), i.e. those in the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences.

Any researcher who is a member of one of the three INCR Centres will be required to submit their documents for the selection process by email to Catriona Anderson, CVS Research Strategy & Impact Manager, by Monday 10th March 2025. Documents will be reviewed and submitted to College via the INCR interim Co-Directors and  Heads of CCBS, CVS and CDBS working together as a group.

  • Outcomes from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine processes will be shared by 4th April 2025 to all candidates.
  • All potential applicants should contact their Head of Centre well in advance of this deadline. Local (Centre) procedures and support for developing application documents will apply.
  • For those based outwith the three INCR Centres, please look out for your local process and deadlines.

 

For further funding opportunities, please explore the ERO Funding Calendar. ERO have also put together a new SharePoint page on major funding bids and a toolkit for targeting these.