External Funding Opportunities

MRC Clinical Research Fellowships

Pre-doctoral Clinical Research Training Fellowship

Apply for funding to undertake a PhD. You must be a registered healthcare professional; be at an appropriate point in your training to undertake a PhD; and show plans to pursue a research career

Postdoctoral Clinical Research Training Fellowship

Apply for funding to reacquire research skills. You must be a registered healthcare professional, a PhD graduate working outside of research; show plans to pursue a research career; and be at an appropriate point in your clinical training to undertake the fellowship.

Clinician Scientist Fellowship

The aim of this fellowship is to support talented clinically active healthcare professionals who have gained a higher research degree to: lead their own research plans, establish their own research team, and make the transition to independent researcher.

These are ongoing funding opportunities with applications rounds closing in January, April and September. The next deadline is Wednesday 9 April 2025.

 

Neuroscience Capacity Accelerator for Mental Health

IBRO and Wellcome have announced an extension of the Neuroscience Capacity Accelerator for Mental Health (NCAMH) for a further two editions, with the first due to begin in 2025.

NCAMH‘s inaugural cycle supported eleven globally significant and innovative projects aiming to enhance mental health-focused neuroscience research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. By fostering research capacity, and accelerating the potential for impactful research programs in anxiety, depression and psychosis, NCAMH will continue to counter geographical and other systemic barriers which may impact scientific progress.

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 30 April 2025.

 

Lower Saxony – Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme

This is a newly established, dual-stream funding initiative launched by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (MWK), with the Volkswagen Foundation and developed in strategic partnership with the European Centre for Advanced Studies (ECAS). The programme provides two structured pathways for academic collaboration between Scotland and Lower Saxony (Germany).

Stream I – Development Track

Initial funding to develop and anchor collaborative relationships e.g. workshops, events, networking etc.

  • Available to researchers based in Scotland.
  • Up to £8k over 12 months.
  • Deadline: Wednesday 9 April 2025

Stream II – Excellence Track

Targeted funding to develop research projects with the objective of achieving further funding, particularly Horizon Europe.

  • Available to researchers based in Lower Saxony.
  • Up to €100k over 2 years
  • Deadline: Monday 30 June 2025

Information Webinar 

  • Tuesday 18 March 2025, 9am to 10am
  • Online (Zoom)
  • Register via email to research_innovation@ecas-academia.org, including the following details: your full name, institution, and research interests

 

Edinburgh Innovations Early Career Researcher (ECR) Seed funding

The Edinburgh Innovations ECR Team is excited to announce a new tranche of funding being made available for Early Career Researcher led projects. There are three support tiers available for application:

  • 2.5K + Innovation Executive Support
  • £5K + Innovation Executive Support
  • £10K + Entrepreneur-in-Residence Support

Lead applicants for this funding must be early-career non-tenured staff researchers (including postdocs, Chancellor’s Fellows and other non-permanent research staff) working within the Wellcome Trust remit on a project with impact on human health & well-being in a broad sense. The funding will support ideas with translational and commercialisation potential - but we are reliably informed that commercial potential is not necessary. Ideas with real-world impact potential and a clear pathway to adoption will also be considered.

Deadline Thursday 17 April 2025

 

Tenovus Scotland Small Pilot Grants

These grants aim to support preliminary pump priming studies, which are thought likely to lead to subsequent funding from major grant-giving bodies. Priority is given to innovative patient-related projects, early-career investigators, and new collaborations between established investigators.

  • Up to £25,000 per grant
  • Postdocs are eligible apply, provided their supervisor agrees
  • Deadline Friday 25th April 2025

 

Wellcome Leap launches $50M CARE Progamme: Cutting Alzheimer’s Risk through Endocrinology

The ultimate goal of this programme is to cut women’s lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s in half. CARE is focused on the intersection of neuroendocrine risks and neurodegeneration so as to identify personalized preventative strategies and treatments. This approach utilizes an individualized medicine framework — leveraging biomarkers, advanced imaging, genetic profiling— to tailor interventions to the specific needs of women at risk for Alzheimer’s due to neuroendocrine aging.

  • This call is abstracts and proposals for work over three years, with a potential additional one-year option in one or more of Wellcome Leap's defined thrust areas (see link above for full programme description)
  • It is not necessary to form a large consortium or teams to address all facets of the program. The strength of this approach will manifest through program-level integration of efforts from individuals and small agile teams with deep (and sometimes narrow) expertise.

Full proposal submission deadline Monday 28 April 

 

Huo Family Foundation funding opportunities

HFF is establishing a research portfolio on the Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology on Brain Development, Social Behaviours and Mental Health in Children and Young People. They are keen to support multi-disciplinary work and helping to train the next generation of exceptional scientists in this rapidly evolving field. Applications should attempt to understand mechanisms, causal pathways and directions.

With a total fund of £10 million, they are inviting applications for Huo early-career fellowships, junior faculty research grants and special projects. Awarded grants can be held at colleges, universities and research institutes in the UK and in the US only.

Application deadline: Friday 23 May 2025

 

International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) calendar for funding and training opportunities

IBRO have set up a searchable calendar listing all their funding and training opportunities. Not everything is open to researchers based in Europe, but it's keeping an eye on this page especially if you are interested in international collaboration or exchange opportunities.