RS Macdonald Seedcorn Fund

The R S Macdonald Charitable Trust renewed their Seedcorn Fund donation to Edinburgh Neuroscience in 2022. We are very grateful for this generous gift, which is intended to support development of innovative and impactful neuroscience research projects and collaboration at the University of Edinburgh. This funding was used to support 22 awards in the summer of 2023. There is no call for applications in 2024 while we apply for the next round of funding.

About the R S Macdonald Seedcorn Fund

This fund was first established in 2017 based on other successful similar programmes in the Euan MacDonald Centre, Muir Maxwell Centre and Patrick Wild Centre. To date, the fund has spent £280,000 supporting 70 projects, which have collectively raised £245,490 matched funding from a variety of local sources, and leveraged more than £1M in subsequent external funding.

For this renewed award, the Trust is keen for Edinburgh Neuroscience to have an added focus on Early-Career Researchers (ECRs) and researchers at all career stages whose personal circumstances mean they could benefit from additional support. These include returners from parental leave or colleagues with exceptional caring responsibilities.

We wish to amplify the way in which this programme supports researchers who are striving to push the boundaries of our understanding in some of the most challenging neurological conditions. It is the aim of the programme to support those taking their first steps in their career journeys, or those requiring a guiding hand at a difficult time, such as experienced during the pandemic. For this reason, we have increased the funding level from £5,000 per project to £10,000 per project.

The RS Macdonald Trust's research remit is to support researchers who are "creating a better future for children and adults affected by neurological conditions or visual impairment." They are particularly interested in research that looks into the causes, prevention and management of these conditions.

How to apply

This scheme is not currently accepting applications. Please look out for email communications launching our next call!

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for an award from the Edinburgh Neuroscience R S MacDonald Seedcorn Fund, you should be working as a postdoctoral researcher or a Principal Investigator at the University of Edinburgh (clinical staff should have an honorary contract with the University, or be a member of one of our Philanthropic Centres (if not at the University of Edinburgh).

Applications will be given preference if they:

  • Support an early career researcher in obtaining important preliminary data or key experience that will help them take their next career step or consolidate a newly attained position
  • Support a researcher with additional support needs, as described above
  • Foster new collaboration between life course areas, research fields or methodologies
  • Are likely to lead to substantive future funding from grants or investment

Further guidance notes (please also read the notes on the application form!)

  • Requests for awards of up to £10,000 (£15K in exceptional circumstances which must be justified) will be considered.
  • This fund is appropriate for clinical and human proposals, as well as fundamental research. Either way, the research should address the broad aims of the R S Macdonald Trust (outlined above).
  • Matched funding is welcome but not required.
  • Successful applicants will be notified within 4 weeks of the deadline.
  • Any funds awarded must be spent within 6 months of the award date or they risk being forfeited.

Webinar

A webinar was held on Wednesday 24th May 2023 introduce this fund to those who are not familiar with it and to allow interested applicants to ask questions. Edinburgh Neuroscience Director Prof Siddharthan Chandran and previous awardees Drs Sam Booker and Laura Wagstaff gave short presentations and took questions from attendees. University of Edinburgh staff members can view the recording by clicking this link.  Please contact edinburgh.neuroscience@ed.ac.uk if this doesn't work.

Selection committee

The reviewing committee will comprised of members drawn from the following pool:

  • Professor Siddharthan Chandran (Edinburgh Neuroscience, Chair)
  • Dr Michelle Luciano (Psychology)
  • Professor James Boardman (MRC Centre for Reproductive Health)
  • Professor Richard Chin (Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences)
  • Professor Mike Cousin (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences)
  • Professor Peter Kind (Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain)
  • Professor Tara Spires-Jones (UK Dementia Research Institute)
  • Dr Andy Stanfield (Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences)
  • Dr Andrew McKechanie (Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences)
  • Dr Neshika Samarasekera (Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences)
  • Dr Alfredo Gonzalez-Sulser (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences)

If you have questions

Please feel free to contact edinburgh.neuroscience@ed.ac.uk with any queries about the scheme or the application process.