Dr Emma HudsonGrants Adviser

Molecular & Physiological Sciences

University of Bath – Funders Day20th May 2010

www.wellcome.ac.uk

Funding opportunities from the

Wellcome Trust

Overview

• Introduction to the Wellcome Trust and our new Strategic Plan

• Funding opportunities available to researchers in biomedical science

• Writing a grant application – some tips

• an independent research-funding charity

• established 1936

• funded from private endowment

• interests range from science to history of medicine to public engagement

• Grant spend 2008/09: c£535m

The Wellcome Trust

Our new vision and mission

Our vision is to achieve extraordinary improvements in human and animal health

Our mission is to support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities

Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health

Three focus areas…

• Supporting outstanding researcherssupporting the best researchers at all stages of their careers; creating the best research environments; influencing the policy landscape

• Accelerating the application of research

stimulating Technology Transfer, clinical research and uptake to policy & practice

• Exploring medicine in historical and cultural contexts

fostering medical humanities, education & public engagement

Five major challenges…

• Maximising the health benefits of genetics and genomics

• Understanding the brain

• Combating infectious diseases

• Investigating development, ageing & chronic disease

• Connecting environment, nutrition and health

Molecular and Physiological Sciences

Neurosciences & Mental Health

Pathogens, Immunology & Population Health

Immunology and Infectious Disease

Populations and Public Health

Neuroscience and Mental Health

Physiological Sciences

Molecules, Genes and Cells

Intern

ation

al

Basic

Clin

ical

Wellcome Trust Science Funding Structure

Grant Funding for Biomedical Science

• Investigator Awards (from October 2010, replacing a number of our current schemes)

• Fellowships:

• Clinical, Basic & Tropical

• Training, Intermediate & Senior

• Strategic Awards:

• Strategic Awards

• Themed Initiatives

Investigator Awards

• Long-term support for world-class researchers with the vision to innovate, take risks and explore the most challenging questions in their field of study

• Judged on the excellence of the applicant, the importance of the research question and the proposed approach

• Open to researchers who are in posts salaried by their universities or research institutes

Investigator Awards

Internationally competitive research programmesBroader aims - flexibilityPrincipal Applicant needs proventrack record of research and fundingSalaries for 3-4 posts, plus equipment, travel and materials, for five years. Awards typically in the region of £750k-£1.5m

New Investigator AwardsSupport world-class researchers who are no more than five years from appointment to their first academic position, but who can already show that they have the ability to innovate and drive advances in their field of study

Senior Investigator Awards Support exceptional, world-class researchers, who hold an established academic position and have a compelling long-term vision for their research

Investigator Award application process

CV details check

Stage 1 Stage 2

Main application submission

Stage 3

Scientific review &

short-listing

External peer

review

Stage 4 Stage 5

Selection Panel

interviews

Assessment Criteria•the track record of the candidate and his or her standing in the field •the quality and importance of the research question(s) •the approach to solving these questions •the suitability of the research environment •how the proposed research addresses one or more of our major challenges.

Investigator Awards - Timetable

5 May 2010: CV details check available from office.

1 Oct 2010: Applications for Investigator Awards can be submitted.

22 Nov 2010: Closing date for the first round of Investigator Award applications.

Feb 2011: Short-listing for interviews.

May 2011: Interviews and first Investigator Awards made.

No future deadlines – applications will be considered on a rolling basis. There will be four rounds a year.

Schemes ending in 2011

• Project / Programme grants• Equipment• Technology Development • Biomedical Resources• University Awards• Flexible Travel Awards

1 remaining Funding Committee Meeting open for applications:

• deadline - Friday 30 July 2010 for consideration at March 2011 funding round

Wellcome TrustFellowship schemes

Personal Support Schemes – Non Clinical Scientists

Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships

For the best newly qualified post-doctoral researchers with no more than 1 year of postdoctoral research.Annual competition. Next deadline 2nd November.

Research Career Development Fellowships

For successful postdoctoral scientists with 3-6 years post-doctoral research experience.Biannual competition. Next deadline 20th September

Senior Research Fellowships

For outstanding individuals of exceptional ability (with 5-10 years post-doc experience) to continue their independent programmes of research.Annual competition. Next deadline 4 th June

Research Training Fellowships

For medical, dental and veterinary graduates with little or no research experience, to pursue training in a high quality research lab towards a PhD or MD. Considered three times a year. Next deadline 7th June.

Intermediate Clinical Fellowships

For clinicians who have had an outstanding start to their research career to continue research at postdoctoral level and maintain a clinical career. Biannual competition. Next deadline 27th September.

Senior Research Fellowships

For outstanding clinical investigators to further develop their research potential and to establish themselves as leading investigators in clinical academic medicine.Annual competition. Next deadline 6th September.

Personal Support Schemes – Clinical Scientists

Application process for personal support schemes

Pick the best scheme for you and check details• Preliminary application

– Assess eligibility and suitability of person (and project) in relation to the scheme

– Decision on whether to invite full application

• Full application– Detailed external peer review of person,

project and place– Application and referees’ reports assessed

by appropriate Wellcome Trust Funding Committee

– Decision on whether to invite candidate for interview

• Interview– Decision on whether to make an award

• ambitious initiatives across the breadth of the Wellcome Trust's interests

• highly flexible and responsive to emerging opportunities

• partnership with host institution

• recent examples:

• testing a new TB vaccine candidate

• London Pain Consortium

• Structural Genomics Consortium

• Public Health Foundation of India

• Biomedical Engineering

Strategic awards

Writing the Application

some tips……

A ‘Good’ Application

• A strong and original central hypothesis• Evident knowledge of the area

– Consider what’s already known, address conflicting opinions, use appropriate citations and references.

• Clear research plan– Is the technical approach feasible? Is the timescale

realistic? What are the potential pitfalls and your fall-back plans? Are the requested resources appropriate?

• Convincing preliminary data• Not over- or under- ambitious• Appropriate expertise

– Sponsors, co-applicants, collaborators and research team.

• Easy to understand and read – Consider all readers, avoid jargon / abbreviations, check

grammar and spelling

• All staff, equipment and materials & consumables should be fully justified

• Animal use should be carefully justified and power calculations provided, where appropriate

• Should offer the very best value for money

A ‘Good’ Application

Peer Review Assessment• Fellowships: person, project, place:

– Standing of the candidate, e.g. track record – Candidate’s suitability for the type of fellowship - e.g. vision of how the award will enhance their career developmentand their longer term aspirations– Importance of the research question– Relevance of background information– Strengths and weaknesses of application;

quality of science, feasibility. – Resources requested; are they appropriate?– Candidate’s choice of appropriate Sponsor & what that location offers

• Comparison with other applications of the same type – it’s a competition

• Read the application form and guidance notes carefully

and think about the answers to all the questions

• Check deadlines to avoid rushed applications and accept

what the word “deadline” means e.g. it’s not necessarily ready

to submit when you have finished with it as it must

have been through your admin office too

• Queries? Concerns? Contact the Trust for advice

Before starting your application….

For more information and contact details visit our website:www.wellcome.ac.uk