Get in touch for more information or for support in applying for funding opportunities.
University internal calls
- Cambridge MRC Confidence in Concept (CiC) call
- Wellcome Developing Concept Fund (DCF)
- Wellcome Access to Expertise
- Wellcome Departmental Translational Awards
- BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) pump prime project funding
- EPSRC IAA funding
External funding calls
Some key external funding opportunities are listed here including from research councils, charities and private sector sources.
For additional opportunities, you may also want to search the Research Professional website.
Cambridge MRC Confidence in Concept call (CiC)
Office for Translational Research (OTR) would like to announce the opening of the MRC CiC calls. Funding of up to £50,000 (at 100% direct costs only) for a maximum duration of 9 months is available to support early stage translational research from discovery science into new therapies (including repurposing of existing therapies), diagnostics and medical devices. All Principal Investigators with an affiliation with University of Cambridge are eligible to apply and we encourage early career researchers to apply as co-applicants. This funding is intended to support the generation of the proof of concept data, and to de-risk projects prior to seeking substantive external downstream funding/investment. If interested, please contact Cathy Boucher to discuss your project plans and to agree on which funding is most appropriate.
Deadline for completed applications: THIS CALL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.
Wellcome Developing Concept Fund (DCF)
CATS would like to announce the opening of the Wellcome 2023 DCF call. Funding of up to £50,000 (at 100% direct costs only) for a maximum duration of 9 months is available to support early stage translational research from discovery science into new therapies (including repurposing of existing therapies), diagnostics and medical devices. All Principal Investigators with an affiliation with University of Cambridge are eligible to apply and we encourage early career researchers to apply as co-applicants. This funding is intended to support the generation of initial evidence of efficacy and proof of concept data, and to de-risk projects prior to seeking substantive external downstream funding. If interested, please contact Caroline Reynolds or Juraj Rievaj to discuss your project plans and to agree on which funding is most appropriate. More details about WT DCF call can be found here.
Deadline for completed applications: THIS CALL IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.
Wellcome Trust Access to Expertise
The Wellcome Trust has awarded Cambridge University an INSTITUTIONAL TRANSLATION PARTNERSHIP AWARD (iTPA). Funds are available for University of Cambridge affiliated researchers to gain access to external expertise (consultancy) for ongoing or new projects, in order to accelerate the translation of their research. Projects aiming to research and develop drugs, biologicals, gene therapy, or medical devices for human patient treatment, management or diagnosis are all within scope.
These awards will allow the applicant to:
- gain evidence of the feasibility (or otherwise) of their translational plans
- unblock specific bottlenecks to shift their research to the next phase of translation
- strengthen their chances of obtaining downstream funding
For more details click here
Deadline for completed applications: Friday 6th October 2023.
Wellcome Trust Departmental Translational Awards
The Wellcome Trust has awarded Cambridge University an Institutional Translation Partnership Award (iTPA). Funds are available for University of Cambridge departments/institutes to support translation of basic research into therapeutics, medtech or diagnostics on departmental level. Only Translational Champions and/or Heads of Departments/Institutes can apply for this fund on behalf of their respective departments. Maximum of £15,000 (inclusive of VAT) can be awarded. Funds can not be used for direct support of any specific project within the department, for the procurement of any equipment or consumables, or for any wet lab work.
Some examples of the use of funding (this is non-exhaustive list):
- Training for staff, with focus on translation
- Outreach activities with the emphasis on translational output
- Organising of knowledge exchange events aimed at industry engagement
- Support of consultant enabled in the department/institute, to help with Departmental Translational Strategy and/or to identify projects with translational potential
For more details and initial discussion about your proposal please contact Juraj Rievaj at juraj.rievaj@admin.cam.ac.uk
Deadline for applications: Friday 6th October 2023.
BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) pump prime project funding
The BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) aims to promote effective engagement with the impact agenda, such as forming new connections with industry and strengthening existing external, non-academic collaborations. It is open to academics with current or past BBSRC funding.
For examples of projects that have been funded in the past, visit https://impact.bio.cam.ac.uk/case-studies
This call is now closed.
EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account funding
The University of Cambridge hold an EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account, to promote wider and more effective engagement with the impact agenda. The funding provides the University with resources to deliver impact and work on the exploitation of outcomes from its EPSRC research portfolio, with the key objective of shortening the time to impact. The IAA brings together a number of previous initiatives to provide more flexibility, including support for secondments, early stage commercialisation, developing new partnerships and reaching out to researchers who do not normally engage in commercialisation activities.
Partnership Development Awards
The IAA aims to establish closer working partnerships between researchers and business. Partnership Development Awards will pump-prime collaborations with industry partners. The fund is open to research projects within EPSRC remit, and linked to previous EPSRC funded research, which will kick-start collaborations with companies who have significant potential to become new business partners for the University.
Projects will be short-term (3-6 months) and of up to £50,000 in value. Any costs over £50,000, or to enable the project to continue beyond six months are expected to be contributed by the industry partner.
See here for more details and to apply: https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/internal-funding-opportunities/epsrc-impact-acceleration-account-partnership-development-awards
Knowledge Transfer Fellowships will aim to transfer knowledge and expertise linked to EPSRC research between the University and a partner company. The Fellowship will fund a researcher or member of academic staff to undertake a 3-12 month secondment to a business or other partner organisation. Fellowships are also open to company employees to spend time working in a University department to facilitate knowledge transfer.
Applicants need not personally have been previously funded by an EPSRC grant or studentship. However the field of work must fall within EPSRC remit and the proposal must demonstrate how knowledge and expertise linked to EPSRC research will be transferred between the University and the partner company.
See here for more details and to apply: https://www.research-strategy.admin.cam.ac.uk/internal-funding-opportunities/epsrc-iaa-knowledge-transfer-fellowships
The Follow-on Fund will help fund the early stages of commercialisation of technologies, to make ideas more attractive for commercial investment. The fund is open to develop ideas which have arisen from EPSRC funded research, which may be either research grants or studentships. Up to £60k per project is avaialable.
To apply, refer to the Follow-on Fund call document and complete the Follow-on Fund application form.
Potential applicants must ensure they are aware of any internal Departmental deadlines for approval by Head of Department before submission.
Full proposals should be emailed to researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk by midnight on the closing date.
Funding is available to allow EPSRC-funded postdocs to take up short term placements in a partner organisation in industry, the public sector or third sector (not at other Universities). The funding is intended to enable the postdoc to apply their research-based knowledge and expertise in a different context, helping the partner organisation innovate and the postdoc to gain valuable work experience.
Up to £10k per application is available towards salary and travel costs for up to three months, full or part-time. Through the scheme, the postdocs must find a suitable company or organisation and obtain agreement with their PI to pursue the placement prior to applying for funding. Please note for part-time placements only the salary cost while based at the partner organisation can be funded.
The choice of research topic is left open, and applications should show:
- evidence of how the placement(s) will address an industry need;
- evidence that the placement activity will be focused on knowledge exchange between the postdoc and the partner organisation;
- evidence that the placement will enable further postdoc skills development in a non-academic setting.
The placement should be completed within 12 months of the award. An agreement between the partner organisation and University will be required to cover intellectual property, confidentiality and other matters.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and should be submitted to researchstrategy@admin.cam.ac.uk using the IAA form together with a letter of support from the partner organisation confirming the details of their involvement.
