Get in touch for more information or for support in applying for funding opportunities.
University internal calls
- Cambridge MRC Confidence in Concept
- Wellcome Trust Developing Concept Fund (WT DCF)
- Wellcome Trust Access to Expertise
- 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
Confidence in Concept (CiC) funding is available to accelerate the transition from discovery science into new therapies, diagnostics and medical devices with human benefit by pump-priming translational research projects. The maximum grant per project is £70,000 (at 80% fEC) for a maximum period of 9 months.
All Principal Investigators at the University of Cambridge are eligible to apply as long as the project is translational with a clear benefit to human health and is within the remit of the MRC. Investigators from Cambridge University Hospital with University affiliations may also apply. This funding is intended to support the development of concrete pilot data which will make projects more competitive to be able to then seek external substantive translational funding or investment from external partners. Collaborative projects with industry are allowed and strongly encouraged, as are cross-departmental collaborations.
For more details click here.
Call closes 31st August 2020.
Wellcome Trust Developing Concept Fund (WT DCF)
The Wellcome Trust has awarded Cambridge University an INSTITUTIONAL TRANSLATION PARTNERSHIP AWARD (iTPA). Funds are available to support early stage biomedical translational research and the development of collaborations which will support he project beyond the intital 9 months.
The Developing Concept Fund is intended to pump-prime the translation of novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics, including repurposing of existing therapies towards a clinical end.
It is intended that successful project applicants will obtain evidence of the feasibility (or otherwise) of their translational plans, strengthening their chances of obtaining downstream funding. The focus will be on very early stage translational research and projects should be seen as a way to gain sufficient evidence to support follow on funding such as MRC CiC applications. Projects will be encouraged to include a substantive cross-disciplinary collaborative component between basic scientists, clinical scientists and/or industry (as appropraite for the project). However proposals must be led by a Principal Investigator at the University of Cambridge.
The fund supports projects up to a maximum of £50,000 each.
Call closes 31st August 2020. See here for more details
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 applications: 15th September 2021
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
The Spring 2019 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 or by 31st March 2020, whichever is earlier. 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.
