Molecular and Cellular Medicine New Investigator

UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.

Apply for funding to: -research molecular and cellular medicine -take the next step towards becoming an independent principal investigator.

You must:

• have the support of an eligible research organisation.
• be able to show that your skills and experience match those in the ‘transition to independence’ stage of the MRC applicant skills and experience table, such as showing evidence of career progress and clear plans to develop your own research niche.
• provide a clear rationale of why this grant will best support your long-term career goals and chosen career route.
• have at least a postgraduate degree, although most applicants have a PhD or medical degree.
• be the sole intellectual leader of the proposed project, although we will allow co-investigators when they bring expertise to the project which is outside the applicant’s field.

There is no limit to the funding you can apply for, but the typical full economic cost of a project is under £1 million. MRC will usually fund 80% of the full economic cost. This funding usually lasts three years and covers up to 50% of your salary. The focus of this funding opportunity is molecular and cellular medicine research.

There are similar opportunities across other areas of medical research within MRC remit, including:

• infections and immunity
• population and systems medicine
• neurosciences and mental health
• better methods, better research.

There are also other types of awards including:

• research
• programmes
• partnerships.

You should contact us if you are not sure which opportunity to apply to.

Who can apply: The new investigator research grant is aimed at researchers who are capable of becoming independent principal investigators and are now ready to take the next step towards that goal. You do not need a specific number of years of postdoctoral experience to be eligible to apply. You may apply for funding to carry out research at your current UK research organisation or any other eligible UK institution you want to move to.

You are still eligible to apply if you:

• are employed as a postdoctoral research assistant, but this grant cannot start until your current work finishes.
• hold a lecturer appointment, a junior fellowship or another research staff position.
• hold, or have held, an early career training fellowship such as an MRC skills development fellowship.
• do not have a contract with your chosen host institution.

You are not eligible if any of these apply: -you have held an award with a duration of three years or more and direct science costs of more than £50,000 per year. -you have applied unsuccessfully to this scheme twice. -you are waiting for the outcome of a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fellowship application.