1. Wellcome Trust: Support for Clinicians John Williams Head of Clinical Activities Wellcome Trust

2. Funding Environment Clinical Academia – A Time for Optimism Who are we ? Funding Philosophy Support for Clinicians The Talk

3. Funding Environment

4. A new environment… Collaboration & Organisation UK Clinical Research Collaboration Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research a ring-fenced fund for R&D flexible academic career pathways Tooke report Infrastructure clinical research facilities clinical research networks Science genetics medical imaging - physiology genomic and proteomic analysis e-health and informatics

5. very strong biomedical research base build on successful work of UK CRC implementation of Cooksey networking, data management and the creation of common platforms for research clinical academic careers regulatory environment eg consent and confidentiality UK biomedical research: opportunities and challenges

6. Clinical Academia: A Time for Optimism ?

7. The training of clinical academics

8. The new pathway… a pilot two-year integrated academic Foundation Programme targeted in part at MB-PhD students Academic Clinical Fellowships: up to 250 per annum In-Practice Academic Fellowships: up to 10 per annum ‘Interim’ Clinical Lectureships: up to 100 per annum “New blood” Senior Clinical Lectureships: up to 200 posts over ten years

9. Partnership…

10. Wellcome Trust - capacity building: Clinical Research PhD Programmes (9 programmes) Fellowships: Research Training Fellowships Intermediate Clinical Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships in Clinical Science Interdisciplinary Training Programmes for Clinicians in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics Clinical Research Facilities and Clinical Research Infrastructure Initiative

11. Who are we?

12. an independent research- funding charity established 1936 funded from private endowment managed for long-term stability and growth interests range from science to history of medicineinterests range from science to history of medicine The Wellcome Trust

13. Wellcome Trust mission “To foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health”

14. The Wellcome Trust is - the largest charity in the UK - the second largest medical research charity in the world We spend around £500 million each year - £540 million is available in 2006/07 We support over 3000 researchers and their teams in over 300 different institutions in more than 40 countries Charitable spend

15. The Trust’s Strategic Plan 2005-2010 Making a difference

16. Mission and strategic aims advancing knowledge using knowledge engaging society developing people facilitating research developing our organisation Our mission is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health We work to further our mission through six strategic aims:

17. Aim 4. Developing people: To provide training and career support schemes to attract and retain the highest quality individuals in biomedical research To stimulate research capacity building to address priority areas of science, or career gaps, by developing tailored training and career initiatives To work with others on key issues related to research careers To foster a research community and individual researchers who can contribute to the advancement and use of knowledge

18. Science Funding

19. Science Funding Structure Immunology and Infectious Disease Populations and Public Health Neuroscience and Mental Health Physiological Sciences Molecules, Genes and Cells Pathogens, Immunology & Population Studies (HoD - Pat Goodwin) Neurosciences & Mental Health (HoD - Richard Morris) Molecular and Physiological Sciences (HoD - Alan Schafer) Funding CommitteeStrategy CommitteeDepartment InternationalBasic CareersClinical Candy John Jimmy Hassall Williams Whitworth

20. Fellowship Portfolio

21. Research Training Fellowships Tropical Medicine/Public Health Senior Research Fellowships Tropical Medicine/Public Health PhD Programmes Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships Intermediate Clinical Fellowships Research Career Development Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships (& International) Senior Research Fellowships (& International) BIOMEDICAL SCIENTISTS BASED IN UK/RoI CLINICALSCIENTISTS BASED IN UK/RoI University Awards Flexible Travel Awards Research Career Re- Entry Fellowships Principal Research Fellowships Training Intermediate Senior DEVELOPING COUNTRY SCIENTISTS/CLINICIANS BASED IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Intermediate Fellowships Tropical Medicine/Public Health MSc/PhD programmes Research Training Fellowships 4 Year PhD Programmes Modified Schemes New Schemes Existing Schemes Key Personal Support Schemes

22. Support for Clinicians

23. PhD Programmes Intermediate Clinical Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships Clinicians BASED IN UK/RoI/EU University Awards Flexible Travel Awards Research Career Re- Entry Fellowships Principal Research Fellowships Training Intermediate Senior Research Training Fellowships Modified Schemes New Schemes Existing Schemes Key Clinician: Medical, Dental or Veterinary Qualification

24. PhD Training

25. New Investment in Training Programmes a major investment in postgraduate biomedical research training in the UK. £137 million over 9 years Four-year PhD programmes for basic biomedical scientists PhD Programmes for Clinicians

26. PhD Training PhD Programmes for Clinicians

27. PhD Programmes for Clinicians Complement Research Training Fellowships T ailored to the unique needs Clinician Scientist Programmes will provide:  a structured well mentored environment  access high quality research environments Significantly increase the support Trust provides for clinicians wishing to undertake rigorous research training 170 training slots over 5 years

28. PhD Programmes for Clinicians: Host Institutions Clinical Programmes  Cambridge  Dundee  Edinburgh  Imperial  Liverpool  London School Hygiene & Tropical Medicine  Oxford Joint Basic/Clinical Programmes  Birmingham  Institute Cancer Research

29. PhD Programmes for Clinicians: How To Apply Mechanisms Being Developed However: Coordinated advert likely to appear in leading academic journals January 2008 Local recruitment via selection panels & interviews Spring 2008

30. PhD Training Research Training Fellowships

31. Research Training Fellowships For medical, dental and veterinary graduates who have little or no research training but who wish to develop a career in academic medicine Applications from individuals who wish to undertake substantial research training leading to a PhD Successful applicants are expected to undertake a high-quality research project that balances provision of training with the opportunity to advance knowledge in a given area. Projects based solely on a systematic review of a particular area are not suitable unless it includes a significant element of methodological innovation Research Training Fellowship - 3 year award (fellowship salary and research expenses). Exceptionally a 4 year award can be made that allows candidate to complete a Masters where this is recognised as part of the research training eg clinical epidemiology, bioinformatics. Considered three times a year with interviews in December, April and June/July

32. Issues to consider Pull of a purely clinical career clinical training to do Quality of research environment Mentorship Supervisor Training About you – not just a pair of hands

33. Postdoctoral Training Intermediate Clinical Fellowships

34. Intermediate Clinical Fellowships For outstanding individuals to continue to develop their research career through a period of post doctoral research training Will hold a PhD/MD and have published papers in good quality journals Intermediate Clinical Fellowship - 4 year award (fellowship salary and research expenses) for applicant’s who have to completed their clinical training ‘Clinician Scientist’ 5 year award (fellowship salary and research expenses) allows applicant to complete clinical training Considered twice a year with interviews in December and June/July

35. Issues to consider Pull of a purely clinical career Still have clinical training to do Research momentum Want to/need to move Want to go abroad Quality of PhD Competition

36. Pathway to Independence Senior Clinical Fellowship

37. Senior Research Fellowships for Clinicians For outstanding individuals of exceptional ability to continue their independent programmes of research 4-~6 years post-doctoral research experience 5 year award funded in full (fellowship salary and research expenses) by the Trust Renewable for five year periods with 50% fellowship salary funded by the host institution Annual competition - preliminary applications considered each summer

38. Who becomes a Senior Clinical Fellow ? Track record of obtaining competitive funding at every stage of your career Strong doctoral/postdoctoral career, good productivity, including papers in high impact journals Worked in a Internationally regarded environments in UK and/or abroad Asking important questions in competitive research field

39. Issues to consider Senior Fellowship or Tenure Track position eg NIHR/HEFC Senior Clinical Lectureship Research momentum Can you visualise your research question over a 5 year funding envelope Competition – Intense Am I being realisitic ?

40. check scheme details well in advance Finally…….. refer to our website or contact Trust staff www.wellcome.ac.uk j.williams@wellcome.ac.uk Good Luck!

42. Grantsmanship

43. Application process - Fellowships Check website for scheme deadlines RTF Full Application Short-listing by Interview Committee ICF & SCF Preliminary Application Full application Short-listing by Funding Committee Interview Clinical Science Interview Committee Public Health & Tropical Medicine Interview Committee

44. Developing an Idea We want to fund the best science Importance of the question  Novel? Will it move the field forward?  Timely? Cutting edge research?  Feasible? Do you have the correct expertise?

45. Mentoring by senior colleagues Discuss proposal with Sponsor (fellowship application) or senior colleague and take on board their constructive comments

46. Checklist before writing Read application form, guidance notes and think about the answers to all the questions Check deadlines to avoid rushed applications Doubts? Concerns? Contact the Trust’s office for helpful advice, sooner rather than later!

47. Ease of reading Minimise abbreviations and acronyms Avoid technical jargon. Be clear and succinct

48. Structure Clear plan Balanced overview Aims clearly defined Appropriate experimental design

49. Experimental plan Realistic within proposed time-frame Include pilot / feasibility data Sample size. Is it large enough to detect differences? Demonstrate awareness of other work in the field Identify pitfalls before the referees do

50. Technical approach Should be feasible (provide pilot data if available) Describe how data will be obtained and used Stress why a particular approach is necessary Have you or your collaborators the appropriate expertise? Have a plan B and make sure you describe it

51. General points Proof read your proposal Check all supporting info. attached (collaborators forms, pilot data) List the references in full (avoid et.al) Don’t rush. Plan well ahead Trust takes 6 months to process application. Check web-site for meeting dates

52. “...it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed.”

53. “...this does not appear to be hypothesis driven…there are no specific aims or objectives....”

54. “...one weakness in the proposal is that there is no alternative plan should the proposed approach not yield information relevant to the hypothesis proposed.”

55. “...an intriguing hypothesis, however the experiments proposed for testing will not provide unequivocal evidence for or against it.”

56. “...the work described in this application is over-ambitious, it could not be achieved in the life time of the Principal Investigator.”

57. ...is a persuasive writer and has done a commendable job of marshalling evidence to support their hypothesis, however, the applicant has put aside facts that do not support their point of view.”

58. “The poor writing, referencing and proof reading of this application significantly detract from it’s overall quality.”

59. “...I had only one problem with this application, I had no idea what they were trying to do...”