MRC Clinical Fellowships and Awards Dr Desmond Walsh Programme Manager Academic Clinical Fellows/Specialist Registrars Training Day, Imperial College London

high-quality research to improve human health training, innovation, knowledge transfer excellent science in the lab, clinic and population engaging with the public The leading publicly funded UK medical research organisation Medical Research Council

Scientific Decision Making Research Boards and Panels COUNCIL MCMBHSPHRBPSCSBIIB College of Experts (CoE) NMHB TCDB TCDB – Training and Career Development Board

RTR panel Non-Clinical Panel RTR panel Clinical Panel HSR/HOP Panel Bio-informatics Panel TCDB RTR panel Studentship Referee panels Scientific Decision Making Training & Career Development Panels College of Experts (CoE) COUNCIL

Where to Start?

Where fellowships fit in your training

Fellowships: Pre- to post-doctoral Research training towards a PhD for clinical scientists Clinical Research Training Fellowships (CRTFs) Early career entry for those with minimal previous lab experience Health Services and Health Of The Public Research Fellowships (HSR/HoP) The investigation of the health needs of the community and the efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of services to meet those needs

Clinical Research Training Fellowships Combining research with clinical training  2 clinical sessions/week (3 for surgeons)  12 month abeyance of award for concentrated training Personal salary Research expenses - 10K p.a. plus animal costs Travel allowance - £450 p.a. Overseas training allowance 2 rounds p.a. (Jan & Sept) Research overseas/ 2nd UK Centre/UK Industrial Training

Demonstrates applicant is looking for breadth of research experience Should look for a centre appropriate for the particular research area Explain how this would broaden research experience and training and benefit long-term career development Outline how the experience will transfer newly acquired skills back to research base. CRTFs are able to spend all 3 years in our overseas units in the Gambia & Uganda Seeking another centre:

Jointly Funded Clinical Research Training Fellowship Charities Asthma UK Chronic Granulomatous Disorder Research Trust Cystic Fibrosis Trust Kidney Research UK MND Association Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowships Multiple Sclerosis Society Clinical Research Training Fellowships Royal Colleges Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Royal College of Physicians Royal College of Radiologists Royal College of Surgeons of England and Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Welsh Assembly Clinical Research Training Fellowships

Application Peer Review Shortlisting Panel Interview Fellowships Process

Making a successful application 1 Planning & Preparation Can take a year from submission to starting of award Read & follow the instructions Case for support Answer all the questions Take account of what reviewers will be looking for Write clearly and economically Hypothesis Think about what your hypothesis is Why do you want to do this research Focus Not too many unrelated questions

Making a successful application 2 Killer experiment Prove hypothesis Conclusive approach, e.g. functional knockout Design Statistics and power Resources Fully justify resources, do not under/over fund Review internally Mentors for new applicants Get a second opinion, proof read & spell check Quality Not Quantity

Elements of successful proposals: Emphasis on potential for early career investigators Need a clear rationale for the research Clarity & Succinctness key Methodology - Preliminary Data Collaborations Quality of proposed training environment High-risk/high pay-off research encouraged

Unfocused, overambitious project Unoriginal, pedestrian approach No clear hypothesis, or not hypothesis-driven Methodology not sufficiently detailed Project not intellectually challenging Training element incomplete/unclear Centre has no international standing in research area Lack of infrastructure/facilities in training environment An application will fail because:

Application Peer Review Shortlisting Panel Interview Fellowships Process

The individual – potential to develop into a competitive researcher The science The environment The training proposed Relevance / value of any proposed period overseas or in industry Assessment of Fellowships

Application Peer Review Shortlisting Panel Interview Fellowships Process

Led by designated panel members Collecting evidence against key criteria Questioning by other panel members Private scoring and discussion Review of final ranking, including strategic importance of the area for training The Interview

Award Rates 2006/07 SchemeAppsAwardsAward Rate (%) SCF 8113% CSF % CRTF % HSR/HoP %

Fellowships: Intermediate Awards Transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent investigator Clinician Scientist Fellowship Open to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers Department Of Health Clinician Scientist Award Open to medical & dental graduates up to Special Registrar grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers Joint Collaborative Career Development Award in Stem Cell Research Open to clinical & non-clinical applicants

Fellowships: Senior Awards Senior Clinical Fellowship Open to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers Awards for independent scientist/team leaders: national/international recognition

Thank you! Contacts General Enquiries Scientific queries via Programme Managers Details on MRC web-site under each Research Board ( TheResearchBoards/index.htm)

Current Grant Schemes Response Mode (3 rounds of Board meetings a year) New Investigator Research Grants Research Grants Collaboration Grants Trial Grants MRC Open LINK Annual Competition Discipline Hopping Grants

New Investigator Research Grants Clinical and non-clinical researchers to establish themselves as independent principal investigators First academic appointment or senior post doctoral position (between 3-10 years post PhD research experience) Max funding of £420k (MRC pays up to £336k) over 3yrs: –research –technical or other post –consumables –equipment –travel costs

evidence of potential for research leadership evidence of potential for scientific independence commitment to a research career the proposed project and centre will provide valuable training experience the proposed centre is of international standing the applicant will gain generic and transferable skills Applicants for intermediate schemes need to demonstrate:

evidence of scientific independence and ability to lead a research team potential to international leadership in the field not the same expectation to move centres. Applicants for Senior Fellowships must demonstrate: