Getting Started in Research Kathryn Adcock Wellcome Trust University of Birmingham 27 September 2011

Outline Wellcome Trust who we are what we fund Applying for funding the written application the interview

Wellcome Trust We were established in 1936 We are funded from a private endowment We spend approximately £600 million on grants per year Our interests range from science to the history of medicine to public engagement

Our vision and mission Our vision is to achieve extraordinary improvements in human and animal health Our mission is to support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities

Five major challenges 1)Maximising the health benefits of genetics and genomics 2) Understanding the brain 3) Combating infectious diseases 4) Investigating development, ageing and chronic disease 5) Connecting environment, nutrition and health

Medical research: Extraordinary opportunities Phenotyping people Physiology Pathology Medical imaging Informatics Genetics Measuring the environment unpicking complex disease understanding complex processes new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines

Wellcome Trust funding schemes

EARLYINTERMEDIATESENIOR Clinical PhD Programmes Research Training Fellowships CLINICAL PhD Four-year PhD Studentship Programmes Senior Research Fellowships Senior Investigator Awards New Investigator Awards Sir Henry Dale Fellowships Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships Intermediate Clinical Fellowships Early Postdoctoral Training Fellowships Postdoctoral Training MB/PHD Fellowships BASIC WT-MIT Postdoctoral Fellowships NIH-WT PhD Programmes Principal Research Fellowships Senior Fellowships in Public Health & Tropical Medicine Training Fellowships in Public Health & Tropical Medicine Intermediate Fellowships in Public Health & Tropical Medicine Masters Fellowships PUBLIC HEALTH & TROPICAL MEDICINE Support for individual researchers

Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellowships Intermediate Clinical Fellowship Intermediate Clinical Fellowship Clinical PhD Programmes Research Training Fellowship Research Training Fellowship Postdoc Training Fellowship for MB/PhD graduates Early Postdoctoral Training Fellowship for Clinician Scientists Senior Investigator Award New Investigator Award Principal Research Fellowship Senior Research Fellowship in Clinical Science Senior Research Fellowship in Clinical Science Training Programmes for Clinicians in Translational Medicine & Therapeutics Training Programmes for Clinicians in Translational Medicine & Therapeutics Schemes administered by the Trust Trust schemes administered by host institutions

Trust-administered schemes

Research Training Fellowships Who? for medical, dental, veterinary and clinical psychology graduates little or no research training to date Why? to develop a career in academic medicine MD or PhD

Research Training Fellowships What? high-quality, hypothesis- driven research project up to 3-years clinical salary research expenses

Research Training Fellowships Considered three times a year Interviews in: November/December April June/July No preliminary application required Trust staff happy to discuss plans Next deadline for full applications: 17 September & 8 February 2013

Imperial-administered schemes

PhD Programmes for Clinicians Programme is tailored to the unique needs of clinician- scientists Programmes provide: a structured, well-mentored environments access to high-quality research environments Apply to institution directly. Look out for adverts in BMJ, Imperial & Trust websites – coming soon!

Interdisciplinary Training Programmes for Clinicians in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics to provide clinicians with the expertise to design and conduct studies that aim to develop and evaluate novel therapies in humans Partnerships academic institution (Imperial) industrial partner (GSK)

Interdisciplinary Training Programmes for Clinicians in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics Programmes at: Imperial College London University of Edinburgh/Scotland University of Cambridge Newcastle University

Trust-administered schemes

Postdoctoral opportunities and beyond… Postdoctoral Training Fellowship for MB/PhD Graduates Early Postdoctoral Training Fellowship for Clinician Scientists Starter Grants for Clinical Lecturers (run by AMS) Intermediate Clinical Fellowship Senior Clinical Fellowship

Applying for funding

Good idea Choose a funding agency & scheme Preliminary application stage? Write application Submit application Interview Committee RejectFund Short-listing Committee External review University admin office The Process

Fellowships How do we assess applications? Person Project Place

Tips on writing a good application

Before starting your application…. Read the application form and guidance notes carefully Check deadlines to avoid rushed applications Think about who you may need to contact for information/signatures Is your boss going on holiday, to a conference etc? Allow time for the application to be processed by the admin office Warn people that your application is coming Queries? Contact the funder’s office staff

A ‘good’ application A strong and original central hypothesis/research vision Easy to understand and read Consider all readers avoid jargon avoid abbreviations check grammar and spelling Requests for resources should be justified Animal use and studies using human subjects should be carefully justified and power calculations provided, where appropriate

A ‘good’ application Not over- or under-ambitious Takes into account the current literature (including conflicting opinions) Clear research plan. approach is feasible realistic timescale potential pitfalls and fall-back plans Appropriate expertise sponsors, collaborators and research team

A ‘good’ application Get someone with a critical eye to read your application before you submit it Very senior people may not have the time Try someone outside your area

The Interview

Beforehand Practice, practice, practice!!! There is no substitute for mock interviews Own the project Be familiar with recent advances in the field Find out who is on the panel & know what they do

Afterwards Don’t call us, we’ll call you Yes – celebrate and get to work! No – ask for feedback, many funders will give detailed advice Will a re-submission be considered if so what must change?

Questions?