Visit to University of Stirling Pam Hicks and Jennifer Anderson Research Funding Policy and Delivery Medical Research Council 29 September 2015.

Visit to University of StirlingPam Hicks and Jennifer Anderson

Research Funding Policy and Delivery

Medical Research Council

29 September 2015

Contents

• MRC Mission

• Current MRC grants at Stirling

• MRC remit and funding opportunities

• Opportunities for early Career researchers

• The end to end process – submission to award

• Common errors in applications

Stirling Grants

Grant Ref Title PI Call StatusMR/N020030/1 Partnership

Grant: UK funding for the International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility and UK Node of the INCF

Prof Leslie Smith Research Boards Sep/Oct 15

In progress

MR/L017938/1 Identifying and measuring key cognitions in suicidal and non-suicidal self harm

Dr Andrew Siddaway

CRTF Pre-doc Active

MR/J000523/1 Alcohol policy interventions in Scotland and England

Dr Anne Marie MacKintosh

NPRI Active

Collaborations - Inbound

Research Organisation (Non-UK) Number of COI Grant Reference

Australia

University of Wollongong 1 MR/J000523/1

Inbound collaborationsResearch Organisation (UK) Number of COI Grant Reference

Buckinghamshire

Open University 1 MR/J000523/1

South Yorkshire

University of Sheffield 1 MR/J000523/1

Collaborations - Outbound

Outbound CollaborationsResearch Organisation (UK) Number of COI Grant Reference

Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh 1 MR/K023209/1

Gloucestershire

University of Bristol 1 MR/K025643/1

Lanarkshire

University of Glasgow 2MR/M009807/1, MR/L006367/1

Glasgow Caledonian University 1 MR/L003287/1

Nottinghamshire

University of Nottingham 1 MR/K023195/1

MRC mission

• Encourage and support high-quality research with the aim of improving human health.

• Produce skilled researchers.

• Advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness in the UK and worldwide.

• Promote dialogue with the public about medical research.

MRC strategy

Research Changes Lives 2014-2019Strategic intent: to support excellent discovery science and partnerships

to promote translation to accelerate the pace of improvements in health and wealth.

• Strategic Aim One: Picking research that deliversSetting research priorities which are most likely to deliver improved health outcomes

• Strategic Aim Two: Research to peopleBringing the benefits of excellent research to all sections of society

• Strategic Aim Three: Going globalAccelerating progress in international health research

• Strategic Aim Four: Supporting scientistsSustaining a robust and flourishing environment for world-class research

MRC remit and partners

• MRC: basic research to early clinical trials

– Underpinning and aetiological– Prevention– Detection and diagnosis– Treatment development & evaluation– Phase 1 & 2 trials

• Other funders/partners– Government departments,

especially Health– Other Research Councils– Medical Charities– Industry– Innovate UK (was Technology

Strategy Board)

Basic research

Discovery Preclinical Early

Clinical Late

Clinical HTA

MRC

BBSRC

Medical Charities

Innovate UK (TSB)

NIHR

MRC’s Translational Research Funding

Continued commitment to basic research

BMC: Major Awards

Committee

Basic research Prototype discovery & design

Pre-clinical development

Early clinical trials

Late clinical trials

Biomedical Catalyst: DPFS

MRC/NIHR Methodology Research Programme

Biomedical Catalyst: RMRC

Translational Research Support

Health Technology Assessment

Efficacy and

Mechanism Evaluation Programme

MRC Lead NIHR Lead

Health Technology Assessment Programme

BMC: Confidence

in Concept

Innovate UK

Medical CharitiesBBSRC & EPSRC

Proximity to Discovery Industry Engagement Fund

Our emerging strategic interests

• Enable a more productive research base

• Lead the UK response to major world-wide health challenges

• Breakthroughs in complex diseases from human studies

• Informatics and computation at the heart of modern interdisciplinary medical research

• Promote innovative, discovery science and high-risk, high-gain basic research

• Encourage interdisciplinary science

• Accelerate translation and economic growth through creative working across academia and industry

Devolved funding

Expand opportunities to devolve a portfolio of funding to Universities for mutual benefits in agility, flexibility and creativity

Planned investment of at least £20m in 2015 towards:

• Translation – bridge funding gaps, support speculative early interactions, encourage collaborative R&D

• People – give flexibility to tailor training and develop specific skills, encourage people exchange

• Discovery – accelerate development of critical mass in important new areas of basic or interdisciplinary science

MRP Remit

The programme includes:

1.Methods development to underpin biomedical and health-related sciences.2.Methods evaluation, refinement and implementation: 3.'Methods in research’ for developing methods and their implementation in research standards with the aim of improving quality and consistency in practice, eg consensus statements.

MRP covers:– Research methods in disciplines including: biomedical, behavioural and social

science, experimental medicine, randomised trials, cohorts and other designs of health, health care, health services and health policy research;

1. Developing and evaluating theory and models relevant to health sciences;

1. Methods for effective regulation (including indices for decision making), approval, adaptation and reporting of new interventions (including behavioural);

1. Research methods for valid measures of health, e.g. health outcomes, exposure and risk (including behaviour, cognition and emotion), and wellbeing.

MRP Remit

Development of underpinning methodologies for areas such as:

•The design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials: methods for the assessment of risk, efficacy, safety and other issues related to regulatory approvals for new medicines, devices and diagnostics•Health economics•Biostatistics, mathematical and computational modelling•Bio- and Health-informatics•Epidemiology•Behavioural sciences and health psychology, qualitative analysis and mixed methods, medical sociology, organisational and management science and bioethics•Methods for effective regulation (including indices for decision making), approval, adaptation and reporting of new interventions•Research methods for valid measures of health, e.g. health outcomes, exposure and risk (including behaviour, cognition and emotion), and well being.

•Wet lab methodology development, or

•Technology development (although does cover statistical and computational analytic methods for data arising from these)

MRP does not cover:

MRP Highlight Notices

• Observational data in clinical decision making• Multiple testing/subgroup analyses• Missing data and propensity scores• Assessing quality of life in carers• Improved measurement methods for population

science research• Methodology for stratified medicine• Improving cross-sector comparisons; Beyond

QALY• Methodology for Eliciting Expert Opinion

A new funding scheme to support research organisations to use creative approaches to building relationships with industry partners. Support to allow RO to be proactive in developing new opportunities for collaboration.

Enhance academic understanding of industry or vice versa

Enabling universities to highlight opportunities for potential industry partners

People exchanges to enhance skills, knowledge and understanding

Exchanges are not expected to exceed 6 months

Providing awards up to £250,000

Proximity to Discovery: Industry Engagement Fund

Tackling the Research Challenges in AMR – a Cross Council Initiative

AMR Funders Forum - research councils, DH, government bodies and charities

•Antimicrobial resistance – a thematic approach

£30m available for research under four themes:

1. Understanding resistance – two research collaboratives and 11 innovation grants funded

2. Accelerating therapeutic and diagnostics development – calls closed

3. Understanding real world interactions – two calls launched, deadlines 6 October and 3 December

4. Behaviour within and beyond the healthcare setting – in development, call to be launched early 2016

For more info: [email protected]

Europe: Joint Programming Initiative – AMR•To develop integrated approaches to pursue unique world-class research

Funding Opportunities – Managed Mode Calls

• Call to lead MRC-NIHR workshop on Effect Size Methodology: Closes 1/11/2015

• Proximity to Discovery: Industrial Engagement fund: Closes 15/10/2015

• Public Health Intervention Development Scheme: Closes 19/11/2015

Funding Opportunities – Highlight notices

• These are areas with current MRC strategic interest. Response mode applications within these scientific remits should be submitted to the relevant board/panel

• Economic Impact• Environmental Exposure and chronic disease• Mechanistic research in nutrition• Novel tools and technologies for vaccinology

• Further information can be found at http://www.mrc.ac.uk/funding/how-we-fund-research/highlight-notices/

Funding Opportunities for Early Career Researchers

Capacity, Skills and Infrastructure update

Skills review Refresh priority areas Build skills to complement recent capital investments

Careers review Delivering clarity on career pathways – ‘map’ Review of impact and identify barriers: Student and Fellows next

destinations

Review mechanisms to ensure right support at right time Signposting non-clinical career options Supporting transitions Promoting flexible opportunities Aligning training investments to skills priorities

Consultation of ‘vulnerable’ skills, conducted in partnership with BBSRC: main cross-cutting themes emerging:

• Quantitative skills (developing digital excellence) as applied to variety of data sources (from ‘omics’ to health records)

• Interdisciplinary skills (at all interfaces including chemical/physical/engineering, social/economical and clinical, including for example imaging, health economics, antimicrobial resistance etc).

• Whole organ/ organism physiology (maintains profile and priority for high-cost in vivo training – mainly for studentships)

Refocus Skills fellowships – early career/change discipline Alignment of studentships to skill priorities

‘Networked Training Investments’

Revising skills priorities

MRC Fellowships - beforeNon Clinical, Clinical and Strategic Skills fellowships

MRC Career Framework – Going Forward

Interactive Framework (map)

MRC Early-Career Grant

New Investigator Research Grants – Researchers who are capable of becoming principal investigators and who

are now ready to take the next step towards that goal.

– Can provide early-career scientists with a route into a permanent lectureship position. For those with a post: funding and ‘protected time’ with which to establish an independent research career

– Currently between 3 and 10 years post doc research experience and should either be in first lecturer appointment, hold a junior fellowship, or be in a senior post-doctoral position

– Time attributed to the NIRG project is commensurate with career stage and academic responsibilities

– Usually 3 years funding – not renewable– Requires commitment from your host organisationNB Criteria currently under review

Fellowship or Research Grant?

Fellowship Research Grant (inc NIRG)

Only open to non-tenured staff and researchers from other

research organisations

Open to tenured, non-tenured and researchers from other research

organisations

Opportunities for predoc and postdoc researchers

Postdoc researchers only for NIRGs(predocs can apply for research

grants but would not be competitive)

Focused on the person, then the project

Focused on the project, then the person

Applicant invited to interview Proposals discussed at board/panel

3 to 7 year’s funding depending on fellowship

3 year’s funding

The end to end process – submission to award

Elements of Successful Proposals

• A clear rationale for the research

− Background− Hypothesis− Aims

• Preliminary data

• Methodology

• Have a plan B

− Risk & Mitigation!

• People, environment − Training for fellowships

• Resources well justified

• Summary of the entire proposal – write it last!

• Understandable by researchers outside the field – don’t underestimate the importance of the lay abstract either!

• Will be the first thing read by primary reviewers

Making a successful application: The Abstract

• May be the ONLY thing read by other committee members (but not at MRC of course)

• Will influence the way reviewers approach the rest of the proposal

What happens to your application once you hit the ‘submit’ button

Input Outputs/Outcomes Impacts (Academic/Economic/Social)

Improvements to health (living longer and with better quality of life)

Academic impact (effects on further research including other disciplines)

Improving the performance of existing businesses

Creating new businesses (that contribute to economic growth and further R&D)

Delivering highly skilled people to the labour market

Attracting R&D investment (from global business and non-UK funding sources)

Improving public policy and public services (including the NHS)

Engaging public support for medical research

Pathways to Impact

Funding for Research and Training

Generation of new Knowledge/publication

Trained people

Development of collaborative networks

Intellectual property/Licensing

Research materials/Technologies

Influences on policy & practice

Development of new products/processes

Dissemination of research

Common reasons why applications are returned

• CVs and publications listed on one document• Costs requested for open access/publishing• Letter of support is not signed and/or dated• Letter of support for human tissue not provided (when

applicable)• Equipment costs requested at 100%• For New Investigator Research Grants:

− Letter of support not signed by both Head of Dept and Vice-Chancellor (or equivalent)

− Research Organisation letter of support does not include salary details

− CV not on NIRG CV template

Expectations on Experimental Design in MRC Grant Applications

Aims•To increase reproducibility•Ensure appropriate use of animal numbers

All applications for research funding with animals must include:•Justification for use of animals•Calculations for determining sample size requested•Justification of size used•Plans for avoidance of experimental bias

If these are not included in the proposal form’s ‘Statistical Analysis’ section, the application will be returned for amendment. If the issues are not satisfactorily addressed, the application will be rejected.

Expectations on Experimental Design in MRC Grant Applications

For further information

•Guidance: (http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines )

•MRC Guidance for applicants, section 8.2 p39 (http://www.mrc.ac.uk/funding/guidance-for-applicants/)

Two-stage Review Process

Referee Assessment • Detailed evaluation of scientific quality, importance and

resource request• Inform short-listing decisions (triage) and final funding decision• Minimum of 3 reviewers per application, mix of UK/international

reviewers• Score 1-6• Role of Board / Panel is to consider the comments of the

referees more carefully than the score, which is only ever an indicator.

Board Assessment • Make funding decisions on behalf of MRC taking into account

broader strategic considerations (Council & Board) and portfolio balance

• Score 1-10

Starting the process

• Talk to the MRC• Consider all the options • Types of Grants

− Fellowships− New Investigator Research Grants− Research Grants

• Different Calls− Managed mode calls looking at specific science areas− Response Mode – Boards rounds take place 3 times a year,

standing panels in field of Translation, Methodology Research Panel etc also take place on a regular basis

− Studentships – Case Studentships• Take account of feedback provided to improve future applications• Ensure application fits the remit of the call applied for

Board and Panel recruitment

MRC are currently recruiting for board and panel members for the following: Closing Date 4pm on 2 October

• Boards: All 4 boards •Funding Panels:

• Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme • MRC-NIHR Methodology Research Programme

•Training and Career Development Panels: • Clinical Training and Career Development • Non-Clinical Training and Career Development • Skills Development

www.mrc.ac.uk/board-panel-vacancies

Going Forward

For further information please contact

[email protected]