Post on 12-Jan-2016
description
MRC Fellowship Opportunities
Dr Jo LatimerProgramme Manager
Plan of Talk
•Background about MRC
•Next Steps of MRC Funding•Fellowships•Research Grants
•Tips on writing good applications
•Assessment of Fellowships
Medical Research Council
• Established in 1913 and is one of seven Research Councils who come under the umbrella of RCUK
• Funded mainly by Government (accountable to Parliament, reports to DIUS)
• Independent in deciding which research to support
• In 2005/06, the MRC spent >£560 million on research and training support in our institutes, units and universities
RCUK, Research Councils UK;DIUS, Department of Innovations, Universities and Skills
Our Mission
• Encourage and support high quality research with the aim of maintaining and improving human health
• Produce skilled researchers, and to advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness in the UK
• To promote dialogue with the public about medical research
Fellowships & Research Grants
Opportunities for Non-Clinical Scientists
PhD studentResearch Assistant
Post on Grant
New Investigator Awards
Research Grants
Post-Doc 1
Post-Doc 2(+)
Lecturer
Readership
Professorship
Studentships via Doctoral Training
Account
Intermediate Awards Career Development
Senior Fellowships
Non Clinical Appointment
Fellowship Opportunities
Grant Opportunities
Opportunities for Clinical Scientists
Pre- registration House Officer
Senior House Officer
Specialist registrar
Certificate of Completion of
Specialist Training
Consultant
Research Grants /Collaboration grants
Clinical Academic
Career Path
Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Senior Clinical Fellowships
Clinical Research Training Fellowship
MRC Provision (Clinical
Fellowships)
New Investigator Research Awards
MRC Provision(Grants)
MD or PhD
Lecturer
Senior lecturer
NHS Clinical Career Pathway
Professor
Opportunities for Clinical Scientists
INTEGRATED ACADEMIC TRAINING PATH Foundation Programme
Specialist TrainingAcademic Position
Medical School
CCT
MB
Intercalated BSc
MB/PhD
Graduate Entry
Training
Academic Foundation Year
F1 F2
Academic Status
Academic Clinical
Fellowship
Clinical Lectureship
Senior Lecturer
Further specialty/sub-specialty
training
Senior Clinical Fellowship
The timings of personal fellowships are indicative – there is flexibility according to individual career progression
Clinical Training
1 2 3 4 5
MRC
Fellowship
Clinical Research Training
Fellowship 3-4 years
Clinician Scientist
Fellowship up to 4 years
(
Opportunities for AlliedHealth Professionals
Nurses, midwives, radiographers, psychologists, other AHPs
Masters degree or equivalent postgraduate research-oriented qualification
ELIGIBLE FOR
Clinical Research Training
Fellowship
Health Services and Health of
the Public Fellowship
OR
PhD, DPhil, MD
PhD, DPhil, MD
ELIGIBLE FOR
Health Services and Health of the Public Fellowship
Clinician Scientist Fellowship/Career Development Award
Senior Clinical/Non-Clinical Fellowship
Summary
PhD trainingClinical Research
Training Fellowship
PhD studentship
Post-doctoral training
Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Career Development
Award
Established investigator
Senior Clinical Fellowship
Senior Fellowship
Clinical Non-Clinical
Fellowships: Pre- to post-doctoral Awards
Research training towards a PhD for clinical scientists or post-doctoral research training for
non-clinical scientists
•Clinical Research Training Fellowships
•Health Services and Health Of The Public Research Fellowships
Fellowships: Intermediate Awards
Post-doctoral/further post-doctoral experience consolidation of skills. Transition from postdoctoral researcher to
independent investigator
•Clinician Scientist FellowshipOpen to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses,
midwives and other health profession researchers
•Joint Collaborative Career Development Award in Stem Cell ResearchOpen to clinical & non-clinical applicants
•Career Development Award in BiostatisticsOpen to non-clinical post-doctoral researchers
•Career Development AwardOpen to non-clinical post-doctoral researchers
•Department Of Health Clinician Scientist AwardOpen to medical & dental graduates up to Special Registrar grade, nurses,
midwives and other health profession researchers
Fellowships:Senior Awards
Awards for independent scientist/team leaders: national/international recognition
Senior Clinical Fellowship
•Open to medical & dental graduates up to Consultant grade, nurses, midwives and other health profession researchers
Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship
•Open to non-clinical post-doctoral researchers, nurses and other health profession researchers
Award Support for Intermediate/Senior
• Personal salary
• Research support for staff
• Research expenses
• Travel allowance
• Capital equipment
• Up to one year in research centre overseas/2nd UK Centre/UK Industrial Training (2 years for CDA)
• No age limits
• Can return from a career break
• Awards can be held part time
• Support for maternity/sick leave
• Procedures are designed to minimise
discrimination
Features of MRC Fellowship Awards
New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG)
Applicants are expected to be at the beginning of their independent research careers. They will:
•have a PhD, D Phil or an MD
•have institutional support
•have a minimum of three years post qualification research experience (account will be taken of career breaks)
•be within three years of the start of their first established academic appointment (or within five years for clinicians and this may be at Senior Lecturer level)
•be in a senior post doctoral position taking their first steps towards establishing themselves as an independent principal investigator
•receive funds for three years including: Salary of the principal investigator where they do not hold a tenured position; Support for an additional research, technical or other post; consumables; equipment; travel costs.
What makes a good application?
What might cause an application to fail?
Elements of successful proposals:
• Emphasis on track record for established investigators /potential for early career investigators
• Need a clear rationale for the research - less detail about long-term experimental plans i.e.
• Clarity & Succinctness key
• Methodology - Preliminary Data
• Collaborations
• Look at recent quality of work & productivity• Quality of proposed training environment
• High-risk/high pay-off research encouraged
• Lack of good track record/publication record
• Applicant’s lack of appropriate experience
• Unfocused, overambitious project
• No clear hypothesis, or not hypothesis-driven
• Methodology not sufficiently detailed
• Project not intellectually challenging
• Training element incomplete/unclear
• Unoriginal, pedestrian approach
• Centre has no international standing in research area
• Lack of infrastructure/facilities in training environment
An application will fail because:
• Demonstrates applicant is looking for breadth of research experience
• Should look for a centre:• offering good career development and research
training opportunities• which is the most appropriate for the applicant’s
particular research area
• If applicant needs to remain where they are:• Should spell out reasons for this • Explain what additional training they will gain if
they stay
Seeking another centre:
Assessment Procedure
The Process:
Referees
Shortlisting
Panel Interview
Assessment of Fellowships
• 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
• Potential of the individual - to develop into a competitive researcher
• Quality of the environment
• Quality of the training proposed
• Relevance / value of any proposed period overseas or in industry
Assessment of Fellowships
Fellowship Applications vs. Awards
Where to Start?
Information on Fellowships
Thank you!
Contacts•General Enquiries
fellows@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
students@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
grants@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
•Scientific queries via Programme Managers
Details on MRC web-site under each Research Board(http://www.mrc.ac.uk/OurResearch/
TheResearchBoards/index.htm)
•Post Award Administration
(award letters, payments & queries)amt@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk