Guts UK Development Grants – Early career researchers

These awards are aimed at early career researchers not yet in a substantive position or within three years of appointment to a substantive academic post. Allowance will be made for applicants whose career has been subject to an interruption for family or personal reasons. These grants are for translational or proof of concept research in any area of gastroenterology (including pancreatology and hepatology).

An early career researcher – for the purposes of this scheme is a researcher with up to 10 years (FTE) relevant experience post completion of a PhD.

We strongly encourage applications that are aligned to our current research priorities which can be found on our website.

• Six grants are available up to £15,000 each.

It is envisaged that the research project could allow the collection of pilot or proof-of-concept data that will enable a high-quality competitive application to be made subsequently to a research council or other large funder, such as the National Institute of Health Research.

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Scientific excellence (plausibility, feasibility, importance, originality, potential to elicit clinically useful results).
• Value for money.
• Relevance to Guts UK’s research priority themes.
• Suitability of research team (track record of the applicants).
• The potential difference the research will make to the lives of patients.
• The potential for further funding and/or follow up studies.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

These grants are open to early career researchers not yet in a substantive position or within three years of appointment to a substantive academic post. This award is not for salary costs for principal applicants who must have their salary covered by other funds. Funding will be available only in the UK.

Allowance will be made for applicants whose career has been subject to an interruption for family or personal reasons. Please contact us at research@gutscharity.org.uk if you have any questions.

BUDGET AND RESEARCH DURATION

The maximum allowed budget is £15,000. Only the direct costs associated with the project will be funded. Early career development grants are not intended to be used as ‘top-up’ funds to meet a shortfall in funding from another body. Overhead allocation or other indirect costs, including senior or supervisory posts which are already covered by other funding will not be funded. Publication, open access, and public relations costs, attendance at conferences and equipment or capital costs will not be funded either. All costs must be clearly explained and justified. Awards are provided for up to 24 months.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Guts UK are keen that the research starts as soon as possible after the award of the grant. Ethical approval, if required by the project, will be needed before the work commences. All licences pertaining to research using animals must be valid and in place.

Provided the study meets the NIHR’s definition of a ‘research study’, the selected project(s) will also be eligible for adoption by the UK Clinical Research Network and therefore will be eligible for NIHR support. For clinical research proposals, applicants are encouraged to contact their local NIHR Clinical Research Network for advice as early as possible.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, download the following documents:

• Research scope and eligibility criteria
• Application form
• Guidelines
• Guts UK Grants Terms and Conditions

Please email your application together with a scanned copy of the application with wet signatures to research@gutscharity.org.uk (including copies of supporting letters/emails).

The deadline for applications is 11th September 2023 at 5pm. Applications will be initially reviewed by a subset of the Guts UK Research Awards Committee. The top scoring applications will be assessed by the Guts UK Research Awards Committee at a meeting at the end of November. The Trustees of Guts UK will approve the awards of the grants to those research projects. The successful applicant will be notified by the end of December 2023.

Please note: Any queries relating to submission of the application must be referred directly to Guts UK. Applicants or their colleagues may not contact a Research Awards Committee member or Guts UK Trustee to discuss any aspect of an application or the decision reached on it.

If you have questions about this funding opportunity or would like to sign up for research award updates, email research@gutscharity.org.uk