wellcome trust - funding the best science
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Wellcome Trust - Funding the best science. Dr Helen Fisher Science Programme Manager Molecules, Genes and Cells Fellowship for Researcher Day: Sheffield University October 18 2007. Overview. Background on the Trust Science Funding personal support schemes Application Process Contacts. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Wellcome Trust - Funding the best science
Dr Helen Fisher
Science Programme ManagerMolecules, Genes and Cells
Fellowship for Researcher Day: Sheffield University
October 18 2007
•Background on the Trust
•Science Funding personal support schemes
•Application Process
•Contacts
OverviewOverview
Background
• an independent research-funding charity
• established 1936
• funded from private endowment
• managed for long-term stability and growth
• interests range from science to history of medicine
The Wellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust
“To foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health”
Wellcome Trust MissionWellcome Trust Mission
Strategic Plan 2005-2010
Strategic Aims:Strategic Aims:
• spend £2 billion between 2005 - 2010
• ensure the single biggest element of our funding supports investigator-led research and career fellowships
• retain around 10% of funding each year to respond flexibly to unanticipated opportunities
• continue to support the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute as a world-leading centre for genomics research
Fostering Biomedical ScienceFostering Biomedical Science
• Biomedical and veterinary research
• Technology transfer activities
• History of Medicine research
• Biomedical ethics research
• Public engagement
What do we fund?What do we fund?
Immunology and Infectious Disease
Populations and Public Health
Neuroscience and Mental Health
Physiological Sciences
Molecules, Genes and Cells
Medical Humanities
Funding StreamsFunding Streams
Personal Support
Strategic Aim 4: Developing people
• To provide training and career support schemes to attract and retain the highest quality individuals in biomedical research
• To stimulate research capacity building to address priority areas of science, or career gaps, by developing tailored
training and career initiatives
• To work with others on key issues related to research careers
•To foster a research community and individual researchers who can contribute to the advancement and use of knowledge
Research Training Fellowships
Senior Research Fellowships
PhD Programmes for Clinicians
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships
Intermediate Clinical
Fellowships
Research Career Development Fellowships
Senior Research Fellowships
Senior Research Fellowships
BIOMEDICAL SCIENTISTS CLINICAL SCIENTISTS
University Awards
Flexible Travel
Awards
Research Career
Re-EntryFellowships
Principal Research Fellowships
INTERMEDIATE
SENIOR
BIOMEDICAL & CLINICAL SCIENTISTS
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Intermediate Fellowships
MSc/PhD Programmes
Research Training Fellowships
4 Year PhD Programmes
Personal Support Schemes
International Senior Research Fellowships(in India, South Africa, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary & Poland )
EARLY CAREER
FlexibleTravel
Awards
Based in the UK or Republic of Ireland
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships
Research Career Development Fellowships
Senior Research Fellowships
BIOMEDICAL SCIENTISTSBased in the UK or Republic of Ireland
Research projects can be based in the lab, the clinic or the field and may involve experimental or theoretical approaches
University Awards
Flexible Travel
Awards
Research Career Re-
EntryFellowships
Principal Research Fellowships
Early career
Intermediate
Senior
4 Year PhD Programmes
Personal Support Schemes
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships• for the best newly qualified post-doctoral
basic science researchers
• candidates are expected to identify an important biomedical research question and to develop and deliver their own personal programme to achieve their research aims.
• flexible support for four years to enhance research skills, career development opportunities and promote independence
• research to be undertaken in the laboratories of choice – in the UK and overseas
• annual competition - deadline for the next round - 5th November 2007
Flexible Travel Awards • Provide enhanced opportunities for mobility
and collaboration in the UK and overseas
• Enable successful scientists to obtain experience in new disciplines, interdisciplinary areas or in an emerging aspect of their own field
• Awards either enable internationally competitive established post-holders to undertake a sabbatical in order to enrich their research programmes and initiate significant new collaborations.
• Or, provide personal support and research expenses for up to two years for non-established post-holders researchers to obtain experience either in a new discipline or in an emerging aspect of their own field
Research Career Development Fellowships• Candidates must have made intellectual
contributions to research that have been published in leading journals, and be able to demonstrate their potential to carry out high quality independent research
• Awards now for up to 5 years
• 3-6 years’ post-doctoral research experience
• Includes salary, research expenses and research assistance if justified
• Preliminary application required which can be made at any time
• Considered twice a year
Senior Research Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Science
• For outstanding individuals of exceptional ability to continue their independent programmes of research
• 5-~10 years post-doctoral research experience
• 5 year award funded in full (fellowship salary and research expenses) by the Trust
• Renewable for five year periods with 50% fellowship salary funded by the host institution
• Annual competition - preliminary applications considered early each summer
Principal Research Fellowships
• Candidates with an established track record of research at the highest level
• Basic and clinical
• Seven years’ salary and research support
• Renewable for five year periods with 50% salary support from the host institution
• Must have a guaranteed position at the end of the Fellowship
• Often used to bring top academics (back) to the UK
• Preliminary application required
Research Career Re-Entry Fellowships
• To enable post-doctoral scientists to return to independent research after a decision to take a career break of at least 2 years
• Awards can be for up to 4 years
• Possible to include re-training costs e.g. MSc
• Preliminary application required
University Awards• To allow universities to attract/retain strategically important research
staff, technologists or analysts
• Two varieties:
• Three years’ project support and salary support for 5 years (50% year 4; 25% year 5)
Applicant takes up a permanent post at the end of the award
Career technologists/analysts Trust provides 75% of applicant’s salary for the first 5 years Then the applicant takes up a post which is guaranteed for at least
a further 5 years
Support on project and programme grants
In appropriate circumstances, researchers
can request personal salary support on a
Project or Programme grant application as:
A named Research AssistantA Co-applicantThe Principal Applicant
Application process for personal support schemes•Preliminary application
Submit to most appropriate StreamTrust assess eligibility and suitability of person
(and project)Decision on whether to invite full application or
not
•Full applicationExternal peer review of person, project and
placeApplication and referees’ reports considered by
Stream Funding CommitteeDecision on whether to invite candidate for
interview
or not
•InterviewDecision on whether to make an award or not
Assessment of Full Applications
PERSON – PROJECT – PLACE
•Track record of applicant
•The importance of the question
•The approach to the question and feasibility
•Sponsor / Supervisor -Support vs. independence
•Research environment + good training
“...the work described in this application is over-ambitious, it could not be achieved in the life time of the investigator.”
“The poor writing, referencing and proof reading of this application significantly detract from its overall quality.”
“...it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed.”
“I had only one problem with this application, I had no idea what they were trying to do...”
•Clear hypothesis/research plan
•Not over/under ambitious
•Supportive preliminary data
•Appropriate collaborators
•Good presentation
A ‘Good’ ApplicationA ‘Good’ ApplicationA ‘Good’ ApplicationA ‘Good’ Application
IMPORTANT
•check scheme details in advance when thinking about next steps and making plans •then check again nearer the time - things may well have changed•talk to Trust staff if you are thinking of applying
always have a plan B, C and D!
Office Contacts
•Immunology and Infectious Disease
•020 7611 8352
•Populations and Public Health
•020 7611 8764
Office Contacts cont.
•Neuroscience and Mental Health
•020 7611 7337
•Physiological Sciences
•020 7611 7298
www.wellcome.ac.uk