MRC Funding Opportunities and Tips for Success Jonathan Pearce Medical Research Council

1. MRC Funding Opportunities and Tips for Success Jonathan Pearce Medical Research Council Queen’s University Belfast: 26th May 2011

2. Agenda • MRC Mission and Strategy • Funding Opportunities • Success Rates • Tips for Success • Q&A

3. 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

4. MRC – NIHR Interface Discovery and exploratory research Application and delivery research MRC lead NIHR lead Genetics/genomics Structural biology Imaging Systems medicine Global health Ageing: life course Stem cells Infections Population science Pharmacogenomics Animal/human models Regenerative medicine Programmes in Applied research Research for Patient Benefit Invention for Innovation Service Delivery and Organisation Experimental medicine Methodology Global health Stratified medicine HTA Trials EME Trials(Late stage III) Public health E-health CSO (Scotland) WAG/WORD (Wales) HSCNI (Northern Ireland)

5. Aim One Priority 1 - Resilience, repair and replacement Priority 2 - Living a long and healthy life Aim Two - Research to people Bringing the benefits of excellent research to all sections of society Aim Three - Going global Accelerating progress in international health research Aim Four - Supporting scientists Sustaining a robust and flourishing environment for world-class medical research MRC Strategy

6. New frontiers Stratified medicine Regenerative medicine Systems medicine Living a long and healthy life Mental health & wellbeing Lifestyle behaviours and health Healthy ageing Population health E-health Global health Translational medicine Safeguarding the UK skills base Delivering MRC Strategy

7. MRC Investment - 2009/10 MRC research expenditure - £758.2 million in 2009/10 • £374.6m for over 500 programmes in MRC research units and institutes • £287.6m on grants and training awards in universities and medical schools: • 1,100 grants supported during 2009/10 • 279 new grants awarded to researchersin 09/10: • Total new commitment of £181.0m • £78.2 million on training and careerdevelopment

8. MRC Structure Strategy Board Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board Population and Systems Medicine Board Infections and Immunity Board Neurosciences and Mental Health Board Population Health Sciences Group Methodology Panel and Translational Stem Cell Research Committee Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Panel Translational Research Group Global Health Group Training and Careers Group Strategic Skills Panel Non-Clinical Panel Clinical Panel

9. Agenda • MRC Mission and Strategy • Funding Opportunities • Success Rates • Tips for Success • Q&A

10. Research Funding Categories • Response mode • Research grants • Programme grants • Partnership grants • Calls for proposals • Specialised schemes/ Strategic initiatives • New investigator research grant • Developmental pathway funding scheme • Developmental clinical studies • Translational stem cell research programme • Methodology research programme • MRC Industry Collaboration Awards

11. Response Mode – Research Grants • Most common route of application • Up to 5 years (normally >2 years, unless for proof of principle) • Open to any UK-based researcher who can demonstrate that they will direct the proposed research and be actively engaged in carrying it through (can have industrial/overseas collaborators/co-applicants) • Applications via Research Boards – 3 meetings/year

12. Response Mode – Programme Grants • Larger, longer term (5 years) renewable programme funding • Coordinated and coherent group of related projects, which may be to answer an inter-related set of questions across a broad scientific area • Outline required before full submission, and discussion with programme manager (strategic fit) • Principal investigator should have a substantial record of research

13. Response Mode – Partnership Grants • Aims to provide support for collaborative activities that address important issues, which cannot be addressed through other funding arrangements • Collaborative activities could either • add value to existing research; or • help to galvanise researchers in a particular field (or complementary fields) • Partnership grants are intended for infrastructure and associated costs rather than specific research costs • The scheme provides core funds for one to five years

14. Research Funding Categories • Response mode • Research grants • Programme grants • Partnership grants • Calls for proposals • Specialised schemes/ Strategic initiatives • New investigator research grant • Developmental pathway funding scheme • Developmental clinical studies • Translational stem cell research programme • Methodology research programme • MRC Industry Collaboration Awards

15. Calls for Proposals • About 2/3rds of research that MRC funds is in response to proposals initiated by scientists (Response Mode) • Increasing strategic need to stimulate research in priority areas by publishing Calls for Proposals (Managed Mode) (approx 1/3rd of MRC activity) • Calls are time-limited and have ring-fenced funding • An outline stage may be incorporated into a Call to filter the applications of high scientific quality • Peer review may involve specially convened panel of experts within Academia and Industry • All MRC Calls are launched via the MRC website http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Calls/index.htm

16. Research Funding Categories • Response mode • Research grants • Programme grants • Partnership grants • Calls for proposals • Specialised schemes/ Strategic initiatives • New investigator research grant • Developmental pathway funding scheme • Developmental clinical studies • Translational stem cell research programme • Methodology research programme • MRC Industry Collaboration Awards

17. Specialised Schemes • Delivered by Research Boards • New investigator research grant (NIRG) • Developmental clinical studies (DCS) • Delivered by Panels/Committees • Developmental pathway funding scheme (DPFS) • Translational stem cell research programme • Methodology research programme

18. Specialised Schemes - New Investigator Research Grants (NIRGs) • Provide support for clinical and non-clinical researchers in their first steps towards establishing themselves as independent principal investigators • Applicants should be at the start of their first academic appointment, or in a senior post doctoral position (with between 3-10 years post PhD research experience) • Max funding of £600k FEC (MRC pays up to £480k) over 3yrs: for research, technical or other post; consumables, equipment & travel costs

19. More flexible awards for new investigators Sir John Savill, CEO • Research Boards to use greater flexibility in awarding NIRGs - including award of smaller, refocused, short-term awards • “Start-UP NIRGs” Criteria: • Good science: Not fundamentally flawed, but just missed funding threshold • Board is able to provide clear feedback for realistic re-focusing • Establishing preliminary or pilot data • Removing specific “over-ambitious” elements • Ensure RO support & mentorship is clear “MRC wants to boost the success rates of young researchers applying for grants”

20. MRC’s Translational Research Funding TSB Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Translational Research Support – the “Managed Programme” Translational Stem Cell Research Programme NIHR Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Infrastructure/Resources Capacity building Methodology Training

21. Translational research - importance to the MRC • Central to delivery of MRC’s mission • Recent favourable CSR settlement – translational work cited as critical due to the potential for health and economic impact • Features heavily in MRC’s Delivery Plan – including commitment to spend £50m p.a. by 2014/15 on managed programmes • Exciting opportunities to exploit findings from “basic” science • Many clinical problems (e.g. obesity) becoming increasingly tractable • Investment in basic research must be maintained to ensure “pipeline” continues • We are keen to receive high quality applications to translational schemes

22. MRC’s Translational Research Funding TSB Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Translational Research Support Translational Stem Cell Research Programme NIHR Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Infrastructure/Resources Capacity building Methodology Training

23. Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) • Launched at end of April 2008 supported >100 projects • Guidance of £250k and up; 1-2 years per project • Will consider larger scale proposals were justified • Projects do not need to originate from MRC funded research • Goal oriented rather than hypothesis-led • Funding is milestone-based • Projects are required to submit quarterly and milestones progress reports • Failure to meet a milestone may result in funding being terminated • Enables MRC to support high-risk proposals

24. DPFS Remit and Process • Pre-clinical development of therapeutic interventions, medical devices and diagnostics • Focus in diagnostics is on clinically applicable assays rather than biomarkers • Development of a new tool that might overcome a significant bottleneck in the development of therapies, devices or diagnostics • Two step decision process • Outline (DPFS panel review) then Full (Expert referee and DPFS panel review) • Panel meets three times a year – deadline dates on web Outlinereview (c.6 weeks) Applicant writesfull application(c.8 weeks) Full applicationreview (c.8 weeks) Elapsed time c.24 weeks

25. MRC’s Translational Research Funding TSB Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Translational Research Support Translational Stem Cell Research Programme NIHR Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Infrastructure/Resources Capacity building Methodology Training

26. Developmental Clinical Studies (DCS) • Formed to strengthen clinical “development” studies funded by MRC • Supports early stage clinical studies on the development pathway for new interventions e.g. testing a new therapeutic/ diagnostic/ psychological intervention in man, up to proof of concept • Learning from two Experimental Medicine calls indicated that community may benefit from guidance in designing studies. As a result, assessment process allows for the provision of guidance, and iterative improvement of study design and other matters • Applications assessed by the Research Boards but awarded from a separate budget, so not in direct competition with Research Grants • Like DPFS, funding is milestone-based

27. FUND Selected advisor provides detailed advice DCS application reviewed Triage Applicant response to reviewers Board Applicant re-works application DECLINE DCS: Application and Assessment Process Scientific peer reviewers plus two DCS “technical” reviewers Submission (to Board deadline) • DCS applications considered by the Research Boards but with scope for advice and iterative improvement if the Boards consider this the best course of action

28. MRC’s Translational Research Funding TSB Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Translational Research Support Translational Stem Cell Research Programme NIHR Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Infrastructure/Resources Capacity building Methodology Training

29. MRC Translational Stem Cell Research Programme • Main vehicle for providing MRC support for high quality research aiming to apply stem cell technology to improve human health • MRC grant awarding panel – Translational Stem Cell Research Committee (TSCRC) will take applications • in response mode • through targeted calls for proposals • Projects that go beyond the basic understanding of stem cells, such projects are supported by the relevant Research Board • TSCRC has its own budget • TSCRC is chaired by Professor Ian Greer (Dean Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool) • Meets 3x per year

30. TSCRC Remit and Process • The TSCRC will consider applications whose goals will advance stem cell research towards clinical use or application including: • Enabling technology development • Preclinical stem cell research • Experimental medicine • Early phase clinical trials • Supporting such research to a stage where further funding can be found to continue development towards a therapeutic treatment or technology • A two-stage process (Outline and Full) • Helps ensure high quality full applications by offering applicants advice and assistance • Successful outlines can be used to attract co-funding, (other research councils, charities, etc)

31. MRC’s Translational Research Funding TSB Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Translational Research Support – the “Managed Programme” Translational Stem Cell Research Programme NIHR Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Infrastructure/Resources Capacity building Methodology Training

32. MRC/NIHR Methodology Research Programme (MRP) • Remit • Primary mechanism to support methods development research underpinning all aspects of health research in the UK: • design, conduct and analysis of 1O and 2O research studies • tools and theories in underpinning disciplines e.g. statistics, epidemiology, health economics, qualitative research, decision analysis, health psychology • patient reported outcomes measures of health, health outcomes and satisfaction • Excludes: technology development, biomarker discovery and validation • Decision making process • Funds investigator-led (response mode) and needs-led (commissioned) research • MRP acts as a funding Board (3 rounds per year) • MRP is chaired by Professor Tim Peters (Professor of Primary Care Health Services Research, University of Bristol)

33. Research Funding Categories • Response mode • Research grants • Programme grants • Partnership grants • Calls for proposals • Specialised schemes/ Strategic initiatives • New investigator research grant • Developmental pathway funding scheme • Developmental clinical studies • Translational stem cell research programme • Methodology research programme • MRC Industry Collaboration Awards

34. MRC Industry Collaboration Awards (MICAs) • MICAs are particularly aimed at encouraging and supporting collaborative research projects between academic researchers and industry • The key feature of this scheme is its flexibility, especially the level and nature of the industry contribution • MICA applications can be submitted to any of the MRC’s research funding schemes (Research Grants, Programme Grants, Calls, DPFS, etc) for which the lead applicant, who must be an academic partner, is eligible • The industrial party may contribute any amount. However, in general, the MRC will expect the industrial party to meet its own costs • The level of industrial party contribution will determine whether or not the parties can pre-negotiate the distribution of foreground IP

35. Agenda • MRC Mission and Strategy • Funding Opportunities • Success Rates • Tips for Success • Q&A

36. Success Rates • In 2009/10 the MRC received 1475 grant applications and made 279 awards • Overall success rate was 19% • This is below the peak success rate of 27% in 2007/08 • MRC is working with HEIs to explore mechanisms for increasing success rates • Further details can be found on our web site at http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Applicanthandbook/Successrates/Applicationsuccessrates/index.htm

37. Agenda • MRC Mission and Strategy • Funding Opportunities • Success Rates • Tips for Success • Q&A

38. Being successful Understand the funder Science: remit and opportunities Administrative: Forms; CV; page length & number; finance & signatures… Be bold Ambitious, original… and NOT boring Plan well & be realistic You will be over-optimistic! A complex study will roll out slower than you think Agreements and authorisations will take time Not everything will work. Clarify dependencies, risks and plan contingencies

39. Not clear what impact the research will have (“so what…?”) “Worthy” “solid” (but dull) More of the same, duplicative, unambitious No clear hypothesis or important question Unfocused. Overambitious – too much, no clear plan Methodology insufficiently detailed, limitations not appreciated Lack of preliminary data / appropriate experience Modest publication record (for experienced researchers) Inadequate knowledge and expertise Lack of collaborators, supervision & mentorship Career development opportunities not considered Common reasons why proposals fail

40. Being successful Discuss and learn Draw on experienced colleagues, mentors, research Board members, funding officials & patient groups Learn from “failure” and feedback Present clearly Be specific: what you aim to achieve, why and how You will need to inform and persuade a diverse audience Explain and justify research question / hypothesis design / strategy delivery (methods, collaborations, management) ethics resources training & development opportunities

41. DPFS and DCS - How to be successful • The aim of the application is to give the Panel/Board confidence that you know where you are, where you are going, how you will get there and that you understand the hurdles you will need to overcome • Sufficient clinical need • Background proof of concept data • Appropriate design (screening cascade, clinical trial design) • Statistics/powering (collaborate where necessary) • Deliverability – i.e. realistic recruitment plans (with evidence if possible) • Rigorous milestones with relevant endpoints • Clear plans for progression • Realistic costings (awards made £200k - £3m) • Talk to us if questions

42. Remember… Your application will only be as strong as its weakest link Design Deliverability Need & Potential for Impact Ethics Resources

43. Agenda • MRC Mission and Strategy • Funding Opportunities • Success Rates • Tips for Success • Q&A

44. Our website www.mrc.ac.ukshould be your first port of call

45. Contact Details • If you have any questions please contact me • Dr Jonathan Pearce • Phone: 020 7395 2217 • Email: jonathan.pearce@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk

46. Any Questions?