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Translational Kickstart Award

This scheme is currently closed.

This award is a new funding scheme to encourage academics to translate the outcomes of their research, developing new technologies and approaches in health and biomedical areas.

The award has been designed to complement the MRC Confidence in Concept and Proximity to Discovery awards held by the University, where the focus is on clinical utility.

Benefiting from our experience with the MRC Confidence in Concept and Proximity to Discovery awards, this new scheme will trial provision of starter funding for collaborative projects with industry, government and other key stakeholders on health-related life sciences projects, including environmental impacts on health, a strategic priority of the Wellcome Trust.

We encourage applications from individuals across the College, as long as the research fits the scientific remit of the Wellcome Trust and has the potential to be used by organisations outside of academia. At this early stage in developing the Translational Kickstart Award we are not being prescriptive about the requirement for a partner collaboration, but more that the work has significant potential to be developed in a way which could in time become of interest to other non-academic stakeholders. This award, therefore, should be seen as a proof-of-concept award placing the applicant in a position to obtain evidence of the feasibility of their translational plans, thereby strengthening the chance of obtaining more sustainable funding, potentially in collaboration with non-academic stakeholders.

Proposals covering any biomedical discipline, as well as physical, engineering, computational approaches, will be considered. Public health and environmental approaches designed to enhance health or reduce health inequalities, particularly that align to the Wellcome Trust’s interest in low-to-middle-income countries will also be considered.

Awards must be led by a researcher based in the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, but inclusion of applicants from other Colleges at Cardiff University and / or from other Institutions (such as our GW4 partners) will be viewed positively. Projects that provide an opportunity to support early career researchers in acquiring new research skills and partnerships will also be considered positively.

'I’ve improved my grant writing skills and gained invaluable experience in co-ordinating multiple industrial collaborators as well as mentoring and line managing a post-doctoral researcher. The ISSF3 Award has also helped me reflect on where I want to focus my research direction.'

Dr Wayne Nishio Ayre Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials

Details

  • Maximum duration of each award: Variable length
  • Maximum amount of (£) each award: £50,000

How to apply

ISSF3 Translational Kickstart Award Application

Application form for ISSF3 Translational Kickstart Award

ISSF3 Translational Kickstart Award Guidance

Guidance document for ISSF3 Translational Kickstart Award

Further information

For more information about funding calls, application forms, panels please contact:

Hasnae Khamlichi

Research Support Officer