The Wellcome Trust. FundERS rd Sept 2015

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1 The Wellcome Trust FundERS rd Sept 2015

2 Introduction Our History The Wellcome Trust was set up in 1936 under the will of Sir Henry Wellcome, who vested the entire share of his pharmaceutical company, The Wellcome Foundation, in a charitable trust. Our vision Our vision is to improve health by supporting bright minds in science, the humanities and social science and public engagement.

3 Funding Mechanisms Types of funding available Strategic funding to transform fields, fill gaps or priority need, or initiate major new developments. Response mode funding, for: People - support for individuals and career pathways Teams - support for research groups and collaborative activities Seeds - for the development of ideas for future support Resources for enabling work and equipment that underpins research Places - support for cross-disciplinary and synergistic working

4 Biomedical Science Funding Grant funding schemes in biomedical science People Investigator Awards Fellowships Teams Collaborative Awards (new!) Seeds Seed Awards (new!) Resources Biomedical resources Multi-user equipment grants Places Centres Institutional Strategic Support Fund

5 Biomedical Science Funding Investigator Awards For world-class researchers and clinicians in an established post with a compelling long-term vision for their research. Flexible funding for post-holders at all stages, from newly appointed lecturers, to mid-career researchers, to senior professors. Examples of Investigator Awards Defining signalling pathways that control neurovascular interactions in the brain and retina (Defining the role of NRP1-ABL1 signalling in adult neovascular eye disease) How to build a retina Towards a better understanding of mirror-symmetry coding in human vision Synaptic computation in the visual system

6 Biomedical Science Funding Fellowships To attract, train and retain the best researchers (including basic and clinical research) Schemes designed for each stage of the research career. Examples of Fellowships Investigating the immune response to somatic corneal stem cell allografts Controlling blinding Trachoma: Intervention and pathophysiology studies for scarring disease in Ethiopia and Tanzania

7 Biomedical Science Funding Seed Awards responsive, flexible funding, enabling researchers to develop a novel idea. to generate resources, tools and/or preliminary data leading to a larger research application. Up to 100,000 over 2 years. Not for researchers with a current personal award or other substantive funding.. Example of Seed Awards Mapping the functional topography of vision in the zebrafish

8 Biomedical Science Funding Collaborative Awards Collaborative research projects to solve a problem that can only be achieved by teams working together. Single or cross-discipline (but cross-discipline encouraged). Up to 4M over 5 years. Awarded following interview.

9 Biomedical Science Funding What makes a strong application? A strong track record appropriate to the amount of research experience Potential (early to mid-career) balanced by achievements (mid-career to senior) Evidence that the candidate can do what is proposed and deal with any setbacks as they arise Important ideas that will make a significant difference to the field

10 Biomedical Science Funding What makes a strong application? A clear research vision or goal Sufficient information for reviewers to understand: What is proposed What approaches will be taken Whether it is likely to work Access to required collaborations, resources and technology

11 Innovations Innovations Support proof-of-concept research and development for new healthcare products. Stimulating development of new products and technologies. Encouraging the commercial application of research to meet medical needs by facilitating their route to the market.

12 Innovations Funds Translation Fund Health Innovation Challenge Fund R&D for Affordable Healthcare in India Seeding Drug Discovery Pathfinders Portfolio Awards

13 Innovations Measurement of binocular visual function using a 3D smartphone Gene therapy for choroideraemia Phase I clinical trial Stem cells bandage to promote corneal repair Minimum invasive surgery for corneal grafting Gaming to train the binocular response in amblyopia Device for Screening and Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity Device for visual field assessment ON VISION Rapid Diagnostic system for corneal infections Non-invasive treatment of retinal disease Disposable cutting device for cataract surgery Phase I trial of DARC (early glaucoma detection) SmartCane Heavy tamponades for vitreoretinal surgery Handheld screening for diabetic retinopathy Refreshable Braille Displays based on Shape Memory Actuation

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