We've made a move to the friendlier social media platform - Bluesky. Already it seems a great place for mental health research discussion & engagement, and there's been a big influx of new joiners recently. Come follow us at @mhrincubator.bsky.social!
January
23 January
Advanced fellowship
Opportunity: Flexible funding for those at postdoctoral level who haven’t yet been appointed to a professorial post. Individuals are able to choose a duration of between 2-5 years.
Who’s it for? Clinical or non-clinical applicants who have not been appointed to a professorial post and or hold a chair position at the point of application.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility:
- Applicants should hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted your thesis for examination at the time of application. Applicants must have been awarded their PhD or MD by the time they attend the interview.
- Your proposed host must be an English or participating devolved nation HEI, NHS body, social care organisation or other provider of health and/or care services.
- Clinical applicants must have completed relevant pre-registration training.
- For applicants who haven’t been awarded their PhD or MD, their primary supervisor must be added to the application form as a participant to confirm that the thesis has been submitted for examination. Written evidence of the award from the awarding body of the PhD or MD will be required prior to attending for interview.
Deadline: Thursday 23 January, 1pm
30 January
Suicide Prevention Research Grant
Opportunity: A single award of £400,000 will be granted for research that evaluates interventions aimed at reducing suicide attempts and suicide. The funding call is particularly interested in research that will rapidly be able to demonstrate impact and/or inform policy.
Who’s it for? Researchers with an interest in suicide or suicide prevention, who are associated (or can collaborate with someone associated) with the NIHR Three Research Schools'.
Organiser: NIHR Three Research Schools'
Eligibility:
- The Principal Investigator must be based in one of the members of one of the three NIHR Schools (NIHR School for Primary Care Research, NIHR School for Public Health Research, or NIHR School for Social Care Research). Collaborators from outside the three Schools are allowed but there must be collaboration from at least two of the three NIHR Schools.
Deadline: Thursday 30 January, 12pm
Care gaps among people presenting to the hospital following self-harm
Opportunity: Webinar
Who's it for? Anyone with a research interest in self-harm, care gaps and the importance of co-development between clinicians and individuals with lived experience of self-harm.
Organiser: Three NIHR Schools, hosting a talk by Dr Sarah Steeg
Date and time: Thursday 30 January, 12-1pm
February
10 February
Wellcome Trust Mental Health Award: Advancing target validation for novel mental health drug discovery
Applications open w/c 10 February
Opportunity: Funding – This call will provide funding for validation activities for novel targets with a clear therapeutic concept and strong biological rationale related to early intervention in anxiety, depression and/or psychosis. Funded proposals will generate data supporting the target’s therapeutic potential in the development of new and improved pharmacological treatments. Up to £700,000 per project is available, with funding lasting for 2 years.
Organiser: Wellcome Trust
Eligibility: Applications allowed from anywhere in the world, apart from mainland China. Commercial organisations are not eligible to apply as administering organisations for this call.
Deadline: Friday 15 April
12 February
Living well with severe mental ill-health: learning from implementing physical health support in different regional contexts
Opportunity: Webinar
Who's it for? Anyone interested in the topic of supporting individuals with severe mental ill-health.
Organiser: Three NIHR Schools, hosting a talk by Professor Emily Oliver, Dr Ilaria Pina, Dr Philippa Shaw, Dr Zuneera Khurshid and Dan Steward
Date and time: Wednesday 12 February, 2-3pm
18 February
Mentoring Programme
Opportunity: This year-long mentoring programme partners final-year PhD and postdoctoral Academy Members with relevant mentors to provide career support, opportunities to expand your network and the chance to reflect on your own personal research goals.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: This programme is open to all final-year PhD and postdoctoral NIHR Academy Members or individuals based in NIHR Infrastructure (e.g. an NIHR biomedical research centre) or in an NIHR School and that have a minimum of 6 months remaining of their funding or NIHR personal award from the close of applications to this programme. Applicants must be undertaking research in England.
Deadline: Tuesday 18 February, 4pm
20 February
Beyond Tokenism: Meaningful Participation in Healthcare Innovation
Opportunity: Webinar
Who's it for? Anyone interested in furthering participation in research.
Organiser: Three NIHR Schools, hosting a talk by Dr David Hunt
Date and time: Thursday 20 February, 11-12pm
25 February
Webinar: Wellcome Trust Mental Health Award: Advancing target validation for novel mental health drug discovery
Opportunity: Zoom Webinar centered around the funding call for the Wellcome Trust's Mental Health Award: Advancing target validation for novel mental health drug discovery.
Who's it for? Anyone interested in applying for this funding award.
Organiser: Wellcome Trust
Date and time: Tuesday 25 February, 1pm
28 February
NIHR Three Schools Prevention Programme Pre-Application Support Fund
Opportunity: Funding – This scheme supports individuals to prepare strong applications for an NIHR Career Development funding award. The funds can be used to buy out time from current responsibilities to allow a researcher to work on their application, for training and development programmes and in other ways to help strengthen the researcher's application.
Organiser: NIHR Three Research Schools
Eligibility: The call is aimed at researchers and policy and practice partners with a clear link to the NIHR Three Schools and the work of the Prevention Research Programme.
Deadline: Friday 28 February, 4pm
March
5 March
Mental Health Research Groups
Applications open on Wednesday 5th March
Opportunity: Research Funding – This scheme supports proposals for up to £11m, for a period of up to 5 years, to partner institutions with low or no mental health research capacity (and close to areas of high mental health need) with HEIs with more experience and expertise in mental health research. It is expected that this funding will enable delivery of a five-year research and capacity building programme focused on local applied mental health research needs.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: HEIs based in England with limited existing applied mental health research capacity who are keen to establish or expand into applied mental health research within a local target area.
Deadline: Wednesday 28 May, 1pm
18 March
Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme
Opportunity: Research Funding – This researcher-led workstream welcomes topics or research questions identified by researchers within the programme’s remit. The aim is to fund research that will lead to improvements in health and care services that will be of greatest benefit to the NHS and to patients, and/or to Social Care and clients.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: Researchers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Deadline: Tuesday 18 March, 1pm
20 March
Examining Access to Mental Health Services for Social Work-Experienced Young People
Opportunity: Webinar
Who's it for? Anyone with an interest in Children and Young People's mental health.
Organiser: Three NIHR Schools, hosting a talk by Taliah Drayak, Julia Mannes and Professor Robbie Duschinsky
Date and time: Thursday 20 March, 12-1pm
27 March
Pre-Application Support Fund
Opportunity: Research Funding – The Pre-Application Support Fund offers extra support for researchers to prepare a competitive application for an NIHR career development award. It provides funding to support those who might not otherwise be able to apply, in order to create more opportunities for groups and professions currently under-represented within the NIHR.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: Applicants must have a proposed English contracting organisation, and partner organisation if applicable, that is an HEI, NHS body, or other provider of health or care services.
Deadline: Thursday 27 March, 1pm
April
2 April
Opportunity: Research Funding - Research question:
(a) Is it feasible to conduct a study to examine the effectiveness of higher-calorie refeeding compared with lower-calorie refeeding in malnourished adults with anorexia nervosa?
(b) If feasibility is established, what is the clinical and cost-effectiveness of higher-calorie refeeding compared with lower-calorie refeeding in malnourished adults with anorexia nervosa?
Who's it for? Researchers interested in adult eating disorders.
Organiser: NIHR
Deadline: Wednesday 2 April, 1pm
Opportunity: Research Funding - Research question: Is it feasible to assess whether interventions involving a combination of mentoring and skills training improve outcomes for children or young people in care, do they improve mental health/mental resilience, prevent adolescent risk behaviors and improve inter-personal relationships when compared to current standard of care?
Who's it for? Researchers interested in Children and Young People's mental health.
Organiser: NIHR
Deadline: Wednesday 2 April, 1pm
25 April
Opportunity: Research Funding - Research question: Which interventions are effective in reducing the rate of suicide and suicide attempts?
Who's it for? Researchers with an interest in suicide prevention, ideally at a population level rather than an individual level.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: Interventions aimed at non-suicidal self-harm, or interventions for people accessing NHS mental health services, are not in remit for this funding opportunity.
Deadline: Friday 25 April, 1pm
Open-ended opportunities
Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme
Opportunity: Training opportunity - the Associate Principal Investigator Scheme aims to develop health and care professionals to become the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the future.
Who's it for: Healthcare professionals just starting their research career, particularly those who would not usually have the opportunity to take part in clinical research in their day-to-day role.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: The scheme is open to any health and care professional willing to make a significant contribution to the conduct and delivery of a study at a local level over a period of six months.
NIHR Reviewer Development Scheme
Opportunity: An opportunity to hone your skills in peer reviewing and to review current research. Participants will receive constructive feedback on their reviews as well as receiving insights into how other reviewers have approached pieces.
Who's it for: Early Career Researchers or professionals who are new to reviewing and interested in developing their skills further.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: You must be close to completing your PhD or within 10 years of completing your PhD, and have not yet held a grant as Lead Applicant (excluding fellowships) of over £100,000. The Scheme is also open to all UK Speciality Registrars, Advanced Clinical Practitioners and Nurses and Midwives on Band 6 or above.