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
12 January
Making a difference through your research
Opportunity: Webinar
Who's it for? Anyone interested in the topic of how to get started on research impact as an Early Career Researcher.
Organiser: Three NIHR Schools, hosting a talk by Dr Ruth Naughton-Doe
Date and time: Monday 13 January, 12-1pm
15 January
Programme Development Grants (PDG)
Opportunity: Research Funding – Up to £250k is available for researchers to undertake preparatory work to develop a future programme of research (stream A) or develop and enhance the quality and value of an ongoing or recently completed Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) award.
Who's it for? Mid-career researchers and above
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility: Applications to the PDG funding scheme are made with the support of an NHS body and other providers of NHS services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Applicants may apply with the support of a Higher Educational Institute (HEIs) if their application has a focus on public health and social care, and has fully justified in the application that the research has no touch-points with NHS Trusts.
Deadline: Wednesday 15 January, 1pm
16 January
Doctoral Fellowship
Opportunity: Fellowship funding for individuals based within local authorities and supporting services to undertake a PhD in an area of research within the NIHR’s remit for personal awards. Covers salary and research costs for three years.
Who’s it for? Clinical or non-clinical applicants. Clinical applicants can include up to 20% clinical or practice time as part of the fellowship.
Organiser: NIHR
Eligibility:
- Applicants must have a First Class or Upper Second-Class bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Applicants without this will need a master's degree.
- All applicants must also have a proposed host who is an English HEI, NHS body, social care organisation, or other provider of health and/or care services.
- Clinical applicants must have completed any relevant pre-registration training i.e. completion of FY1.
Deadline: Thursday 16 January, 1pm
20 January
Addiction research groups: funding to host an intern
Opportunity: Funding of up to £10,000 per internship to be used by any UK university research group to supervise a graduate intern on an addiction research project.
Who’s it for? Research groups in UK universities hosting an addiction research project
Organiser: MHR Incubator
Eligibility:
- Projects involving animal research cannot be funded.
Deadline: Monday 20 January
Addiction services: funding to host a PhD or postdoctoral researcher
Opportunity: Funding of up to £12,000 per placement to be used for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to undertake 12-week placements (or part-time equivalents) to support work at addiction organisations.
Who’s it for? Third sector, local authority and NHS organisations who are offering services for people with addictions.
Organiser: MHR Incubator
Eligibility:
- Projects related to smoking cessation or gambling services cannot be funded.
- Organisations must offer clinical treatment or support for recovery for those with drug/alcohol addiction, or who support individuals with drug and alcohol addiction in other ways.
Deadline: Monday 20 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
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
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
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.