The Team Science Programme, run by NIHR, is an event and funding award opportunity for researchers who want to focus on an interdisciplinary approach to research which can improve the lives of people living with multiple long term conditions (MLTC). It is the first time NIHR have run this programme and is made up of two contingent parts: the first is the opportunity to attend a fully funded camp for 3 days in September, and the second is to apply up to £100,000 per team formed during the camp to help them collaborate across disciplines to design a funding application and develop capacity within MLTC research.
For this call NIHR are defining MLTC as:
The co-existence of two or more chronic conditions, each one of which is either:
- A physical non-communicable disease of long duration, such as a cardiovascular disease or cancer.
- A mental health condition of long duration, such as a mood disorder or dementia.
- An infectious disease of long duration, such as HIV or hepatitis C.
Therefore mental health researchers fit right in and will play a significant part in any teams formed through the programme.
Team Science Camp!
This is your chance to live out your ’90’s dream of going off to camp, but instead of suffering the horrors of teenage hormones on mass, you get to spend three days talking about interdisciplinary research. Hopefully there might still be the fun stuff like camp fires and s’mores.
It is a 3 day residential camp involving coaching on doing team science effectively and how to develop a multi-disciplinary team project that works. The teams developed at camp will then have the opportunity to apply for the awards of up to £100k.
Basically, you go into camp with your own skills and expertise and drive to tackle MLTC’s and you come out of it as part of an interdisciplinary team ready to get on with research.
Funding Award
After you have attended the camp the team you form will then go on to be able to apply for the award grant of up to £100k per team to support you all in developing a much larger research funding application or develop capacity within MLTC research.
The NIHR say the funding could be used for things such as:
- Supporting pilot research
- Training and development for the research team
- Establishing new collaborations
This is a great opportunity for mental health researchers at all career stages who are keen to start working on interdisciplinary projects but don’t have the connections or experience to make it happen.
Key information
Deadline for applications: 25 August 2023.
Camp: 26-28 September 2023 at De Vere Cranage Estate, Crewe
Eligibility
To apply you must:
- Be hosted by an English or a participating devolved nation HEI, NHS body, social care organisation or other provider of health and/or care services.
- Be able to attend a funded 3-day ‘Team Science Camp’ on 26-28 September 2023.
Find out more on the NIHR website announcing the programme at the following link: NIHR Team Science Camp – Multiple Long Term Conditions | NIHR and keep an eye on Twitter for any updates.
If you do get to attend – let us know, we would love to hear all about it. Hit us up via Twitter or email mhresearch@psych.ox.ac.uk.