Opportunities Update

Pre-application Support FundMarch

27/03/2025 1:00 pm NIHR Early career; Ends in 7 days

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.

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

Writing Retreat 2025 – Fellowship ApplicationMarch

31/03/2025 9:00 am Mental Health Research (MHR) Incubator Early career; Open - 11 days to go

The MHR Incubator Fellowship Application Writing Retreat is a fully-funded opportunity for Early Career Researchers to work on a fellowship application. The retreat includes structured and dedicated writing talks, guidance from senior colleagues and panel members on how to write a good application & sell it to the funder, and chances to network with other mental health and addiction researchers.

Eligibility

Participants must be based in the UK. For full eligibility details, visit our application page.

Webinar: Launch of resources for trauma-focused CBT professionals working with childrenApril

01/04/2025 12:30 pm → 01/04/2025 1:30 pm ARC North Thames, ARC West, ARC North East and North Cumbria, and ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC) Any; Starts in 12 days

Online

Launch of a new free child trauma resources website for mental health professionals, including e-learning resources for supervisors of trauma-focused CBT

This webinar will launch a new website of free evidence-based resources for mental health professionals working with trauma-exposed children and young people, and particularly those with PTSD or complex PTSD. This includes the launch of an exciting new e-learning resource for mental health professionals who deliver trauma-focused CBT to children and young people – especially those who provide supervision.

The webinar will include overviews of the latest research on delivering best-evidenced mental health support to children and young people who have experienced multiple or complex traumas.

Registration closes on Monday 31 March.

Funding: Higher-calorie refeeding compared with lower-calorie refeeding in malnourished adults with anorexia nervosaApril

02/04/2025 1:00 pm NIHR Early career; Open - 13 days to go

Research funding to answer the following research questions surrounding anorexia nervosa:

(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?

Funding: Improving outcomes for children and young people in care using interventions that combine mentoring with skills training: A feasibility studyApril

02/04/2025 1:00 pm NIHR Early career; Open - 13 days to go

Research funding to answer the following research question surrounding children and young people in care’s mental health:

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?

The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is looking to fund a feasibility study into research to improve outcomes for children and young people in care using interventions that combine mentoring with skills training. This is a two-stage, commissioned funding opportunity. To apply for the first stage you must submit an Outline Application. If invited to the second stage, you will then need to complete a Full Application.

This funding opportunity is eligible for a SWAT/SWAR (study within a trial or study within a review), which can help significantly improve methodology of future research as well as the host study.

Peer Coaching (PeCo) 2025April

07/04/2025 9:00 am Mental Health Research (MHR) Incubator Early career; Post-doctoral; Open - 18 days to go

PeCo is a peer coaching programme designed to support early career researchers who have completed a PhD to develop coaching skills and insights for their own career development. The programme is led by a professional coach with many years’ experience working with academic researchers.

Many researchers face similar sorts of challenges in their roles – for example, repeated fixed-term contracts, access to senior support, and time management. PeCo brings together a group of peers at a similar stage, enabling you to uncover insights relating to navigating issues which you often share with others. Previous participants have found that the programme has helped them build their skills in ways that have helped in management and supervisory elements of their roles.

Eligibility

Participants must be based in the UK and currently employed in a research role. For full details about eligibility, please visit the PeCo 2025 Application page.

Webinar/Talk: Listen Up! Rethinking Mental Health & Hearing in the NorthApril

09/04/2025 1:00 pm → 09/04/2025 4:30 pm NIHR ARC NENC and the Sustainability & Resilience Institute Any; Starts in 20 days

Remote | Newcastle University Business School (in person)

An event which explores what we know, and what should be done, about the connections between mental health and hearing, available both in person and online.

Mental health issues and hearing loss affect millions in England and around the world, with research showing that individuals with hearing loss are twice as likely to experience depression and other mental health issues. In the North, where historically industrial areas have experienced higher rates of hearing loss, this connection highlights how environmental and socioeconomic factors drive health inequalities across regions. This event explore the latest findings on these issues, their impact on living and ageing well, and strategies to improve health and economic outcomes in areas most affected by these challenges.

Register here for the Webinar | Register here for the in-person event (with catering)

Mental Health Award: Advancing target validation for novel mental health drug discoveryApril

15/04/2025 12:00 am Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral; Open - 26 days to go

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.

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.

Funding: Suicide preventionApril

25/04/2025 1:00 pm NIHR Post-doctoral; Open - 36 days to go

Research funding to answer the following research question surrounding suicide:

Which interventions are effective in reducing the rate of suicide and suicide attempts?

This research question examines suicide prevention ideally at a population level rather than an individual level

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

Neuroscience Capacity Accelerator for Mental HealthApril

30/04/2025 12:00 am International Brain Research Organisation Post-doctoral; Open - 41 days to go

This program aims to enhance neuroscience research related to mental health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), with a focus on building research capacity and accelerating the potential for impactful research programs. Up to $600,000 (USD) is available for researchers to establish a collaboration focused on driving progress in understanding and addressing anxiety, depression and psychosis.This call seeks to fund projects that enhance understanding of these conditions and/or identify new approaches for predicting, stratifying, and intervening as early as possible.

The NCAMH program also offers a professional development program for awardees. Over a 9 month period, participants will benefit from a range of activities, including in-person exchanges, virtual workshops and interactive webinars to support their growth as researchers and collaborators.

Eligibility

Project leaders must be based in an LMIC but collaborating partners can be located anywhere in the world.

Please note that, due to financial restrictions and other economic sanctions, this funding call cannot accept applications from the below list. These restrictions apply to both the project leaders and collaborators, in addition to their respective team members associated with the proposed projects.

- citizens and residents of North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Crimea
- residents of Iran and Cuba
- applicants affiliated with institutions based in China

Neurosciences and Mental Health New Investigator GrantApril

30/04/2025 4:00 pm Medical Research Council Early career; Open - 42 days to go

The Medical Research Council’s new investigator grants support individuals who have not previously led a research team or been awarded a substantial grant as fellow or project lead. Through this scheme the MRC is looking to fund research in areas including, but not limited to: mental health; addictions and substance misuse; and behavioural and learning disorders including autism.

Eligibility

Applicants must not already have applications underway for the MRC’s other fellowship schemes.

Webinar: Improving mental health and wellbeing with creative artsMay

07/05/2025 1:00 pm → 07/05/2025 2:00 pm NIHR ARCs Any; Starts in 48 days

Online

Three short 10-minute talks explore research on the impact of the arts on the mental health and wellbeing of Black young people, asylum seekers & refugees, new mothers, stroke survivors and people with Parkinson’s. This webinar is chaired by Prof Simon Gilbody, Co-Lead of the NIHR ARC Yorkshire and Humber Mental Health theme, Professor of Psychological Medicine and Health Services Research at the University of York and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Tees and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

Webinar: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental healthMay

07/05/2025 1:30 pm → 07/05/2025 2:30 pm Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral; Starts in 48 days

This funding webinar will explore eligibility, what reviewers are looking for, and tips on embedding lived experience in your proposed research plan for the ‘Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental health’.

The Wellcome Trust team will be answering questions from attendees. You can submit questions online in advance and upvote questions you find relevant.

The webinar will be recorded and will last approximately 1 hour.

Mental Health Award: Leveraging longitudinal data to transform early intervention in mental healthMay

23/04/2025 12:00 am → 22/05/2025 5:00 pm Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral; Starts in 34 days

This call will fund projects that utilise existing longitudinal datasets and integrate experimental research to predict the onset or progression of anxiety, depression or psychosis. Successful applications will develop data-driven or hypothesis-driven early identification models and advance their translational potential, aiming to create a step-change in early intervention for anxiety, depression and/or psychosis, either directly or in time.

Eligibility

The funding call will launch on 23 April 2025 with full eligibility information.

Funding: Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology on Brain Development, Social Behaviours and Mental Health in Children and Young PeopleMay

23/05/2025 11:59 pm Huo Family Foundation Early career; Open - 65 days to go

This funding scheme calls for proposals investigating the effects of digital technology use on brain development, social development and mental health in children and young people (CYP). They welcome applications for Huo early-career fellowships, junior faculty research grants and special projects and are keen to support multi-disciplinary work. Applications should attempt to understand mechanisms, causal pathways and directions.

Eligibility

Awarded grants can be held at colleges, universities and research institutes in the UK and in the US only. The organisation should have charitable status or a non-profit status

Mental Health Research GroupsMay

05/03/2025 12:00 am → 28/05/2025 1:00 pm NIHR Post-doctoral; Underway

Applications open on Wednesday 5th March

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.

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.

Webinar: Exploring lived experience with creative artsJune

11/06/2025 1:00 pm → 11/06/2025 2:00 pm NIHR ARCs Any; Starts in 83 days

Three short 10-minute talks present projects that have used creative arts such as poetry, theatre and illustration, to explore the lived experiences of different groups.

This webinar is chaired by NIHR ARC Greater Manchester’s Prof Caroline Sanders, Professor of Medical Sociology at University of Manchester. Her recent and current work has a major focus patient and carer experiences of health and healthcare. She leads on Public Involvement and Engagement for the NIHR ARC Greater Manchester.

Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme
NIHR Early career; Open-ended
The Associate Principal Investigator Scheme aims to develop health and care professionals to become the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the future

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.

Reviewer Development Scheme
NIHR Early career; Open-ended
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 experienced reviewers have approached pieces.

Membership of the scheme lasts for 5 years, or until participants have completed 5 reviews in the scheme/have been recruited as a Committee Member Development Scheme participant – whichever comes first. You may leave the scheme at any time or transfer to the NIHR’s community of reviewers as a peer reviewer once you feel ready.

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.

All of the latest and upcoming funding and career development opportunities for mental health and addiction researchers.

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Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme NIHR Early career; Open-endedThe Associate Principal Investigator Scheme aims to develop health and care professionals to become the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the future

Eligibility

Eligibility

Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme
NIHR Early career; Open-ended
The Associate Principal Investigator Scheme aims to develop health and care professionals to become the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the future