Funding at the Wellcome Trust 10 February 2016

Funding at the Wellcome Trust 10 February 2016 Alexina Weekes

Personal support for researchers Principal Research Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships BASIC Sir Henry Dale Fellowships Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships Four-year Ph. D Studentship Programmes Ph. D Investigator Awards PUBLIC HEALTH & TROPICAL MEDICINE CLINICAL Research Career Re-entry Fellowships Clinical Ph. D Programmes Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowships for Clinicians Research Training Fellowships Intermediate Clinical Fellowships Senior Research Fellowships Principal Research Fellowships Training Fellowships Masters Fellowships Intermediate Fellowships Senior Fellowships EARLY INTERMEDIATE SENIOR

Fellowships Basic Biomedical Fellowships - for non-clinical researchers - research projects can be based in the lab, the clinic or the field and may involve experimental or theoretical approaches

Fellowships - Key Features • To attract, train and retain the best researchers • Schemes designed for each stage of the research career • Salary of the fellow provided • Plus research costs – including the salaries of the fellow’s research team, consumables, equipment and other expenses

Fellowships Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowships • for outstanding post-doctoral researchers (up to 2 years from viva) working in the best laboratories in the UK and overseas • candidates must identify an important research question and develop and deliver their own plans to achieve their research aims • flexible support of £ 250 k for four years to enhance research skills, career development opportunities and promote independence • Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 2 nd May 2016)

Fellowships Sir Henry Dale Fellowships • For outstanding post-doctoral scientists to forge an independent research career addressing an important biomedical question. • Candidates will have: o up to 7 years of postdoctoral research experience; o made intellectual contributions to research that have been published in leading journals, and be able to demonstrate their potential to carry out high quality independent research. • 5 year award, potentially renewable for 3 further years. • Applications considered there times a year (next deadline 12 th April).

Clinical Fellowships - for medical, dental and veterinary graduates

Clinical Fellowships The Trust’s old clinical pathway Clinical Training

Clinical Fellowships New Clinical Pathway Clinical Training Simplified + 50% more capacity

Clinical Fellowships Postdoctoral Clinical Scientist Fellowship • 3 > 5 year or 5 > 3 year structure • Flexible to fit around your clinical training • Will accommodate career breaks / extended training • 50% increased capacity vs Intermediate Clinical Fellowships + Postdoctoral Research Training Fellowships • Competition launched: April 2016 • First awards: Autumn 2016

Clinical Fellowships Public Health and Tropical Medicine Fellowships - For researchers based in a low- and middleincome country

Fellowships Training Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine • for researchers from low- and middle-income countries who are at an early stage in their careers (no more than 3 years postdoctoral experience) • Research should be aimed at understanding and improving public health and tropical medicine of local, national and global relevance • flexible support for three years to provide with opportunities for research experience and high-quality research training relevant to health in low- and middle-income countries. • You must be based primarily in a low- and middle- income country but training may be undertaken in centres of excellence regionally or internationally • Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 23 rd May 2016)

Fellowships Intermediate Fellowship in Public Health and Tropical Medicine • for high-calibre, mid-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries to establish an independent research programme (have between 3 to 6 years postdoctoral experience) • Research should be aimed at understanding and improving public health and tropical medicine of local, national and global relevance • flexible support for up to five years • You must be based primarily in a low- and middle- income country • Candidates must have a relevant high-quality publication record and show potential to become a future scientific leader. • Applications considered twice a year (next preliminary application deadline 23 rd May 2016)

Support and flexibility for our researchers • Generous maternity/paternity/adoption sick leave supplements and extensions • Flexible (part-time) working and career breaks • When deciding eligibility for our schemes we: • Take into account part-time working • For parents, we “stop-the-clock” for the primary carer, by six months per child (on top of parental leave) www. wellcome. ac. uk/Our-vision/Flexible-research-careers/index. htm

Grantsmanship Good grantsmanship is a valuable skill Poor grantsmanship can turn a good, well thought-through idea into an un-fundable grant proposal “Good writing will not save bad ideas, but bad writing can kill good ones” -Jacob Kraicer, former Director of Research Grants at Human Frontier Science Program

Assessment Processes – Key Features Early/ intermediate level fellowships preliminary application required Main application submission Written external expert peer review Shortlisting by Interview Committee with broad science expertise & review & shortlisting ü Assess eligibility & suitability for fellowship ü Publications (can mention submitted) – primary research papers ü Current funding or awards ü Give advice Note: Seeds = Application only (no interview, only triage) Interview by committee with broad science expertise & in relation to career stage/path

Assessment criteria Person • The candidate’s track record • The candidate’s vision of how the funding will contribute to their career development • The candidate’s long-term aspirations Project • The quality and importance of the research question • The feasibility of the approach • The appropriateness of the resources Place • The candidate’s choice of research sponsors • The quality and suitability of the research environment

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, novel and innovative ideas that will make a significant difference to the field

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 (and what if it doesn’t) • Access to required collaborations, resources and technology

Don’t forget to: • Highlight institutional support: • Designated lab or office space • Access to students • Start up costs • Highlight collaborations/projects you are responsible for • Use all sections of the form

Before you apply • consider whether this is the best time to apply and check the deadlines • formulate your ideas • discuss your ideas with colleagues & look at successful proposals • identify a suitable institution and sponsor • identify collaborators • generate preliminary data if necessary • contact the Trust for advice

Eligibility and competitiveness Check the eligibility criteria carefully, if you are unsure please contact the office. What are we looking for…. . • Evidence of intellectual input in peer reviewed • papers • Recognition of achievements – prizes or awards • Dissemination of research – talks, posters • Evidence of esteem – Invited talks • Other markers of research output – patents, funding • Support/recommendation – letter of support/collaboration • Making use of the advantages of the scheme

Avoid common mistakes • Have you considered the following? o o o o o Be realistic Submit relevant evidence Be analytical and critical Do not depend on your track record alone Dedicate sufficient time to the project Have you read the guidelines carefully? Are the resources requested justified? Have you completed all the relevant sections of the form? Have you checked the deadlines? • Proof read the application and ask others to read it critically before submission – you will need to give them plenty of time to do this well!

Project (and comments you do not want to receive)………. “. . . the work described in this application is over-ambitious, it could not be achieved in the life time of the investigator. ” “. . . it involves techniques with which the applicant appears to have no prior experience and for which no preliminary data are proposed. ” “The poor writing, referencing and proof reading of this application significantly detract from its overall quality. ” “I had only one problem with this application, I had no idea what they were trying to do. ” “. . . one weakness in the proposal is that there is no alternative plan should the proposed approach not yield information relevant to the hypothesis proposed. . . ” “. . . done a commendable job of marshalling evidence to support their hypothesis, however, the applicant has put aside facts that do not support their point of view…”

The interview • • • Prepare and practise! There is no substitute for mock interviews Listen to the questions Own the project – demonstrate your enthusiasm Be familiar with recent advances in the field Be prepared to provide a concise summary of the proposed project and research career to date • Expect a large panel – this can be daunting so practice in a similar environment

Do I have an identity? • It isn’t always possible or necessary to be completely independent • Find a niche • Give seminars/talks • Collaborate Take advantage of opportunities • • Supervise students Get smaller grants Use social media/blogging Get training

Am I working with the right people? • Choose mentor(s)/sponsor(s) to match your career stage • Choose someone you trust, who will challenge you (and write a good letter of support) • Start discussions as soon as possible • Carefully consider who you employ Should I move? • • Big fish, small pond or small fish, big pond? Match your environment to the stage of your career Moving doesn’t necessarily involve moving house If moving is required for a grant scheme, we’ll say so

Grantsmanship Useful links - grantsmanship • Art of Grantsmanship by Jacob Kraicer http: //www. hfsp. org/funding/art-grantsmanship • Proposal Writer's Guide by Don Thackrey http: //orsp. umich. edu/proposals/pwgcontents. html • How Not to Kill a Grant Application http: //sciencecareers. sciencemag. org/career_magazine/p revious_issues/articles/2000_01_07/no. DOI. 10400866310 227203536 • sciencegrants@wellcome. ac. uk or straight to one of us!

Key contacts in Grants Management Biomedical Grants Enquiries Desk +44 (0)20 7611 2020 sciencegrants@wellcome. ac. uk Alexina Weekes a. weekes@wellcome. ac. uk http: //www. wellcome. ac. uk/Funding/Biomedical-science/index. htm/