Strategic Research Centre funding

Research bottles

Strategic Research Centre funding

2024’s call for expressions of interest from researchers wishing to form a Strategic Research Centre (SRC) is now open.

Strategic Research Centres (SRCs) are virtual groups of inter-disciplinary experts coming together to work on projects that are important to people with CF. They have related workstreams that share a well-defined theme and overall objective.

  • SRCs at a glance

    Career level:

    Established independent researcher (clinical and non-clinical researchers)

    Research area:

    All areas of CF research. We welcome applications that address the JLA refreshed CF research priorities including those that focus on supporting people growing older with CF, CF diabetes and the effects of modulators on systems outside the lungs.

    Call deadlines

    • Preliminary submission: 5pm Monday 29 April 2024.
    • Final submission: Full applications invited from Expressions of Interest should be submitted in September
    • Committee review: February 2025

    Funding period:

    Three years (up to four years is permitted)

    Funding amount:

    £700,000 - £800,00

    Find out more:

    We strongly encourage applicants to contact staff in the Research Awards team of Cystic Fibrosis Trust ahead of applying to this scheme: [email protected]

  • What are they?

    Strategic Research Centres (SRCs) are designed to be virtual groups of inter-disciplinary experts coming together to work on projects that are important to people with CF. An SRC application must have at least three but may include up to six related workstreams that share a well-defined theme and overall objective.

    The synergy between the workstreams and their contribution to the overall objective must be clearly articulated. Any inter-dependencies must be highlighted with risks and mitigations described. We have a portfolio of very different SRCs, some of which are described below:

    Download the Strategic Research Centre guidelines to find out more.

    Download the SRC guidelines

  • What will we fund?

    All areas of CF research. We welcome applications that address the JLA refreshed CF research priorities including those that focus on supporting people growing older with CF, CF diabetes and the effects of modulators on systems outside the lungs.

    Funding support (£700,000 to £800,000) over a period of 3-4 years is provided for:

    • Salaries for early career researchers and technical staff – minimum of three early career researchers across the SRC. PhD student fees are also covered by the SRC.
    • Running expenses
    • Travel expenses relevant to the project

    Download the Strategic Research Centre guidelines to find out more.

    Download the SRC guidelines

  • Who can apply?

    We encourage collaborations with geographical and multi-disciplinary spread. International collaborations are welcome. The Principal Investigator (PI) and lead institution, however, must be based in the UK. We also encourage applications from those outside the field of CF. In these cases, the PI must be supported by a co-investigator who is a CF expert with a history of publications in CF.

    If you applied for a SRC in the previous funding round and were unsuccessful you cannot reapply for this year’s funding round. New applications may be considered if differing significantly from any original proposal previously submitted. If you have previously applied for a SRC award and are looking to submit a completely new proposal. Please contact the Research Awards Team to discuss eligibility before applying.

    PIs of existing SRCs are able to apply for a second SRC providing the following criteria are met:

    • the existing or previous SRC has drawn to a close OR is in its final year;
    • the new SRC is not simply an extension or continuation of the previous SRC;
    • the PI addresses, in sufficient detail, the distinction between the previous award and the new proposal
    • the PI includes an explanation of how the previous project met its objectives. The informative successes (or failures) of the previous SRC must be highlighted and used to shape the new proposal.

    Download the Strategic Research Centre guidelines to find out more.

    Download the SRC guidelines

  • How to apply

    Please read our Guidance notes when considering whether to apply. To apply, please download and complete the Expression of Interest form, the External Reviewer suggestion form and a CV template for each investigator. (Full details are included in the Expression of Interest form).

    SRC Guidelines

    SRC Expression of interest form

    External peer reviewer suggestion form

    CV Template form

     

  • Important dates

    • Expression of Interest (preliminary stage): 5pm Monday 29 April 2024
    • Announcement of results of phase 1: mid-July 2024
    • Full proposal (stage 2) deadline: end-September 2024
    • Decision: February 2025

Research strategy

Find out about our research priorities and how and when we are allocating funding to meet these requirements and have the greatest impact on cystic fibrosis research.

Life Unlimited

Find out about our mission to create a brighter future where everyone with cystic fibrosis can live long and healthy lives, unlimited by the condition.

Research noticeboard

Full of useful reminders of grant deadlines, conferences and workshops, this is your go-to page for important information to progress your research.

Your donation will make a difference:

Select amount
Select amount