Investigator Awards Q&A

43. Will candidates shortlisted for interview have a chance to respond to the comments the peer reviewers raise in their written reports, in advance of the interview?

44. The application form does not ask for detailed information about ethics approvals. When will applicants have to provide these details?

45. What is the role of the Selection Panel?

46. Who makes the final decision on awards?

Grant management

47. Can Investigator Award holders move their grant to another host institution during the lifetime of the award?

48. Is the Trust expecting host institutions to provide funds to buy-out applicants from teaching and administrative duties?

49. Can Investigator Awards be extended in time?

Back to Investigator Awards

General information

1. Why are we introducing Investigator Awards?
Wellcome Trust Investigator Awards build on our strategic goal of supporting the brightest researchers with the best ideas. Over the last few years, we have expanded and strengthened our Fellowship schemes and we now provide Fellowships for scientists at all stages of their careers. We endow these individuals with the flexibility of support and length of time to enable them to address important questions about health and disease. Our Fellowship schemes are generally open only to researchers who do not have established academic posts. We now extend this successful funding model to researchers who are in established academic posts salaried by their universities or research institutes. By this we mean that they are employed on permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contracts with their host institution.

2. How do Investigator Awards fit within our overall funding portfolio?
Investigator Awards complement our existing portfolio of Strategic Awards and Fellowships. Strategic Awards provide the key route for the funding of large, multidisciplinary and often highly collaborative research initiatives. Fellowships fund the training and research of outstanding individuals who are not in established academic posts. Investigator Awards fund the best researchers who are in established academic posts (or the equivalent in non-university research institutions).

3. Does the introduction of Investigator Awards affect the amount of grant funding we provide?
No. Future funding levels will be determined by the size of the Trust’s overall endowment, not by the mechanism of funding.

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4. What types of award are available?
There are two types of Investigator Award:

New Investigator Awards fund the best researchers who have been recently appointed to their first established academic post and are forging an international reputation for excellence in their field.

Senior Investigator Awards fund fully established researchers whose work is at the forefront of their field internationally and who already have an outstanding track record.

5. What type of individuals do we aim to attract?
Awards will fund world-class researchers with the vision to innovate and explore the most challenging questions in their field of study. We aim to select people who are able to articulate a compelling long-term vision for their research, and who demonstrate the talent, track record, originality and leadership to achieve it.

6. What do we expect of our Investigator Award holders?
We want our Investigators to advance knowledge and generate breakthroughs in their research areas. We also want to work closely with our Investigators to establish a community of researchers at the leading edge of their fields. They will be expected to take an active role as mentors and educators. We will actively encourage our Investigators to interact and collaborate, build networks, translate knowledge and participate in public engagement with science.

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7. What funding is available?
Investigator Awards may be for up to seven years. The value of an award might be in the range of £100k to £425k per year. We will be making awards within the full range of these guideline amounts and expect costs to be suited to and justified by the proposed research. The award will not include the applicant’s salary costs, which must be provided by the host institution.

You are advised to discuss the proposed scope and scale of your proposal with the Trust before submitting your application. You will be expected to justify the costs requested. The costs awarded will be finalised after the decision to fund an application is made and will depend on the recommendations of the Selection Panel.

Please note that any award will not exceed the total amount requested.

8. How many applications did you receive in the first round?
We received 173 full applications.

9. How many Investigator Awards do we expect to make?
We do not intend to make a pre-determined number of Investigator Awards per year. The number of Investigator Awards will depend on the quality of the applications under consideration by the Selection Panel at final interview stage, in the context of the overall funding envelope available.

As Investigator Awards are intended to provide generous and long-term support for researchers to realise their vision, it is likely that there will be fewer Investigator Awards made each year than the number of Programme and Project grant awards we currently fund.

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10. Are Investigator Awards offered across our whole remit?
Initially Investigator Awards are available only to researchers working in biomedical, public health and clinical research through our Biomedical Science grants portfolio. From October 2011 they will also be rolled out to our Medical Humanities programme. There are at present no plans to roll out Investigator Awards to our Technology Transfer or Public Engagement Grant programmes.

11. How will multidisciplinary and collaborative research be funded?
Investigator Awards support world-class researchers who may wish to collaborate with other researchers and with centres of excellence around the globe.

In cases where two individuals work closely together towards a shared vision, we will consider parallel, linked Investigator Award applications. In these circumstances please contact the Trust for advice on how best to apply.

Large-scale multidisciplinary and collaborative programmes involving equal input from several researchers will continue to be supported through our Strategic Awards scheme.

12. Are Investigator Award applications assessed in relation to the Trust’s Strategic Plan?
Applicants will be asked to explain how their research questions address our major challenges. Their responses will be considered along with the other key assessment criteria, including the applicant’s track record, the quality and importance of the research questions, the approach proposed to solving these questions and the research environment.

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13. Does the Trust intend to make a set number of awards for each challenge?
No. We will not be making a predetermined number of awards or allocate a ring-fenced sum of money for each challenge.

14. Will we limit the number of applications from or awards to an institution?
No. However, each application must be accompanied by a statement of commitment on behalf of the host institution from the most senior authority in the relevant Faculty, School or Division, which will require the institution to express why the applicant, in particular, merits Investigator Award status.

15. What schemes are being discontinued, and when will they close?
The following grant schemes have closed: Project Grants, Programme Grants, Equipment Grants, Biomedical Resources Grants, Technology Development Grants, University Awards and Flexible Travel Awards (for both fellowships and sabbaticals). The last date on which full applications under these schemes were accepted was 30 July 2010, with decisions on these applications taken by the end of March 2011.

Eligibility

16. What is meant by an ‘established academic’ post?
An ‘established academic’ post-holder is defined as a member of staff at an eligible higher education or research institution who is (or will be by the start of the award) employed on a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract salaried by the host institution.

Fellows whose salaries are funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Research Councils and other charities are not eligible to apply unless they hold a written guarantee of an established academic post at the host institution and will have taken up this post by the start of the award.

If you are unsure whether you or your institution are eligible, please contact us.

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17. Do Investigator Award applicants need to be currently employed by the host institution where the grant will be held?
No. However, applicants need the written guarantee of an established academic post at the host institution, which must be taken up by the start of the award.

18. Is an individual’s age or the date of PhD award used as eligibility criteria?
No. Due allowance is be given for an individual’s career stage when assessing their competitiveness.

19. Does the Trust make allowances for people who have taken career breaks, taken unconventional career paths or have been working part-time?
Yes. Please contact us for advice if this is the case.

20. Can individuals currently funded by the Trust apply?
Yes, provided individuals meet the core criteria for eligibility:

Current Trust Fellows who are moving into established academic posts are able to apply to either the New Investigator Award scheme or the Senior Investigator Award scheme, depending on their career stage.

Principal Investigators who currently hold Project and Equipment Grants are able to apply for either New Investigator Awards or Senior Investigator Awards, as appropriate.

Coapplicants or collaborators on existing Trust grants may also be eligible to apply (please contact the Trust for advice).

Principal Investigators who currently hold Programme Grants are eligible to apply for either New Investigator or Senior Investigator Awards, but only during the last two years of their grant.

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21. Can Wellcome Trust funded University Award holders apply?
University Award holders are eligible to apply for an award, to start at the end of the period of the Trust funding 100% of their time for research.University Award holders should contact the Trust for further advice.

22. Are Royal Society Fellows eligible to apply?
Current Royal Society University Research Fellows (i.e. those holding active awards) are eligible to apply for Investigator Awards throughout the tenure of their Fellowship, provided they are able to produce a written guarantee of an established post at an eligible institution which they have been invited to take up on completion of their Fellowship. Royal Society Fellowship holders should contact the Trust for further advice.

23. Are RCUK academic fellows eligible to apply?
Current RCUK fellows are eligible to apply, provided they are able to produce a written guarantee of an established post at an eligible institution which they have been invited to take up on completion of their RCUK Fellowship. RCUK Fellows should contact the Trust for further advice.

24. Can clinically qualified individuals apply?
Clinically qualified individuals may be eligible to apply; however, they must hold an established academic post with an Honorary Clinical Contract and spend no more than half their time on clinical duties. Applicants should contact the Trust for further advice.

25. Can individuals who currently have an application under consideration at the Trust apply?
If you have applied as a Principal Investigator for a grant on any of the schemes that are being discontinued (see above) and your application is due to be considered at the forthcoming Funding Committee rounds in October 2010 or March 2011, you will not be able to apply for an Investigator Award until a decision has been made on your existing application. However, if you are a coapplicant or a collaborator then you are able to apply for an Investigator Award whilst your application is still under consideration.

In each case applicants must meet the core criteria for eligibility.

26. What does the Trust expect from the host institution?
The environment in which the research is undertaken, and the nature of the support promised by the host institution, will be important factors when we are evaluating an application.

All applications must be accompanied by a statement of commitment on behalf of the host institution from the most senior authority in the relevant faculty, school or division.

27. Can individuals apply for or hold more than one Investigator Award at the same time?
No.

28. Can Investigator Award holders apply for grant funding from other agencies?
Yes, as long as the conditions attached to such funding do not put you or your institution in breach of our grant conditions.

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29. Will Investigator Award holders be able to apply for additional funding from the Trust in support of their Investigator research programmes?
Investigator Award holders may apply for enhancement funding during the course of an award to support significant unanticipated costs, such as access to equipment or resources, or to support the grant holder to exploit new opportunities or paths of discovery as their work unfolds.

Further information about enhancement funding will be provided to Investigator Award recipients.

New Investigator Awards

30. Who is eligible to apply for New Investigator Awards?
The core criteria for eligibility is that applicants:

i. should hold an established academic post at an eligible higher education or research institution in the UK or Republic of Ireland, which is funded by the host institution

ii. should be no more than five years from appointment to their first established academic post on the date they submit their main application.

We will also accept applications from individuals who do not hold an established academic post, but have the written guarantee of such a position at the host institution, which will be taken up by the start of the award.

Applications for New Investigator Awards may also be accepted from researchers based in low- or middle-income countries, who carry out research in the fields of public health and tropical medicine that address human and animal diseases of local, national or global health importance. Please see scheme details for further information. However, please note that the Investigator Award scheme is not available to researchers in countries where we currently offer International Senior Research Fellowships.

Group leaders employed in long-term positions in currently eligible MRC, CRUK and BBSRC research institutes are able to apply. However, the research proposed must be distinct from, and not be intended to replace, activities already funded through other forms of support in that institute.

Please note that we will review each application and we reserve the right to determine whether the applicant is most appropriately considered for a New Investigator Award or a Senior Investigator Award. If you are unclear whether your current funding makes you eligible to hold a New Investigator Award, or which scheme you should apply for, please contact us.

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31. What type of individuals do we aim to attract?
New Investigator Awards fund exceptional, recently-appointed researchers who have already demonstrated the ability to innovate and drive advances in their field of study.They should have established a track record of significant achievement that demonstrates the originality and influence of their research relative to their career stage; be forging international reputations for excellence in their fields; and show exceptional promise for the future.

32. Can New Investigator Award holders apply for continued funding?
These awards are not renewable. We expect the holder of a New Investigator Award to be able to go on to compete at the Senior Investigator Award level if he or she wishes to obtain further funding.

33. Is it possible for an individual to reapply for a New Investigator Award if their first application has been unsuccessful?
Unsuccessful applicants will normally be expected to wait 12 months before resubmitting an application, and must first discuss their resubmission with the Trust.

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Senior Investigator Awards

34. Who is eligible to apply for Senior Investigator Awards?
The core criterion for eligibility is that applicants should hold an established academic post at an eligible higher education or research institution in the UK or Republic of Ireland, which is funded by the host institution.

Applications for Senior Investigator Awards may also be accepted from researchers based in low- or middle-income countries, who carry out research in the fields of public health and tropical medicine that address human and animal diseases of local, national or global health importance. Please see scheme details for further information. However, please note that the Investigator Award scheme is not available to researchers in countries where we currently offer International Senior Research Fellowships.

Please note that we will review each application and we reserve the right to determine whether the applicant is most appropriately considered for a New Investigator Award or a Senior Investigator Award. If you are unclear whether your current funding makes you eligible to hold a Senior Investigator Award, or which scheme you should apply for, please contact us.

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35. What type of individuals do we aim to attract?
Senior Investigator Awards fund exceptional, world-leading researchers who have an established track-record of significant achievement that demonstrates the originality and impact of their research; who have international reputations for excellence; and who propose a compelling long-term vision for their research to explore the most challenging and important questions in their field of study.

36. Can individuals who have retired or are approaching retirement age apply?
Yes, subject to the policy of the host institution and with the support of a sponsor at the host institution. The Trust will not normally pay the salary of the applicant in these circumstances.

37. Can Senior Investigator Award holders apply for continued funding?
Senior Investigator Award holders will be able to apply for a further Senior Investigator Award as their current award comes to an end. Applications will be considered in competition with other applications submitted for the scheme.

38. Is it possible for an individual to reapply for a Senior Investigator Award if their first application has been unsuccessful?
Unsuccessful applicants will normally be expected to wait 12 months before resubmitting an application, and must first discuss their resubmission with the Trust.

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The assessment process

39. How are Investigator Award applications assessed?
Information on the review process, decision-making bodies and the assessment criteria is provided on the Investigator Award scheme pages.

40. Is there a pre-application stage where my eligibility and suitability can be assessed?
Yes. You are strongly advised to complete the ‘CV details check’ stage to obtain advice on your eligibility and suitability before submitting a main application.

41. What is the role of the Expert Review Groups?
There are nine Expert Review Groups which together constitute a body of internationally renowned researchers with high level expertise and experience across the disciplines relevant to the Trust's biomedical remit. These Groups are responsible collectively for assessing and shortlisting Investigator Award applications

Further information on the ERGs and their remit is available here.

42. Can applicants nominate an ERG when they submit their application?
Applicants will be asked to identify which ERG they consider their research falls under. However, we will review each application on arrival and we may reallocate the application to another ERG if we consider it appropriate.

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43. Will candidates shortlisted for interview have a chance to respond to the comments the peer reviewers raise in their written reports, in advance of the interview?
Not in writing, but the Selection Panel will have received the referee reports and candidates may be asked to address specific comments raised by referees during the interview as appropriate.

44. The application form does not ask for detailed information about ethics approvals. When will applicants have to provide these details?
Candidates who are invited for interview will be required to provide further detailed information if they plan to conduct research involving humans or animals before their applications are sent out for written external peer review. If confirmation of ethics approvals has not yet been provided by the time of interview, we may make any awards recommended by the Selection Panel conditional upon the appropriate approvals being granted.

45. What is the role of the Selection Panel?
The Investigator Awards Selection Panel is responsible for interviewing all Investigator Award candidates shortlisted by the Expert Review Groups and making the final award recommendations.

46. Who makes the final decision on awards?
The Investigator Awards Selection Panel.

Further information on the Selection Panel is available here.

Grant management

47. Can Investigator Award holders move their grant to another host institution during the lifetime of the award?
We are willing to consider requests from Investigator Award holders to transfer their grant to another eligible host institution. Requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and have to be justified in terms of the scientific rationale and appropriateness of the new research environment. All such transfers must have the prior approval of the current and proposed host institution.

48. Is the Trust expecting host institutions to provide funds to buy-out applicants from teaching and administrative duties?
No – the duties of a member of staff who holds an Investigator Award is a matter for the Investigator Award holder and the employing institution. However, we believe that all of our grantholders should be involved in some way in the provision of education, mentorship and training, and that our awards should not prevent a researcher from fulfilling the essential requirements of his or her employment contract, which might also include administrative or examining duties. Equally, we would not expect those duties to hinder the research carried out under the Trust award.

49. Can Investigator Awards be extended in time?
We are willing to consider requests for no-cost extensions for up to one year.

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