Grantholders e-newsletter

ISSUE 12: JANUARY 2008

1. Update on new Grant System launch

The Trust's new Grant System is on track to be launched in spring 2008. The Grant System information on our website has recently been updated to provide more detailed information and FAQs on the design and functionality of the new system, technical requirements for operating the system, and our new profile payment mechanism.

You will recently have received an email asking you to verify your personal details so that they can be used for you in the new system. Please review the details we hold for you and keep the email as it provides important log-in information.

2. New calls for proposals

Institutional Research Capacity Strengthening in Africa
This initiative aims to build a critical mass of sustainable capacity in Africa, through strengthening research in African universities and institutes. The Trust will provide funding to create consortia between higher education institutes and research institutes in Africa (south-south links), and with institutions in the UK, or in other countries with a developed market economy (north-south links). We expect the consortia to be Africa-led and to include a mix of African institutions with well-established research activities, as well as promising African institutions that are either developing or renewing their research potential. For more information please see our website or email us at globalhealth@wellcome.ac.uk.

3. Translation Awards: new application process

There is now a new application process for Translation Awards. A preliminary application form must now be completed and submitted for consideration at a quarterly triage meeting. Subsequently only those who are short-listed will be invited to make full applications.

Translation Awards are response-mode grants designed to bridge the funding gap in the commercialisation of new technologies in the biomedical area. Projects covering any aspect of technology development from a range of disciplines including physical, computational and life sciences will be considered. Projects must address an unmet need in healthcare or in applied medical research, offer a potential new solution, and have a realistic expectation that the innovation will be developed further by the market.

4. Funding update for fellowships

For fellowships, the consolidated inflation/Flexible Funding Allowance will be applied to the total award exclusive of the fellow's salary costs. The Trust will separately add compound inflation of three per cent per annum to the fellow's salary costs from year two onwards. We will provide supplementary funding to meet any additional salary costs, where the actual employment costs exceed the budget provided.

5. Human Developmental Biology Resource

The Human Developmental Biology Resource (HDBR) is a unique national human tissue resource for developmental biologists, geneticists and pathologists. The HDBR collects, stores and distributes human embryonic and foetal tissue for research. This material is available for researchers to help them increase knowledge of a large number of serious diseases and conditions.

6. Research support

The Wellcome Trust provides public engagement and communications training and support for all of its biomedical, bioethical and history of medicine grantholders and their research groups. To find out more, including information on our 2008 programme, visit our web pages or contact Chris Stock: c.stock@wellcome.ac.uk.

Engaging Science grants workshop: Thursday 24 January 2008, Belfast
Engaging Science is a grants programme offering over three million pounds per year to support projects that engage the public with biomedical science and its social contexts. We are offering a free grants workshop for those interested in applying. This workshop will provide information on our Engaging Science grant schemes (People, Arts and Society Awards), including an overview of the grants programme, the aims and objectives of the awards, and details of the application and review process. Please email engagingscienceworkshops@wellcome.ac.uk if you would like to attend.

7. Courses and workshops

The Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses Programme recently ran a human genomics workshop in Kilifi, Kenya for 23 regional scientists (23-25 October 2007). A pathogen genomics workshop was held in Vietnam this December, and will be held again in Malawi from 19 to 23 May 2008. The overseas workshops draw on expertise from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and members of the local scientific community to provide instructors and speakers. View the full 2008 programme of courses and workshops.

8. Knockout mouse resource

Researchers can apply for a limited number of gene knockout mouse strains and associated phenotypic data, to be acquired from Deltagen Inc. and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. Proposals are invited through the Trust's funding streams as part of a research grant application and can be made via eGrants. Applications will be considered until July 2008. Please bear in mind applications take four to six months to process.