Science Funding streams

The Science Funding Division of the Wellcome Trust is organised in a 'stream' structure to focus our activity on science and enable us to be driven by scientific priorities rather than process.

Frequently asked questions

What are the streams?
The streams are five science-oriented groupings of staff and activity within Science Funding. These are intended to broadly cover all areas of biomedical science. The streams are:

Cellular, Developmental and Physiological Sciences
Genetic and Molecular Sciences
Immunology and Infectious Disease
Neuroscience and Mental Health
Populations and Public Health

See details of the remit for Science Funding streams.

Which stream should I approach for information or with an application?
The primary scientific area of proposed research is the factor used to decide which group of staff at the Wellcome Trust will handle your funding request or enquiry. For most research it should be clear as to which stream will be most appropriate for you to approach.

What if my proposal does not fit into one of the streams, or crosses a number of them?
There will be some research areas/proposals that do not fall naturally into a stream, or cross a number of them (e.g. multidisciplinary research). In these circumstances the stream that seems most appropriate, based on the fundamental purpose of the proposed research, should be approached. If it is not possible to identify a stream using this mechanism, the application can be submitted to any stream that might be appropriate and Trust staff will address it. (See next question.)

What happens if I send my request to the wrong stream?
Once received your request will be assessed and, if it is felt that a different area of the division would better handle it, will be moved between streams. You will be notified of this, and it will not delay or adversely affect the processing of your request or application in any way.

If I already have a contact at the Wellcome Trust, should I use them, or go to the appropriate stream?
It is best to go to the stream directly, as responsibilities of staff can change.

I wish to apply in response to a specific call for proposals - should I still go through a stream?
The call for proposals should specify who to approach. The vast majority of our ongoing grant activity is handled through the science-led streams structure.

If further guidance is required, please contact the relevant stream.