Senior Research Fellowships in Clinical Science
Purpose
This scheme provides support for clinical investigators to further develop their research potential and to establish themselves as leading investigators in clinical academic medicine.
What's included
The fellowship is for five years in the first instance, and provides:
- a basic salary, as determined by the host institution
- research expenses essential to the research programme (for example, consumables, equipment, overseas allowances, collaborative travel, research assistance and technical support, fieldwork and data collection)
- an inflation allowance and support to attend scientific meetings.
Additional funding is available to enable institutions to recruit exceptional scientists to the UK from overseas. The International Recruitment Supplement (IRS) is designed to be part of the fellowship, providing a competitive start-up package and covering some of the other costs associated with an individual’s recruitment. Candidates are advised to speak to their host institution before submitting a preliminary application.
The fellow's appropriate basic salary will be determined by the host institution, but it would normally be expected to be within the salary scales for academic and senior clinical lecturers. We are prepared to consider salary requests at consultant level for fellows in possession of the appropriate Honorary Clinical Contract.
Fellowships may be taken up on a part-time employment basis, where appropriate.
This Fellowship is subject to a competitive, rolling scientific review every five years and renewed awards will be funded on the basis that the Trust and the host institution will each provide 50 per cent of the Fellow's employment costs for the duration of any renewal period. Host institutions will be required from the outset to guarantee that they will support renewal of the fellowship under the shared arrangement for the full period of any renewal.
Eligibility
You should be a clinical scientist with a medical, dental, veterinary or clinical psychology (British Psychological Society-accredited) qualification.
Successful candidates will have made significant progress towards establishing themselves as independent clinical investigators. A higher degree, together with evidence of postdoctoral research training (typically at least three to five years), is expected. Applicants should have published consistently in their chosen area of research, placing substantive papers in leading journals.
You will typically have completed your clinical training. Furthermore, medics, dentists and clinical psychologists would normally be expected to obtain an Honorary Clinical Contract at consultant level, prior to taking up an award.
Due allowance will be given to those whose career has been affected by a late start or for personal reasons (e.g. time away due to maternity, paternity, adoption leave or other caring responsibilities, or ill-health).
You must have a relevant connection to the EEA. If you are a non-UK candidate, please contact the Office for advice before submitting a preliminary application.
Candidates will not normally hold a tenured academic post in a university in the UK or Republic of Ireland, or a consultant post in the NHS.
You may apply to remain in your current laboratory, to return to one where you have worked before or to move to a new laboratory.
The Trust does not normally accept resubmissions of main applications for its fellowships. Please contact the Office for further advice.
You may not apply for more than one Wellcome Trust fellowship scheme at any one time.
The proposed research should fall within our normal funding remit.
Sponsorship
You must have an eligible sponsoring host institution in the UK or RoI with the support of the relevant Head of Department, or equivalent (e.g. Centre Director, Head of School, etc.), who can guarantee that you will be supported in leading your own independent research team and that adequate space and resources will be provided for the duration of the award.
Sponsor:
The Head of Department (or equivalent):
- must have a contract of employment with the host institution or, in the case of an NHS employee, an honorary academic appointment
- should give an undertaking that if an award is made, you will be granted the status and prerogatives of other academic staff of similar seniority
- must give an undertaking that you will have conferment of consultant status during the period of the Fellowship, where appropriate and where local circumstances permit
- should not expect you to spend more than eight hours per week on teaching or routine clinical duties.
Your sponsor is encouraged to view his/her support and mentorship of you as part of a longer-term commitment to help you realise your career aspirations.
If you propose to undertake fieldwork or research in a low- or middle-income country, you may be required to identify an appropriate Head of Department, or equivalent (e.g. Director of Wellcome Trust Major Overseas Programme), in your overseas institution.
Application process
Awards will be made following a rigorous review process and interview. The application process consists of the following stages:
- Preliminary application - assessment of eligibility, plus advice on competitiveness and level of resources requested
- Invited main application - reviewed by the relevant Expert Review Group and shortlisted for interview
- Interview - by Interview Panel, with additional peer review from relevant scientific experts.
Consideration of the main application may take up to four months to complete.
Stage 1: preliminary application
A preliminary application form should be completed, via the Trust’s
eGrants online application system and submitted any time before the published deadline. (Note: select the ‘Senior Research Fellowship in Clinical Science’ form in the ‘Scheme Name’ drop-down menu, then select ‘Principal/Senior Research Fellowship’ to choose the preliminary application form).
Your preliminary application must be accompanied by an institutional statement of commitment from your host institution sponsor confirming that:
- the necessary space and facilities will be made available to conduct the research funded by the Wellcome Trust, and will continue to be available for the duration of the award
- the Fellow will be granted the status and benefits of other academic staff of similar seniority
- the institution will support a successful application for renewal of the fellowship and will jointly fund the Fellow’s employment costs through the shared 50/50 funding arrangement for the duration of any renewal period.
You are strongly advised to refer to the Additional information for completing the Principal/Senior Research Fellowship form on eGrants, which provides an overview to help guide you through the application process.
You will be notified in writing of your success, or otherwise, in reaching the next round of the competition. In some instances, we may recommend that candidates apply for an Intermediate Clinical Fellowship.
Stage 2: main application
If a main application is invited, you will be asked to complete the main application form (available on
eGrants). The form will require you to provide information additional to that provided in the preliminary application, particularly in relation to your research vision.
Stage 3: scientific review and shortlisting|
Main applications are reviewed and shortlisted for interview by one of the Trust’s
Expert Review Groups.
If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to provide further information on your application, prior to the interview itself. This will include details relating to (as appropriate):
- your data management/sharing plan
- your proposed clinical trial
- your proposed use of animals
Stage 4: External peer review
We will seek comments from external referees. Selected unattributed referee comments will be fed back to you before interview.
Stage 5: Interview
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by the
Interview Panel.
Application advice
Reviewers typically assess:
- the calibre of the candidate
- the quality and importance of the research question(s)
- the approach to solving these questions
- the suitability of the research environment.
Successful candidates will have made significant progress towards establishing themselves as independent clinical investigators. A research degree (PhD/MD) together with evidence of advanced (postdoctoral) research training would be expected. Successful candidates will have published consistently in their chosen area of research, placing substantive papers in leading journals.
Award process
If successful, and before an award letter is issued, candidates will be asked to provide:
- full details of the costs requested
- information on human participation, biological samples and personal data
- information on consultancies, equities, directorships and commercial exploitation
- details of key collaborator(s)
- other details, as required.
Successful applicants may have the opportunity to apply for Enhancement funding.
Deadlines
Applications are now considered three times a year.
The timetable for the next round of the competition is below:
- Next preliminary application deadline: 20 September 2013
- Main application deadline: 22 November 2013
- Shortlisting of candidates by Expert Review Group: January 2014
- Shortlisted candidate interviews by
Interview Panel: 1-3 April 2014
- Next preliminary application deadline: 13 December 2013
- Main application deadline: 28 February 2014
- Shortlisting of candidates by Expert Review Group: April-May 2014
- Shortlisted candidate interviews by Interview Panel: 8-10 July 2014
Schedule for preliminary applications submitted to 10 May 2013 deadline:
- Main application deadline: 12 July 2013
- Shortlisting of candidates by Expert Review Group: Sept-Oct 2013
- Shortlisted candidate interviews by Interview Panel: 3-5 December 2013
Invitations to complete a main application form will usually be sent to candidates within one month of the preliminary application deadline.
Interviews will be conducted at the Wellcome Trust’s offices in London.
Late applications will not be accepted at any stage.
Current award holders
A full list of current Senior Research Fellows in Clinical Science is available.
Contacts
Enquiries may be directed to the appropriate funding stream, or by telephone to the Grants Service Desk: +44 (0)20 7611 2020.
Immunology and Infectious Disease
E
iid@wellcome.ac.uk
Population and Public Health
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pph@wellcome.ac.uk
Neuroscience and Mental Health
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nmh@wellcome.ac.uk
Cellular, Developmental and Physiological Sciences
E
cdps@wellcome.ac.uk
Genetic and Molecular Sciences
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gms@wellcome.ac.uk