Veterinary research
The Wellcome Trust's vision - to achieve extraordinary improvements in human and animal health - specifically includes animal health research. Since its foundation the Trust has recognised the value that veterinary-trained researchers can bring to science and has offered research support to this group, both in animal health research and basic biomedical research. Many of the Trust's fellowships, at all levels, as well as the Investigator Awards scheme are open to veterinary-trained researchers.
In addition to these general schemes, in September 2007 the Trust approved new funding for five years, totalling £10.7 million for personal research training awards for veterinarians. The award, to a consortium of the seven UK veterinary schools has provided a range of support, from summer schools and intercalated degrees, through to MSc and PhD training, and postdoctoral fellowships.
For the last four years, the award has supported a number of outstanding veterinary-trained researchers to launch their academic career. In the final year, in order to maximise outputs from the award, unspent funds will be purposed for Veterinary Research Entry Fellowships and will be subsumed into the Research Training Fellowship competition, specifically for vets.
Veterinary Research Entry Fellowships
Provide support for veterinary graduates who wish to undertake research leading to a Master's degree.
Research Training Fellowships
Provide support for veterinary graduates who wish to develop a career in biomedical research by obtaining a laboratory-based PhD.
Veterinarians have previously been eligible to apply for many of the Trust’s other schemes at all levels, including the clinical fellowships, and this will not change.
The Trust remains committed to supporting the best veterinary-trained researchers and recognises the important role they will continue to play in assisting us to deliver our mission statement on animal health and basic medical research.
Further information
The University of Liverpool will administer awards for summer schools, vacation studentships and intercalated degrees. The allocation of these awards will be guided by an independent steering committee chaired by Lord Selborne.
The Wellcome Trust funding also provides support for a new postgraduate National Research Training Programme for Laboratory Animal Medicine, to be directed by the Universities of Nottingham and Oxford, and involving other UK centres of excellence in the biosciences.
To discuss any of the Trust's veterinary fellowships, please email vets@wellcome.ac.uk.
Other useful links
- Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
- DEFRA Veterinary Training Research Initiative (VTRI)
- University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Sciences
- University of Cambridge Veterinary School
- University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
- University of Glasgow, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- University of Liverpool, Faculty of Veterinary Science
- University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science
- Royal Veterinary College, London