Translation Awards

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For applied R&D projects that address an unmet need in healthcare. They are open to academic researchers and companies, and can address almost any area of healthcare.
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Purpose

Translation Awards are response-mode funding 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.

What's included

The important criterion is to develop the innovation to the point at which it can be adopted by another party.

Providing it is adequately justified, modest equipment purchase and maintenance costs may be included in a Translation Award application.

Building or refurbishment expenditure will not normally be considered.

Applications may not include requests for academic institutional overheads.

If you hold a tenured university post, you may not re-charge your salary (in full or part) to a Translation Award.

See allowed costs and disallowed costs for further information on what is and is not included.

Eligibility

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.

Institutions

Eligible institutions are not-for-profit research institutions, including those funded by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, in the UK.Institutions are normally required to sign up to a short funding agreement (similar to this template [Word 122KB]) and the Grant Conditions.

Companies

We are able to use our charitable monies to fund commercial companies to meet our charitable objectives through programme-related investment (PRI). For further details please refer to our policy on PRI [Word 23KB]. Companies will normally be expected to sign up to specific terms relating to the scheme (which will be typically based on this template [Word 122KB]).

Overseas organisations

UK organisations may contract or collaborate with overseas organisations. Although overseas organisations are not eligible for Translation Awards, some proposals may be invited for consideration as a Strategic Translation Award (including Seeding Drug Discovery).Overseas organisations should contact Technology Transfer staff about their proposed project in the first instance.

Principal applicants and coapplicants

Applicants should normally hold a position of responsibility within the eligible organisation and be able to sign up to or comply with the conditions or terms of an award.

In addition, postdoctoral research assistants - whether seeking their own salary as part of the grant proposal, funded by the Wellcome Trust on another grant, or funded by another agency - are eligible for coapplicant status if they make a significant contribution to a research proposal and have agreement from their funding agency.

Other eligibility information

Disciplines outside biomedicine
Researchers from disciplines outside biomedicine can apply providing the application of research is designed to facilitate or meet a need in healthcare. For example, the application of physics, chemistry, computing, engineering and materials science to the development of medical products is entirely appropriate.

Healthcare need in an area that is not commercially attractive
We are committed to the translation of research into practical healthcare benefits across the full spectrum of disease. Disease areas neglected by industry because of the lack of a return on investment pose a particular problem, but imaginative ways forward can sometimes be developed (e.g. public-private partnerships such as the Medicines for Malaria Venture).

Intellectual property rights (IPR)/publications
If there are any restrictions on IPR or publications arising from your research, you must provide a written statement that details them. Restrictions on intellectual property may affect your eligibility to apply to the Trust. Please refer to our Grant Conditions.

For further information please refer to our policy on IP and patenting and the Forms and guidance tab on this page.

Application process

A preliminary application form [Word 109KB] must be completed and sent to Technology Transfer by the published deadline.

Preliminary applications are subject to a triage for shortlisting for the full application stage.

Applications will be considered by the Technology Transfer Challenge Committee (TTCC), which meets twice a year.

Full applications will be invited following the triage meeting.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application and will be subject to international peer review and due diligence by members of our Technology Transfer Advisory Group (TTAG).Applicants will be expected to make a presentation on their proposal to the TTCC. Unless otherwise advised, this will be at the next scheduled meeting of the TTCC.

Application advice

Technology Transfer staff are happy to advise you during the preparation of a proposal.

See the Forms and Guidance tab on this page for application guidelines, specimen application forms and other helpful guidance notes.

The most common application queries are addressed by our FAQs.

Deadlines

Preliminary applications are considered twice a year.

The deadlines for preliminary applications for 2011, together with their corresponding review dates, are set out below:

Preliminary deadline

      

TTCC meeting (presentations by shortlisted applicants)

22 July 2011

      

March 2012

6 January 2012

      

July 2012

20 July 2012

      

March 2013


All applications received by 17.00 GMT on the deadline date will be considered.

Full applications will be invited following the relevant triage meeting.

Shortlisted applicants will be expected to make a presentation on their proposal to the Technology Transfer Challenge Committee. Unless otherwise advised, this will be at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee.

Contacts

Technology Transfer
Wellcome Trust
Gibbs Building
215 Euston Road
London NW1 2BE, UK

T +44 (0)20 7611 8202
F +44 (0)20 7611 8857
E techtransfer@wellcome.ac.uk

Wellcome Trust, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK T:+44 (0)20 7611 8888