Start-up funds announced for clinical lecturers

2 October 2008

A £5 million grant scheme has been launched to enable clinicians to pursue academic research projects alongside care of patients.

The scheme will provide clinical lecturers, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, with a grant of up to £30 000 towards research costs allowing them to maintain research momentum and enhance their competitiveness for applications for longer-term funding.

The scheme, run by the Academy of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust, will operate for a period of four years and aims to support up to 200 clinicians during this time.

Academy President, Professor Sir John Bell FRS PMedSci said: "Academic values and the spirit of enquiry should be pervasive throughout the National Health Service. By providing early-career clinicians with funds to build a research portfolio the scheme will produce a new generation of researchers with the skills to ensure patients benefit from the latest breakthroughs in medical science."

Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust added: "The Wellcome Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences to provide support for clinical lecturers. There has never been a better time for clinicians to embark upon a career in academic medicine. Medical science is advancing quickly and the challenge is to translate new discoveries into new treatments."

Clinical Lecturers funded by the scheme will also be eligible to join the Academy's national mentoring and outreach programme, which provides one-to-one mentoring by Academy Fellows to further support career development.

Information and application forms can be obtained from the Academy of Medical Sciences website.

Image: Justine Desmond, Wellcome Images.